Ancient & modern
No election manifesto has anything to say about an issue vital to the British understanding of government — the relationship between Prime Minister, Cabinet and Parliament (forget the people, of course) which has been so badly corrupted by Blair’s ‘sofa’ politics.
The Greek historian Polybius (200–118 BC) was greatly impressed by the Roman republican system of ‘checks and balances’, which he saw as a combination of democracy, kingship and oligarchy. The people’s assemblies (democracy) appointed magistratus to serve Rome for one year as e.g., finance officers, judges and so on. The top magistratus were the two consuls (kingship), with powers so wide (commanding the army in particular) that two were appointed to keep an eye on each other. All magistratus joined in perpetuity Rome’s unofficial advisory body, the Senate (oligarchy), whose advice was virtually always taken. But it too was constrained: first, any business could be stopped by the people’s ‘tribunes of the plebs’; second, Senate proposals became law only when ratified by the people’s assemblies.
This enlightened system (though pretty much under aristocratic control) disintegrated in the 1st century BC, to be replaced by a shadow of its former self: the trappings of the Republic, but in the iron grip of one man — the emperor. He and his imperial court — aula, an unaccountable inner ring of relatives, friends and advisers in the palace — took all the big decisions which the Senate, and everyone else, simply went along with. It was impossible to get rid of the emperor except by force, very likely to be applied by those closest to him. For example, Tiberius appointed one Sejanus to be ‘partner in his labours’; it was only late in the day that Tiberius found Sejanus plotting to have him murdered.
Now, which does our system sound like? Silly question. The aula is now the sofa; Parliament and Cabinet are rubber stamps; Brown is the Sejanus to Blair’s Tiberius. Indeed, if Brown takes over, Blair’s regime may seem to have been positively enlightened. Brown knows the answer to everything. Pity his poor cabinet (especially the chancellor of the exchequer!), not to mention us. The sofa will be replaced by the throne.
Hurry! The closing date for the Spectator Classics Cup is 23 April 2005. See the home page at www.friendsclassics.demon.co.uk.
Peter Jones
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