this matter. It is necessary, I am sensible, for
every one who treats upon government, to enter particularly
into the relations of husband and wife, and of parent
and child, and to show what are the virtues of each
and their respective connections with each other; what
is right and what is wrong; and how the one ought
to be followed, and the other avoided. Since
then every family is part of a city, and each of those
individuals is part of a family, and the virtue of
the parts ought to correspond to the virtue of the
whole; it is necessary, that both the wives and children
of the community should be instructed correspondent
to the nature thereof, if it is of consequence to the
virtue of the state, that the wives and children therein
should be virtuous, and of consequence it certainly
is, for the wives are one half of the free persons;
and of the children the succeeding citizens are to
be formed. As then we have determined these points,
we will leave the rest to be spoken to in another
place, as if the subject was now finished; and beginning
again anew, first consider the sentiments of those
who have treated of the most perfect forms of government.
BOOK II
CHAPTER I
Since then we propose to inquire what civil society
is of all others best for those who have it in their
power to live entirely as they wish, it is necessary
to examine into the polity of those states which are
allowed to be well governed; and if there should be
any others which some persons have described, and
which appear properly regulated, to note what is right
and useful in them; and when we point out wherein
they have failed, let not this be imputed to an affectation
of wisdom, for it is because there are great defects
in all those which are already ’established,
that I have been induced to undertake this work.
We will begin with that part of the subject which
naturally presents itself first to our consideration.
The members of every state must of necessity have
all things in common, or some things common, and not
others, or nothing at all common. To have nothing
in common is evidently impossible, for society itself
is one species of [1261a] community; and the first
thing necessary thereunto is a common place of habitation,
namely the city, which must be one, and this every
citizen must have a share in. But in a government
which is to be well founded, will it be best to admit
of a community in everything which is capable thereof,
or only in some particulars, but in others not? for
it is possible that the citizens may have their wives,
and children, and goods in common, as in Plato’s
Commonwealth; for in that Socrates affirms that all
these particulars ought to be so. Which then
shall we prefer? the custom which is already established,
or the laws which are proposed in that treatise?
CHAPTER II
Copyrights
Politics: A Treatise on Government from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
