For, as we said (Chap. VI. Sec. 31), no
pay is to be given to the militia, and (Chap. VI. Sec. 10) it is to be
formed out of citizens only and no others.
8. There is another accession to the cause of peace and concord, which
is also of great weight: I mean, that no citizen can have immovable
property (Chap. VI. Sec. 12). Hence all will have nearly an equal risk
in war. For all will be obliged, for the sake of gain, to practise
trade, or lend money to one another, if, as formerly by the Athenians, a
law be passed, forbidding to lend money at interest to any but
inhabitants; and thus they will be engaged in business, which either is
mutually involved, one man's with another's, or needs the same means for
its furtherance. And thus the greatest part of this council will
generally have one and the same mind about their common affairs and the
arts of peace. For, as we said (Sec. 4), every man defends another's
cause, so far as he thinks thereby to establish his own.
9. It cannot be doubted, that it will never occur to anyone to corrupt
this council with bribes. For were any man to draw over to his side some
one or two out of so great a number of men, he would gain nothing. For,
as we said, the opinion, which does not gain at least a hundred votes,
is void.
10. We shall also easily see, that, once this council is established its
members cannot be reduced to a less number, if we consider the common
passions of mankind. For all are guided mostly by ambition, and there is
no man who lives in health but hopes to attain extreme old age.
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