BOOK 5 Chapter 6 Destruction of Oligarchies

Chapter 6

I. General Causes of Revolution in Oligarchies

1. Mistreatment of the Multitude (Injustice)
   • Oligarchies often undergo revolution when they unjustly treat the people.
   • Any discontented leader, especially from within the oligarchy, can instigate revolution.
   • Historical example: Lygdamis of Naxos, who became a tyrant after leading the revolt.
2. Factional Conflicts Among the Wealthy
   • Oligarchies sometimes fall due to internal conflicts among the wealthy, especially when the ruling group is small.
   • In some cases, those excluded from political offices instigate change.
   • Examples include:
     • Massilia: Where initially only elder brothers participated in offices, then younger ones were included.
     • Istrus: Oligarchy gave way to rule by the people.
     • Heracleia: The number of ruling officials increased to 600.
   • Cnidos: Conflict arose when the ruling notables restricted office-holding to certain family members, leading to revolt.
3. Resentment of Rule by a Few
   • Even well-administered oligarchies may face revolution if the populace resents being governed by a small elite.
   • Example: In Erythrae, despite good governance, the oligarchy of the Basilids was overthrown due to popular discontent.

II. Popular Leadership and Its Role in Revolution

1. Rivalry for Popularity Among the Oligarchs
   • Internal competition for popularity can destabilize an oligarchy.
   • Two types of popular leaders:
     • Within the oligarchy: Seeking favor among peers (e.g., the 30 at Athens).
     • Appealing to the masses: Seeking popularity outside the oligarchy (e.g., Larisa’s guardians of the regime).
   • In some cases, election to offices by non-oligarchs creates a rift, as seen in Abydus.
2. Judicial Influence
   • Oligarchies that draw judicial authority from outside their own group risk revolution. An example is Heracleia on the Black Sea, where the courts contributed to instability.
   • Inequality among oligarchs may force some to bring in the people for support, further destabilizing the system.

III. Wealth and Corruption as Factors of Instability

1. Extravagant Living and Corruption
   • Oligarchies often collapse when the ruling elite waste their wealth on excessive living.
   • These oligarchs either seek to establish tyranny or support others to do so.
   • Examples include:
     • Syracuse: Hipparinus supported Dionysius in becoming tyrant.
     • Amphipolis: Cleotimus stirred conflict by bringing in Chalcidian settlers.
   • Corruption also plays a role: Some oligarchs steal public funds, leading to factional conflict, as in Apollonia on the Black Sea.
2. Solidarity within the Oligarchy
   • Concord among the oligarchs can prevent revolution. For example, at Pharsalus, a small group maintained power by treating one another well.
   • However, oligarchies can also fall when they form an inner elite within the ruling group, as occurred in Elis and Sparta, where only a few held the highest offices.

IV. The Role of War and Peace in Revolutions

1. Revolutions during War
   • Oligarchies may collapse during wartime when they resort to hiring mercenaries due to mistrust of the people.
   • If power is concentrated in the hands of the mercenary commander, he may seize control (e.g., Timophanes at Corinth).
   • Sometimes oligarchs involve the people to counterbalance mercenaries, inadvertently broadening participation in governance.
2. Revolutions in Peacetime
   • In times of peace, oligarchs may distrust each other, leading them to rely on neutral officials or mercenaries, who then accumulate power.
   • Example: Larisa, where Simus and the Aleuads gained power through such means.

V. Social and Personal Conflicts Leading to Factionalism

1. Marriage Disputes
   • Conflicts often arise from personal grievances such as those related to marriages.
   • Example: Eretria’s oligarchy was overthrown by Diagoras after he was wronged in a marriage.
2. Judicial Decisions and Rivalries
   • Judicial conflicts can also lead to factional strife, as in Heracleia and Thebes, where controversial decisions led to public punishment and revolution.

VI. Internal Oligarchic Features that Contribute to Revolution

1. Oligarchies Resembling Master-Servant Rule
   • Oligarchies that exhibit authoritarian characteristics tend to collapse due to internal resentment, as in Cnidus and Chios.
2. Accidental Changes in Regimes
   • Accidents, such as changes in wealth or property assessments, can gradually lead to oligarchic revolutions.
   • Over time, economic prosperity may allow more citizens to participate in offices, as property assessments are revised.
   • Revolutions can happen gradually or abruptly, depending on how quickly these changes are recognized.

VII. General Principles of Oligarchic and Democratic Transformations

1. Alterations within the Same Type of Regime
   • Both oligarchies and democracies sometimes shift from one variation to another (e.g., from legal rule to a more authoritative regime) without fundamentally changing type.
   • These transformations reflect changes in how power is distributed within the existing system.

This chapter from Aristotle’s Politics provides a thorough examination of the various causes and mechanisms by which oligarchies undergo revolution, ranging from internal factional conflicts to external pressures like war and economic shifts.

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