Political justice becomes more binding when men are related by friendship.

The state itself is a community for the sake of advantage; the expedient to all is the just.
In the large society of the state, there are many inferior societies for business, and for pleasure: friendship starts up in all (IX.).
There are three forms of Civil Government, with a characteristic declension or perversion of each:--Monarchy passing into Despotism; Aristocracy into Oligarchy; Timocracy (based on wealth) into Democracy; parent and child typifies the first; husband and wife the second; brothers the third (X.).

The monarchial or paternal type has superiority on one side, and demands honour as well as love on the other.

In aristocracy, the relation is one of merit, and the greater love is given to the better.

In timocracy, and among brothers, there is equality; and hence the most frequent friendships.