Certain Maxims calculated unto the present State of England.
Renaissance James Harrington EnglishWHERE nothing is to be obtained by reasoning, there every thing is referred to event; and so are these maxims.
WHERE there is no publick endowment of a ministry, there can be no national religion.
WHERE there is no national religion, there can neither be any government, nor any liberty of conscience.
WITHOUT invasion there may be a tumult, but can be no civil war in England.
WITHOUT a civil war, there can be no monarchy in England.
WHERE there is no situation like that of Venice, there can be no lasting oligarchy.
A commonwealth upon intervals is against nature.
Parliaments upon intervals set up kings or tyrants.
Parliaments when they are salariated, will sit in harvest.
Caput reipublicæ est nosse rempublicam. When the orders of any one commonwealth that is or hath been, are rightly understood by such as have the power, England will be a commonwealth.
IF the narrowest commonwealth require at least twice the root of the largest monarchy, and the English monarchy were founded upon two assemblies containing six or seven hundred; then a commonwealth in England, must be founded upon assemblies consisting of about thirteen hundred at the least.
IF justice be the common interest, and the common interest be justice; then private or partial interest, opposed unto the common, must be injustice.
IF the laws of the people must needs go upon the common interest, and the laws of the oligarchy must needs go upon partial or private interest, opposed to the common; then the laws of the people must be just, and the laws of the oligarchy must be unjust.
EVIL men, that can do no other than make just laws, are safer than good men, that must either make unjust laws, or ruin themselves.