第4章
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  Itisanessentialpointtofixthenumberofcitizenswhoaretoformthepublicassemblies;otherwiseitwouldbeuncertainwhetherthewhole,oronlyapartofthepeople,hadgiventheirvotes。AtSpartathenumberwasfixedattenthousand。ButRome,designedbyProvidencetorisefromtheweakestbeginningstothehighestpitchofgrandeur;

  Rome,doomedtoexperienceallthevicissitudesoffortune;Rome,whohadsometimesallherinhabitantswithoutherwalls,andsometimesallItalyandaconsiderablepartoftheworldwithinthem;Rome,Isay,neverfixedthenumber[3]andthiswasoneoftheprincipalcausesofherruin。

  Thepeople,inwhomthesupremepowerresides,oughttohavethemanagementofeverythingwithintheirreach:thatwhichexceedstheirabilitiesmustbeconductedbytheirministers。

  Buttheycannotproperlybesaidtohavetheirministers,withoutthepowerofnominatingthem:itis,therefore,afundamentalmaximinthisgovernment,thatthepeopleshouldchoosetheirministers——thatis,theirmagistrates。

  Theyhaveoccasion,aswellasmonarchs,andevenmoreso,tobedirectedbyacouncilorsenate。Buttohaveaproperconfidenceinthese,theyshouldhavethechoosingofthemembers;whethertheelectionbemadebythemselves,asatAthens,orbysomemagistratedeputedforthatpurpose,asoncertainoccasionswascustomaryatRome。

  Thepeopleareextremelywellqualifiedforchoosingthosewhomtheyaretoentrustwithpartoftheirauthority。Theyhaveonlytobedeterminedbythingstowhichtheycannotbestrangers,andbyfactsthatareobvioustosense。Theycantellwhenapersonhasfoughtmanybattles,andbeencrownedwithsuccess;theyare,therefore,capableofelectingageneral。Theycantellwhenajudgeisassiduousinhisoffice,givesgeneralsatisfaction,andhasneverbeenchargedwithbribery:thisissufficientforchoosingapr?tor。Theyarestruckwiththemagnificenceorrichesofafellow—citizen;nomoreisrequisiteforelectinganedile。Thesearefactsofwhichtheycanhavebetterinformationinapublicforumthanamonarchinhispalace。Butaretheycapableofconductinganintricateaffair,ofseizingandimprovingtheopportunityandcriticalmomentofaction?No;thissurpassestheirabilities。

  Shouldwedoubtthepeople’snaturalcapacity,inrespecttothediscernmentofmerit,weneedonlycastaneyeontheseriesofsurprisingelectionsmadebytheAtheniansandRomans;whichnoonesurelywillattributetohazard。

  WeknowthatthoughthepeopleofRomeassumedtherightofraisingplebeianstopublicoffices,yettheyneverwouldexertthispower;andthoughatAthensthemagistrateswereallowed,bythelawofAristides,tobeelectedfromallthedifferentclassesofinhabitants,thereneverwasacase,saysXenophon,[4]whenthecommonpeoplepetitionedforemploymentswhichcouldendangereithertheirsecurityortheirglory。

  Asmostcitizenshavesufficientabilitytochoose,thoughunqualifiedtobechosen,sothepeople,thoughcapableofcallingotherstoanaccountfortheiradministration,areincapableofconductingtheadministrationthemselves。

  Thepublicbusinessmustbecarriedonwithacertainmotion,neithertooquicknortooslow。Butthemotionofthepeopleisalwayseithertooremissortooviolent。Sometimeswithahundredthousandarmstheyoverturnallbeforethem;andsometimeswithahundredthousandfeettheycreeplikeinsects。

  Inapopularstatetheinhabitantsaredividedintocertainclasses。Itisinthemannerofmakingthisdivisionthatgreatlegislatorshavesignalisedthemselves;anditisonthisthedurationandprosperityofdemocracyhaveeverdepended。

  ServiusTulliusfollowedthespiritofaristocracyinthedistributionofhisclasses。WefindinLivy[5]andinDionysiusHalicarnassus,[6]inwhatmannerhelodgedtherightofsuffrageinthehandsoftheprincipalcitizens。HehaddividedthepeopleofRomeinto193

  centuries,whichformedsixclasses;andrankingtherich,whowereinsmallernumbers,inthefirstcenturies,andthoseinmiddlingcircumstances,whoweremorenumerous,inthenext,heflungtheindigentmultitudeintothelast;andaseachcenturyhadbutonevote[7]itwaspropertyratherthannumbersthatdecidedtheelection。

  SolondividedthepeopleofAthensintofourclasses。Inthishewasdirectedbythespiritofdemocracy,hisintentionnotbeingtofixthosewhoweretochoose,butsuchaswereeligible:therefore,leavingtoeverycitizentherightofelection,hemade[8]thejudgeseligiblefromeachofthosefourclasses;butthemagistratesheorderedtobechosenonlyoutofthefirstthree,consistingofpersonsofeasyfortunes。[9]

  Asthedivisionofthosewhohavearightofsuffrageisafundamentallawinrepublics,sothemannerofgivingthissuffrageisanotherfundamental。

  Thesuffragebylotisnaturaltodemocracy;asthatbychoiceistoaristocracy。[10]

  Thesuffragebylotisamethodofelectingthatoffendsnoone,butanimateseachcitizenwiththepleasinghopeofservinghiscountry。

  Yetasthismethodisinitselfdefective,ithasbeentheendeavourofthemosteminentlegislatorstoregulateandamendit。

  SolonmadealawatAthensthatmilitaryemploymentsshouldbeconferredbychoice;butthatsenatorsandjudgesshouldbeelectedbylot。

  Thesamelegislatorordainedthatcivilmagistracies,attendedwithgreatexpense,shouldbegivenbychoice;andtheothersbylot。

  Inorder,however,toamendthesuffragebylot,hemadearulethatnonebutthosewhopresentedthemselvesshouldbeelected;thatthepersonelectedshouldbeexaminedbyjudges[11]andthateveryoneshouldhavearighttoaccusehimifhewereunworthyoftheoffice:[12]

  thisparticipatedatthesametimeofthesuffragebylot,andofthatbychoice。Whenthetimeoftheirmagistracyhadexpired,theywereobligedtosubmittoanotherjudgmentinregardtotheirconduct。

  Personsutterlyunqualifiedmusthavebeenextremelybackwardingivingintheirnamestobedrawnbylot。

  Thelawwhichdeterminesthemannerofgivingsuffrageislikewisefundamentalinademocracy。Itisaquestionofsomeimportancewhetherthesuffragesoughttobepublicorsecret。Ciceroobserves[13]thatthelaws[14]whichrenderedthemsecrettowardsthecloseoftherepublicwerethecauseofitsdecline。Butasthisisdifferentlypractisedindifferentrepublics,Ishallofferheremythoughtsconcerningthissubject。

  Thepeople’ssuffragesoughtdoubtlesstobepublic[15]andthisshouldbeconsideredasafundamentallawofdemocracy。Thelowerclassoughttobedirectedbythoseofhigherrank,andrestrainedwithinboundsbythegravityofeminentpersonages。Hence,byrenderingthesuffragessecretintheRomanrepublic,allwaslost;itwasnolongerpossibletodirectapopulacethatsoughtitsowndestruction。Butwhenthebodyofthenoblesaretovoteinanaristocracy[16]orinademocracythesenate[17]asthebusinessisthenonlytopreventintrigues,thesuffragescannotbetoosecret。

  Intriguinginasenateisdangerous;itisdangerousalsoinabodyofnobles;butnotsoamongthepeople,whosenatureistoactthroughpassion。Incountrieswheretheyhavenoshareinthegovernment,weoftenseethemasmuchinflamedonaccountofanactorasevertheycouldbeforthewelfareofthestate。Themisfortuneofarepubliciswhenintriguesareatanend;whichhappenswhenthepeoplearegainedbybriberyandcorruption:inthiscasetheygrowindifferenttopublicaffairs,andavaricebecomestheirpredominantpassion。Unconcernedaboutthegovernmentandeverythingbelongingtoit,theyquietlywaitfortheirhire。

  Itislikewiseafundamentallawindemocracies,thatthepeopleshouldhavethesolepowertoenactlaws。Andyetthereareathousandoccasionsonwhichitisnecessarythesenateshouldhavethepowerofdecreeing;nay,itisfrequentlypropertomakesometrialofalawbeforeitisestablished。TheconstitutionsofRomeandAthenswereexcellent。Thedecreesofthesenate[18]hadtheforceoflawsforthespaceofayear,butdidnotbecomeperpetualtilltheywereratifiedbytheconsentofthepeople。

  3。OftheLawsinrelationtotheNatureofAristocracy。Inanaristocracythesupremepowerislodgedinthehandsofacertainnumberofpersons。Theseareinvestedbothwiththelegislativeandexecutiveauthority;andtherestofthepeopleare,inrespecttothem,thesameasthesubjectsofamonarchyinregardtothesovereign。

  Theydonotvoteherebylot,forthiswouldbeproductiveofinconveniencesonly。Andindeed,inagovernmentwherethemostmortifyingdistinctionsarealreadyestablished,thoughtheyweretobechosenbylot,stilltheywouldnotceasetobeodious;itisthenoblemantheyenvy,andnotthemagistrate。

  Whenthenobilityarenumerous,theremustbeasenatetoregulatetheaffairswhichthebodyofthenoblesareincapableofdeciding,andtoprepareothersfortheirdecision。Inthiscaseitmaybesaidthatthearistocracyisinsomemeasureinthesenate,thedemocracyinthebodyofthenobles,andthepeopleareacipher。

  Itwouldbeaveryhappythinginanaristocracyifthepeople,insomemeasure,couldberaisedfromtheirstateofannihilation。ThusatGenoa,thebankofSt。Georgebeingadministeredbythepeople[19]givesthemacertaininfluenceinthegovernment,whencetheirwholeprosperityisderived。

  Thesenatorsoughtbynomeanstohavetherightofnamingtheirownmembers;forthiswouldbetheonlywaytoperpetuateabuses。AtRome,whichinitsearlyyearswasakindofaristocracy,thesenatedidnotfillupthevacantplacesintheirownbody;thenewmemberswerenominatedbythecensors。[20]

  Inarepublic,thesuddenriseofaprivatecitizentoexorbitantpowerproducesmonarchy,orsomethingmorethanmonarchy。Inthelatterthelawshaveprovidedfor,orinsomemeasureadaptedthemselvesto,theconstitution;andtheprincipleofgovernmentchecksthemonarch:butinarepublic,whereaprivatecitizenhasobtainedanexorbitantpower,[21]theabuseofthispowerismuchgreater,becausethelawsforesawitnot,andconsequentlymadenoprovisionagainstit。

  Thereisanexceptiontothisrule,whentheconstitutionissuchastohaveimmediateneedofamagistrateinvestedwithextraordinarypower。

  SuchwasRomewithherdictators,suchisVenicewithherstateinquisitors;theseareformidablemagistrates,whorestore,asitwerebyviolence,thestatetoitsliberty。Buthowcomesitthatthesemagistraciesaresoverydifferentinthesetworepublics?ItisbecauseRomesupportedtheremainsofheraristocracyagainstthepeople;

  whereasVeniceemploysherstateinquisitorstomaintainheraristocracyagainstthenobles。TheconsequencewasthatatRomethedictatorshipcouldbeonlyofshortduration,asthepeopleactedthroughpassionandnotwithdesign。Itwasnecessarythatamagistracyofthiskindshouldbeexercisedwithlustreandpomp,thebusinessbeingtointimidate,andnottopunish,themultitude。Itwasalsoproperthatthedictatorshouldbecreatedonlyforsomeparticularaffair,andforthisonlyshouldhaveanunlimitedauthority,ashewasalwayscreateduponsomesuddenemergency。Onthecontrary,atVenicetheyhaveoccasionforapermanentmagistracy;forhereitisthatschemesmaybesetonfoot,continued,suspended,andresumed;thattheambitionofasinglepersonbecomesthatofafamily,andtheambitionofonefamilythatofmany。

  Theyhaveoccasionforasecretmagistracy,thecrimestheypunishbeinghatchedinsecrecyandsilence。Thismagistracymusthaveageneralinquisition,fortheirbusinessisnottoremedyknowndisorders,buttopreventtheunknown。Inaword,thelatterisdesignedtopunishsuspectedcrimes;whereastheformerusedrathermenacesthanpunishmentevenforcrimesthatwereopenlyavowed。

  Inallmagistracies,thegreatnessofthepowermustbecompensatedbythebrevityoftheduration。Thismostlegislatorshavefixedtoayear;

  alongerspacewouldbedangerous,andashorterwouldbecontrarytothenatureofgovernment。Forwhoisitthatinthemanagementevenofhisdomesticaffairswouldbethusconfined?AtRagusa[22]thechiefmagistrateoftherepublicischangedeverymonth,theotherofficerseveryweek,andthegovernorofthecastleeveryday。Butthiscantakeplaceonlyinasmallrepublicenvironed[23]byformidablepowers,whomighteasilycorruptsuchpettyandinsignificantmagistrates。

  Thebestaristocracyisthatinwhichthosewhohavenoshareinthelegislaturearesofewandinconsiderablethatthegoverningpartyhavenointerestinoppressingthem。Thuswhen[24]AntipatermadealawatAthensthatwhosoeverwasnotworthtwothousanddrachmsshouldhavenopowertovote,heformedbythismethodthebestaristocracypossible;

  becausethiswassosmallasumastoexcludeveryfew,andnotoneofanyrankorconsiderationinthecity。

  Aristocraticfamiliesoughttherefore,asmuchaspossible,tolevelthemselvesinappearancewiththepeople。Themoreanaristocracybordersondemocracy,theneareritapproachesperfection:and,inproportionasitdrawstowardsmonarchy,themoreisitimperfect。

  Butthemostimperfectofallisthatinwhichthepartofthepeoplethatobeysisinastateofcivilservitudetothosewhocommand,asthearistocracyofPoland,wherethepeasantsareslavestothenobility。

  4。OftheRelationofLawstotheNatureofMonarchicalGovernment。Theintermediate,subordinate,anddependentpowersconstitutethenatureofmonarchicalgovernment;Imeanofthatinwhichasinglepersongovernsbyfundamentallaws。Isaidtheintermediate,subordinate,anddependentpowers。Andindeed,inmonarchiestheprinceisthesourceofallpower,politicalandcivil。Thesefundamentallawsnecessarilysupposetheintermediatechannelsthroughwhichthepowerflows:foriftherebeonlythemomentaryandcapriciouswillofasinglepersontogovernthestate,nothingcanbefixed,andofcoursethereisnofundamentallaw。

  Themostnatural,intermediate,andsubordinatepoweristhatofthenobility。Thisinsomemeasureseemstobeessentialtoamonarchy,whosefundamentalmaximis:nomonarch,nonobility;nonobility,nomonarch;buttheremaybeadespoticprince。

  TherearemenwhohaveendeavouredinsomecountriesinEuropetosuppressthejurisdictionofthenobility,notperceivingthattheyweredrivingattheverythingthatwasdonebytheparliamentofEngland。

  Abolishtheprivilegesofthelords,theclergyandcitiesinamonarchy,andyouwillsoonhaveapopularstate,orelseadespoticgovernment。

  ThecourtsofaconsiderablekingdominEuropehave,formanyages,beenstrikingatthepatrimonialjurisdictionofthelordsandclergy。Wedonotpretendtocensurethesesagemagistrates;butweleaveittothepublictojudgehowfarthismayaltertheconstitution。FaramIfrombeingprejudicedinfavouroftheprivilegesoftheclergy;however,I

  shouldbegladiftheirjurisdictionwereoncefixed。Thequestionisnotwhethertheirjurisdictionwasjustlyestablished;butwhetheritbereallyestablished;whetheritconstitutesapartofthelawsofthecountry,andisineveryrespectinrelationtothoselaws:whetherbetweentwopowersacknowledgedindependent,theconditionsoughtnottobereciprocal;andwhetheritbenotequallythedutyofagoodsubjecttodefendtheprerogativeoftheprince,andtomaintainthelimitswhichfromtimeimmemorialhavebeenprescribedtohisauthority。

  Thoughtheecclesiasticpowerbesodangerousinarepublic,yetitisextremelyproperinamonarchy,especiallyoftheabsolutekind。WhatwouldbecomeofSpainandPortugal,sincethesubversionoftheirlaws,wereitnotforthisonlybarrieragainsttheincursionsofarbitrarypower?Abarriereverusefulwhenthereisnoother:forsinceadespoticgovernmentisproductiveofthemostdreadfulcalamitiestohumannature,theveryevilthatrestrainsitisbeneficialtothesubject。

  Inthesamemannerastheocean,threateningtooverflowthewholeearth,isstoppedbyweedsandpebblesthatliescatteredalongtheshore,somonarchs,whosepowerseemsunbounded,arerestrainedbythesmallestobstacles,andsuffertheirnaturalpridetobesubduedbysupplicationandprayer。

  TheEnglish,tofavourtheirliberty,haveabolishedalltheintermediatepowersofwhichtheirmonarchywascomposed。Theyhaveagreatdealofreasontobejealousofthisliberty;weretheyevertobesounhappyastoloseit,theywouldbeoneofthemostservilenationsuponearth。

  Mr。Law,throughignorancebothofarepublicanandmonarchicalconstitution,wasoneofthegreatestpromotersofabsolutepowereverknowninEurope。Besidestheviolentandextraordinarychangesowingtohisdirection,hewouldfainsuppressalltheintermediateranks,andabolishthepoliticalcommunities。Hewasdissolving[25]themonarchybyhischimericalreimbursements,andseemedasifheevenwantedtoredeemtheconstitution。

  Itisnotenoughtohaveintermediatepowersinamonarchy;theremustbealsoadepositaryofthelaws。Thisdepositarycanonlybethejudgesofthesupremecourtsofjustice,whopromulgatethenewlaws,andrevivetheobsolete。Thenaturalignoranceofthenobility,theirindolenceandcontemptofcivilgovernment,requirethatthereshouldbeabodyinvestedwiththepowerofrevivingandexecutingthelaws,whichwouldbeotherwiseburiedinoblivion。Theprince’scouncilarenotaproperdepositary。Theyarenaturallythedepositaryofthemomentarywilloftheprince,andnotofthefundamentallaws。Besides,theprince’scounciliscontinuallychanging;itisneitherpermanentnornumerous;neitherhasitasufficientshareoftheconfidenceofthepeople;consequentlyitiscapableofsettingthemrightindifficultconjunctures,orofreducingthemtoproperobedience。

  Despoticgovernments,wheretherearenofundamentallaws,havenosuchkindofdepositary。Henceitisthatreligionhasgenerallysomuchinfluenceinthosecountries,becauseitformsakindofpermanentdepositary;andifthiscannotbesaidofreligion,itmayofthecustomsthatarerespectedinsteadoflaws。

  5。OftheLawsinrelationtotheNatureofadespoticGovernment。Fromthenatureofdespoticpoweritfollowsthatthesingleperson,investedwiththispower,commitstheexecutionofitalsotoasingleperson。A

  manwhomhissensescontinuallyinformthathehimselfiseverythingandthathissubjectsarenothing,isnaturallylazy,voluptuous,andignorant。Inconsequenceofthis,heneglectsthemanagementofpublicaffairs。Butwerehetocommittheadministrationtomany,therewouldbecontinualdisputesamongthem;eachwouldformintriguestobehisfirstslave;andhewouldbeobligedtotakethereinsintohisownhands。Itis,therefore,morenaturalforhimtoresignittoavizir,[26]andtoinvesthimwiththesamepowerashimself。Thecreationofavizirisafundamentallawofthisgovernment。

  Itisrelatedofapopethathehadstartedaninfinitenumberofdifficultiesagainsthiselection,fromathoroughconvictionofhisincapacity。Atlengthhewasprevailedontoacceptofthepontificate,andresignedtheadministrationentirelytohisnephew。Hewassoonstruckwithsurprise,andsaid,\"Ishouldneverhavethoughtthatthesethingsweresoeasy。\"ThesamemaybesaidoftheprincesoftheEast,who,beingeducatedinaprisonwhereeunuchscorrupttheirheartsanddebasetheirunderstandings,andwheretheyarefrequentlykeptignorantevenoftheirhighrank,whendrawnforthinordertobeplacedonthethrone,areatfirstconfounded:butassoonastheyhavechosenavizir,andabandonedthemselvesintheirseragliotothemostbrutalpassions;pursuing,inthemidstofaprostitutedcourt,everycapriciousextravagance,theywouldneverhavedreamedthattheycouldfindmatterssoeasy。

  Themoreextensivetheempire,thelargertheseraglio;andconsequentlythemorevoluptuoustheprince。Hencethemorenationssuchasovereignhastorule,thelessheattendstothecaresofgovernment;themoreimportanthisaffairs,thelesshemakesthemthesubjectofhisdeliberations。

  ______

  1。CompareAristotle,Politics,vi。2。

  2。Declamations,17,18。

  3。SeetheConsiderationsontheCausesoftheGrandeurandDeclineoftheRomans,9。

  4。Pp。691,693,ed。Wechel,1596。

  5。Bk。i。

  6。Bk。iv,art。15etseq。

  7。SeeintheConsiderationsontheCausesoftheGrandeurandDeclineoftheRomans,9,howthisspiritofServiusTulliuswaspreservedintherepublic。

  8。DionysiusHalicarnassus,EulogiumofIsocrates,ii,p。97,ed。

  Wechel。Pollux,viii。10,art。130。

  9。SeeAristotle’sPolitics,ii。12。

  10。Ibid,iv。9。

  11。SeetheorationofDemosthenes,DeFalsalegat。,andtheorationagainstTimarchus。

  12。Theyusedeventodrawtwoticketsforeachplace,onewhichgavetheplace,andtheotherwhichnamedthepersonwhowastosucceed,incasethefirstwasrejected。

  13。DeLeg。,i,iii。

  14。Theywerecalledlegestabulares;twotabletswerepresentedtoeachcitizen,thefirstmarkedwithanA,forAntique,orIforbidit;andtheotherwithanUandanR,forUtirogas,orBeitasyoudesire。

  15。AtAthensthepeopleusedtoliftuptheirhands。

  16。AsatVenice。

  17。ThethirtytyrantsatAthensorderedthesuffragesoftheAreopagitestobepublic,inordertomanagethemastheypleased。——

  Lysias,Orat。contraAgorat。8。

  18。SeeDionysiusHalicarnassus,iv,ix。

  19。SeeMr。Addison,TravelstoItaly,p。16。

  20。Theywerenamedatfirstbytheconsuls。

  21。ThisiswhatruinedtherepublicofRome。SeeConsiderationsontheCausesoftheGrandeurandDeclineoftheRomans,14,16。

  22。Tournefort,Voyages。

  23。AtLuccathemagistratesarechosenonlyfortwomonths。

  24。Diodorus,xviii,p。601,ed。Rhodoman。

  25。Ferdinand,kingofAragon,madehimselfgrandmasteroftheorders,andthatalonechangedtheconstitution。

  26。TheEasternkingsareneverwithoutvizirs,saysSirJohnChardin。

  BookIII。OfthePrinciplesoftheThreeKindsofGovernment1。DifferencebetweentheNatureandPrincipleofGovernment。Havingexaminedthelawsinrelationtothenatureofeachgovernment,wemustinvestigatethosewhichrelatetoitsprinciple。

  Thereisthisdifferencebetweenthenatureandprinciple[1]ofgovernment,thattheformeristhatbywhichitisconstituted,thelatterthatbywhichitismadetoact。Oneisitsparticularstructure,andtheotherthehumanpassionswhichsetitinmotion。

  Now,lawsoughtnolesstorelatetotheprinciplethantothenatureofeachgovernment。Wemust,therefore,inquireintothisprinciple,whichshallbethesubjectofthisthirdbook。

  2。OfthePrincipleofdifferentGovernments。Ihavealreadyobservedthatitisthenatureofarepublicangovernmentthateitherthecollectivebodyofthepeople,orparticularfamilies,shouldbepossessedofthesupremepower;ofamonarchy,thattheprinceshouldhavethispower,butintheexecutionofitshouldbedirectedbyestablishedlaws;ofadespoticgovernment,thatasinglepersonshouldruleaccordingtohisownwillandcaprice。Thisenablesmetodiscovertheirthreeprinciples;whicharethencenaturallyderived。Ishallbeginwitharepublicangovernment,andinparticularwiththatofdemocracy。

  3。OfthePrincipleofDemocracy。Thereisnogreatshareofprobitynecessarytosupportamonarchicalordespoticgovernment。Theforceoflawsinone,andtheprince’sarmintheother,aresufficienttodirectandmaintainthewhole。Butinapopularstate,onespringmoreisnecessary,namely,virtue。

  WhatIhavehereadvancedisconfirmedbytheunanimoustestimonyofhistorians,andisextremelyagreeabletothenatureofthings。Foritisclearthatinamonarchy,wherehewhocommandstheexecutionofthelawsgenerallythinkshimselfabovethem,thereislessneedofvirtuethaninapopulargovernment,wherethepersonentrustedwiththeexecutionofthelawsissensibleofhisbeingsubjecttotheirdirection。

  Clearisitalsothatamonarchwho,throughbadadviceorindolence,ceasestoenforcetheexecutionofthelaws,mayeasilyrepairtheevil;

  hehasonlytofollowotheradvice;ortoshakeoffthisindolence。Butwhen,inapopulargovernment,thereisasuspensionofthelaws,asthiscanproceedonlyfromthecorruptionoftherepublic,thestateiscertainlyundone。

  AverydrollspectacleitwasinthelastcenturytobeholdtheimpotenteffortsoftheEnglishtowardstheestablishmentofdemocracy。Astheywhohadashareinthedirectionofpublicaffairswerevoidofvirtue;

  astheirambitionwasinffamedbythesuccessofthemostdaringoftheirmembers;[2]astheprevailingpartiesweresuccessivelyanimatedbythespiritoffaction,thegovernmentwascontinuallychanging:thepeople,amazedatsomanyrevolutions,invainattemptedtoerectacommonwealth。Atlength,whenthecountryhadundergonethemostviolentshocks,theywereobligedtohaverecoursetotheverygovernmentwhichtheyhadsowantonlyproscribed。

  WhenSyllathoughtofrestoringRometoherliberty,thisunhappycitywasincapableofreceivingthatblessing。Shehadonlythefeebleremainsofvirtue,whichwerecontinuallydiminishing。InsteadofbeingrousedfromherlethargybyC?sar,Tiberius,CaiusClaudius,Nero,andDomitian,sherivetedeverydayherchains;ifshestrucksomeblows,heraimwasatthetyrant,notatthetyranny。

点击下载App,搜索"The Spirit of Laws",免费读到尾