Types
One ruler: Correct---King; Deviant--- Tyranny
Few rulers: Correct---Aristocracy; Deviant---Oligarchy
Many: Correct--Polity; Deviant ---Democracy
Aristotle suggests that polity is probably the best that can be achieved in practical terms and this is a form of rule by the many not the few. Oligarchy for Aristotle is bad. It is the rule of the rich in the interest of the rich. However, democracy too is rejected as being the rule of the poor in their own interests and not in the general interest. Aristotle distinguishes a number of different kinds of democratic constitution and discusses their strengths and weakness. Some relevant passages are collected at http://perseus.holycross.edu/current/AthDem/Passages.html
Cheers, Ken Hanly
Brad De Long wrote:
>
> >Here's a quote a friend sent to me that is attributed to Dr. Chomsky. I
> >thought it was kind of interesting so I'll pass it along.
> >
> >"... A couple of thousand years later, when our Founding Fathers were writing
> >
> >the Constitution, James Madison noticed the same problem, but whereas
> Aristotle's preferred solution had been to reduce poverty..."
>
> This is totally and profoundly dorky.
>
> Aristotle's preferred regime was *not* a democracy with a limited
> degree of inequality--that's Rousseau. Aristotle's preferred regime
> was an oligarchy in which the narrow elite had the leisure to engage
> in philosophy and rule justly...
>
> Madison believed that improvements in the science of government since
> Aristotle's time allowed a representative democracy to function
> without running into the insoluble problems pointed out by
> Aristotle...
>
> Jeez. Let's have at least *some* actual contact with the doctrines
> advocated by the ancient sources...
>
> Brad DeLong