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A FIFTH MODEL OF A COMMONWEALTH PROPOS’D. The Commonwealth of Rome. - James Harrington, The Oceana and Other Works [1656]

Edition used:

The Oceana and Other Works of James Harrington, with an Account of His Life by John Toland (London: Becket and Cadell, 1771).

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A FIFTH MODEL OF A COMMONWEALTH PROPOS’D.

The Commonwealth of Rome.

THAT the whole nation be divided into three distinct orders: the one senatorian, or nobility; the other equestrian, or gentry; and the third plebeian, or popular.

That the equestrian order be the cavalry of the commonwealth, and the plebeian the foot.

That there be a senat consisting of the senatorian order, and of three hundred senators for life.

That there be two magistrats elected by the people, for five years term, call’d censors.

That the censors have power upon cause shewn to remove a senator out of the senat; and to elect a nobleman, or somtimes a plebeian, therby made noble, into the senat.

That there be two annual magistrats elected by the people, call’d consuls.

That the consuls be presidents of the senat, and have the leading of the armys.

That the senat as they shall see occasion) may nominat one person to be dictator for som short term.

That the dictator for his term have soverain power.

That there be a division of the whole people, of what orders soever, into six classes, according to the valuation of their estates. For example: That the first classis consist of all such as have two thousand pounds a year, or upwards; the second of all such as have one thousand pounds a year, or upwards, under two; the third, of all such as have six hundred pounds a year, or upwards, under one thousand; the fourth, of all such as have three hundred pounds a year, or upwards, under six hundred; the fifth, of all such as have under the former proportion; the sixth, of all such as pay no taxes, or have no land, and that these be not us’d in arms.

That the senat propose all laws to be enacted, to an assembly of the people.

That all magistrats be elected by the same.

That this assembly of the people consist of the five classes, in such manner, that if the votes of the first and second classes be near equal, the third classis be call’d; and if these agree not, the fourth be call’d; and so for the rest.

That what is thus propos’d by the senat, and resolv’d by the people, be the law.

IN this frame the senat, by the optimacy of the first and second classes (which seldom or never disagree) carrys all, to the exclusion of the main body of the people: whence arises continual feud or enmity between the senat and the people: who consulting apart, introduce popular debate, set up som other way of assembly, as by tribes, or by parishes, with more equality of votes; elect magistrats of their own, make decrees binding the senat of nobility, indeavor to curb their power by weakning their balance, or diminishing their estates: all these tumultuously, and to the alteration of the government, with so frequent changes under so divers shapes, as make a very Proteus of the commonwealth, till having bin all her lifetime afflicted with anarchy, she ends her days in tyranny.