How Sovereign Authority Sustains Itself

The Sovereign, having no force other than the legislative power, acts only by means of the laws; and the laws being solely the authentic acts of the general will, the Sovereign cannot act save when the people is assembled. The people in assembly, I shall be told, is a mere chimera. It is so to-day, but two thousand years ago it was not so. Has man's nature changed?

The Sovereign has no power except the power to make laws, so it acts only through laws. Laws alone are the authentic expressions of the general will, so the Sovereign can act only when the people assemble. Some will tell me that an assembly of the people is just a fantasy. Such an assembly is a fantasy today, but two thousand years ago it was not. Has human nature changed?

The bounds of possibility, in moral matters, are less narrow than we imagine: it is our weaknesses, our vices and our prejudices that confine them. Base souls have no belief in great men; vile slaves smile in mockery at the name of liberty.

In moral matters, more is possible than we imagine. Our weaknesses, vices, and prejudices are what limit those possibilities. People with low souls do not believe in great men. Wretched slaves laugh mockingly at the very word liberty.

Let us judge of what can be done by what has been done. I shall say nothing of the Republics of ancient Greece; but the Roman Republic was, to my mind, a great State, and the town of Rome a great town. The last census showed that there were in Rome four hundred thousand citizens capable of bearing arms, and the last computation of the population of the Empire showed over four million citizens, excluding subjects, foreigners, women, children and slaves.

Let us judge what can be done by what has been done. I will say nothing about the Republics of ancient Greece. But in my view, the Roman Republic was a great State, and Rome was a great city. The last census showed that Rome had four hundred thousand citizens capable of bearing arms. The last population count of the Empire showed over four million citizens, excluding subjects, foreigners, women, children and slaves.

What difficulties might not be supposed to stand in the way of the frequent assemblage of the vast population of this capital and its neighbourhood. Yet few weeks passed without the Roman people being in assembly, and even being so several times. It exercised not only the rights of Sovereignty, but also a part of those of government. It dealt with certain matters, and judged certain cases, and this whole people was found in the public meeting-place hardly less often as magistrates than as citizens.

How many difficulties might seem to prevent the vast population of this capital and its surroundings from gathering often! Yet few weeks passed without the Roman people meeting in assembly, sometimes several times in a week. The people exercised not only their rights as the sovereign power, but also some powers of government. They handled certain matters and judged certain cases. The whole people gathered in the public meeting place almost as often as magistrates as they did as citizens.

If we went back to the earliest history of nations, we should find that most ancient governments, even those of monarchical form, such as the Macedonian and the Frankish, had similar councils. In any case, the one incontestable fact I have given is an answer to all difficulties; it is good logic to reason from the actual to the possible.

If we looked back at the earliest history of nations, we would find that most ancient governments had similar councils. Even monarchies, such as the Macedonian and the Frankish, had them. In any case, the one undeniable fact I have given answers all objections. Reasoning from what exists to what is possible is sound logic.