Quotes · Quote card
Quotation from The Commonwealth of Oceana by James Harrington
“government (to define it de jure, or according to ancient prudence) is an art whereby a civil society of men is instituted and preserved upon the foundation of common right or interest; or, to follow Aristotle and Livy, it is the empire of laws, and not of men.”
The Commonwealth of Oceana, Part I, The Preliminaries (Morley's Universal Library edition (1887), Project Gutenberg text)
Harrington's opening definition of lawful government, set against the modern prudence of rule for private interest.
Citation: "government (to define it de jure, or according to ancient prudence) is an art whereby a civil society of men is instituted and preserved upon the foundation of common right or interest; or, to follow Aristotle and Livy, it is the empire of laws, and not of men." — James Harrington, The Commonwealth of Oceana, Part I, The Preliminaries (Morley's Universal Library edition (1887), Project Gutenberg text). (id harrington-oceana-q1)
Portrait: James Harrington (jha), Unknown artist, Public domain.
