The Evolution of StatesRobertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
History
The Evolution of States
Robertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Europe -- Politics and government; Great Britain -- Politics and government; Political science -- History
While Rome thrives, a new project for popular law reform is defeated
(462); and it is after Cincinnatus, according to the legend, barely
saves the State (458) that the tribunes are raised from five to ten, and
the land is divided among the poor (456); though at the same time
decemvirs are appointed and the conservative Twelve (at first Ten)
Tables are drawn up (451-450). Thus partially strengthened, the plebs
are able soon to force the abdication of the decemvirate (449) by the
old menace of their withdrawal; and for a time the commonalty
sufficiently holds its own, getting (445) the right of marriage with
patricians, and (444) the institution of military tribunes with consular
power;[41] though fresh distribution of land is prevented, and the
patricians learn to divide the tribunes against each other. Thus class
dissension goes on till the Gauls capture the city (390), multitudes of
the Romans flying to Veii. Then it is that the plebeian party, after the
Gauls have gone, are willing to transfer the seat of government to Veii;
and the threat would doubtless win them some concessions in the
rebuilding of Rome. But population always blindly increases; and the
cancer of poverty spreads, despite the chronic planting of colonies in
subject territory. Manlius is executed for trying to relieve debtors;
but some land is reluctantly distributed. New wars create new popular
distress, and new colonies fail to relieve it. At length the Licinian
laws, relieving debtors and limiting estates, are proposed (376), and
after nine years of agitation are passed at the crisis (367) at which
the Gauls (who themselves had in the meantime undergone dissensions)
again attack Rome; while the powers of the consuls (limited in 443 by
the appointment of two Censors) are now further limited by the creation
of a Prætor (patrician) and of Curule _ædiles_, alternately taken from
the two strata.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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