DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61902#0326
306
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
in the world in which politics, as we understand the word,
can be said to have existed at all. No other race was as
yet sufficiently advanced in civilization, or secure of
intervals of peace, to have time for the consideration of
constitutional questions or theories of government. But
the land of Machiavelli was already an adept in such
theories; and Machiavelli himself, if not already a notable
personage, was at that moment, with all his wisdom un-
developed in his young head, moving about the streets of
this very Florence, and waiting for his time to strike in,
and take his part in all the debates and curious questions
which possessed the popular mind. Professor Villari
furnishes us with a glimpse of Italian feeling on this
subject, which is fortunately brief enough to quote :
“ There existed in the breasts of the Florentines such an innate love
of liberty, that when unable to enter freely into discussions in the
councils, they retired to their closets to reason on affairs of state, and
to create political science. In consulting their works, we always find
that they begin by laying down this doctrine—that the greatest felicity
which man can hope to find on earth, is to have a share in the govern-
ment of his country. . , . Starting from the one idea, that to govern
is the greatest happiness, that which man most desires—it naturally
follows that all would aspire to it, that all would be desirous to hold
the reins of government in their native land, and that every man
would strive to attain this, however it might injure other men. Such
principles must naturally give rise to the danger of relapsing into
tyranny, as happened ii almost all the governments of Italy. To
the question, What is a perfect government? the whole school of
Italian politicians had but one answer—That in which no tyranny
can exist. And what is the form of government in which tyranny
cannot exist? That which shall be so regulated as to satisfy at one
and the same time all the passions of all orders of the citizens. In
every city, they said, there will be a few who will try to rule over
all; the ottimati (patricians) will strive for honors, the people for
liberty. Hence they desired to have a mixed government, uniting
in itself the various interests of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy,
so as to satisfy the ambitious, the ottimati, and the people, and by
such means they hoped that secure liberty would be established.”
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
in the world in which politics, as we understand the word,
can be said to have existed at all. No other race was as
yet sufficiently advanced in civilization, or secure of
intervals of peace, to have time for the consideration of
constitutional questions or theories of government. But
the land of Machiavelli was already an adept in such
theories; and Machiavelli himself, if not already a notable
personage, was at that moment, with all his wisdom un-
developed in his young head, moving about the streets of
this very Florence, and waiting for his time to strike in,
and take his part in all the debates and curious questions
which possessed the popular mind. Professor Villari
furnishes us with a glimpse of Italian feeling on this
subject, which is fortunately brief enough to quote :
“ There existed in the breasts of the Florentines such an innate love
of liberty, that when unable to enter freely into discussions in the
councils, they retired to their closets to reason on affairs of state, and
to create political science. In consulting their works, we always find
that they begin by laying down this doctrine—that the greatest felicity
which man can hope to find on earth, is to have a share in the govern-
ment of his country. . , . Starting from the one idea, that to govern
is the greatest happiness, that which man most desires—it naturally
follows that all would aspire to it, that all would be desirous to hold
the reins of government in their native land, and that every man
would strive to attain this, however it might injure other men. Such
principles must naturally give rise to the danger of relapsing into
tyranny, as happened ii almost all the governments of Italy. To
the question, What is a perfect government? the whole school of
Italian politicians had but one answer—That in which no tyranny
can exist. And what is the form of government in which tyranny
cannot exist? That which shall be so regulated as to satisfy at one
and the same time all the passions of all orders of the citizens. In
every city, they said, there will be a few who will try to rule over
all; the ottimati (patricians) will strive for honors, the people for
liberty. Hence they desired to have a mixed government, uniting
in itself the various interests of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy,
so as to satisfy the ambitious, the ottimati, and the people, and by
such means they hoped that secure liberty would be established.”