11.8. 8. Why the Ancients had not a clear Idea of Monarchy.
The ancients had no notion of a government founded on a body of nobles, and much less
on a legislative body composed of the representatives of the people. The
republics of Greece and Italy were cities that had each their own form
of government, and convened their subjects within their walls. Before
Rome had swallowed up all the other republics, there was scarcely
anywhere a king to be found, no, not in Italy, Gaul, Spain, or Germany;
they were all petty states or republics. Even Africa itself was subject
to a great commonwealth: and Asia Minor was occupied by Greek colonies.
There was, therefore, no instance of deputies of towns or assemblies of
the states; one must have gone as far as Persia to find a monarchy.
I am not ignorant that there were confederate republics; in which
several towns sent deputies to an assembly. But I affirm there was no
monarchy on that model.
The first plan, therefore, of the monarchies we are acquainted with
was thus formed. The German nations that conquered the Roman empire were
certainly a free people. Of this we may be convinced only by reading
Tacitus On the Manners of the Germans. The conquerors spread themselves
over all the country; living mostly in the fields, and very little in
towns. When they were in Germany, the whole nation was able to assemble.
This they could no longer do when dispersed through the conquered
provinces. And yet as it was necessary that the nation should deliberate
on public affairs, pursuant to their usual method before the conquest,
they had recourse to representatives. Such is the origin of the Gothic
government amongst us. At first it was mixed with aristocracy and
monarchy — a mixture attended with this inconvenience, that the common
people were bondmen. The custom afterwards succeeded of granting letters
of enfranchisement, and was soon followed by so perfect a harmony
between the civil liberty of the people, the privileges of the nobility
and clergy, and the prince's prerogative, that I really think there
never was in the world a government so well tempered as that of each
part of Europe, so long as it lasted. Surprising that the corruption of
the government of a conquering nation should have given birth to the
best species of constitution that could possibly be imagined by man!
