Our Founding Fathers understood the importance of the philosophy and history of Antiquity in providing insight and guidance. In fact, they drew heavily upon both in creating our Constitution, one of the most important documents ever conceived by man. In particular, the numerous checks and balances incorporated into our system of government were inspired by the Roman Republic’s melding of aristocratic, monarchial, and democratic principles to check the worse impulse of each while enhancing their benefits.
In addition to inspiration, the Roman Republic’s history also provided cautionary tales regarding the internal forces that could, if unchecked, become a Republic’s undoing. In fact, Aristotle believed in a natural progression of systems of government that started with tyranny, led to oligarchy, transmuted to democracy, and ended in monarchy, starting the process over. In Rome’s case, the Gracchus brothers provide the object lesson of the slide into dictatorship. These patriots tried unsuccessfully to protect and restore the position of the yeoman farmer who had formed the backbone of the Republic and her Legions for centuries against the corruption brought about by large estate owners and special interests who were buying off the political establishment. Although initially successful, they were both in the end murdered on Senate orders for having the audacity to try to change the system.
