Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness, and faction/Section 8
SECT.VIII.
Of the Republic of Athens.
WE have seen the Force of Manners Principles in the strong Formation, the Unanimity, and Continuance of the Spartan State. We shall now see the Effects of the Want of Manners and Principles, in the weak Establishment, the unceasing Factions, and early Dissolution of the Commonwealth of Athens.
It appears above, that Lycurgus, probably forming his People in the first and earliest Period of Civilization, was thus enabled to establish a perfect Republic. Solon, on the contrary, having a corrupted People to reform, could only institute such a Kind of Government, as their pre-established Habits, Vices, and Forms of Polity could admit.
Here we discover the Foundation of that striking Remark of Solon himself. "That he gave not the Athenians the best Laws that could be given, but the best they were capable of receiving.[1]"
The first and ruling Defect in the Institution of this Republic seems to have been "the total Want of an established Education, suited to the Genius of the State." There appears not to have been any public, regular, or prescribed Appointment of this Kind, beyond what Custom had accidentally introduced. 'Tis true, that the Parents often had Masters to instruct their Children in the gymnastic Arts, and in Music. Which last, in the ancient Acceptation of the Word, included Poem as well as Melody: 'Tis farther true, that the Poems thus taught their Children, included often the great Actions, but withal, the Vices of Gods and ancient Heroes.[2] Yet in this first and ruling Circumstance, in the Institution of a free State, the Parents were much at Liberty, to do as seemed good to them. Hence, a dissimilar and discordant System of Manners and Principles took Place; while some youthful Minds were imbibed with proper and virtuous Principles, some with no Principles, and some with vicious Principles; with such as must, therefore, on the Whole, tend to shake the Foundations of true Freedom.
The second ruling Defect in the Constitution of this Republic, was the Establishment of an unmixed and absolute Democracy. This naturally arose from the licentious State of Manners and Prinples, which Solon found already prevalent among the People. A virtuous People would have been content to have shared the legislative Power with the higher Ranks of the Commonwealth. But a licentious People naturally grasped the Whole, as the likliest Means (in their deluded Eye) of gratifying their own unbridled Passions. From this partial Distribution of Power, the State was blindly ruled by the Dregs of the Community. For All who were of Ability to maintain a Horse, were admitted to the Rank of Magistracy:[3] And all who were admitted to the Rank of Magistracy were excluded from any Share in the legislative Power.[4] Hence it followed, that "All they who possessed the Legislative Power, were such as were not of Ability to maintain a Horse."—"Do not you despise (said Socrates to his Pupil Alcibiades, who was afraid to speak in Presence of the Athenian People) do not you despise That Cobler? I do, reply'd the Youth. Do not you (rejoyned the Philospher) equally contemn that Cryer, and yon Tent-Maker? Alcibiades confessing that he did; then said Socrates, "Is not the Body of the Athenian People composed of Men like these? And therefore, when you despise the Individuals, why should you fear the Whole?[5]"—A hopeful Tribe of Legislators! and such as might naturally be supposed to give Rise to that Licentiousness, Discord, and Ruin, in which they were soon swallowed up.
From this weak and imperfect Establishment, founded on the Caprices of an ignorant, unprincipled, and licentious Populace, all the subsequent Factions, which ended in the Ruin of this Republic, are clearly derived.
Even Solon, the original Legislator, outlived the Commonwealth he had formed. On his Departure from Athens, Factions immediately arose. Pisistratus, the first ruling Demagogue, led the People; obtained a Guard; seized the Castle; and established a Tyranny.[6]
We need go no farther into the History of this Republic, for a Discovery of the Causes of its final Ruin. It is true, that an imperfect Semblance of Liberty often appeared, amidst the Factions of succeeding Times: It is true, that Wealth and Luxury contributed to hasten the Fall of Athens: It is true, that Pericles and Alcibiades, in their Turn, while they seemed to polish the Manners, inflamed the Vices of the Populace; and led them on to the certain Destruction of the State. But for the Ruin of this Commonwealth, we need not have Recourse to the Inroads of Wealth or Luxury, as the Causes of its Dissolution. It resembled a beautiful Edifice founded in Sand and Rubbish: Where an uneducated, an unprincipled, a licentious Populace, ruled the State; That State was destined to the convulsive Struggles of Faction while it lived, and then to a speedy Death.