From “Oceana.”

ALL government is founded upon overbalance, in propriety, power, or ownership.

1

  If one man hold the overbalance unto the whole people in propriety, his propriety causeth absolute monarchy.

2

  If the few hold the overbalance unto the whole people in propriety, their propriety causeth aristocracy, or mixed monarchy.

3

  If the whole people be neither overbalanced by the propriety of one, nor of a few, the propriety of the people or of the many causeth democracy, or popular government.

4

  The government of one against the balance is tyranny.

5

  The government of a few against the balance is oligarchy.

6

  The government of the many (or attempt of the people to govern) against the balance is rebellion or anarchy.

7

  Where the balance of propriety is equal, it causeth a state of war.

8

  To hold that government may be founded upon community is to hold that there may be a black swan, or a castle in the air, or that what thing soever is as imaginable, as what hath been in practice, must be as practicable as what hath been in practice.

9

  If the overbalance of propriety be in one man, it necessitateth the form of government to be like that of Turkey.

10

  If the overbalance of propriety be in the few, it necessitateth the form of government to be like that of king, lords, and commons.

11

  If the people be not overbalanced by one or a few, they are not capable of any other form of government than that of a senate and a popular assembly.

12