Cicero

Moves forward from Aristotle’s viewsGood laws align with the laws of natureAll “good” forms of governments are a republic

Building on Aristotle Cicero, too, believed that government

could only function under one, a few, or many.

He also believed that “good” took care of the whole and “perverted” was government that concerned itself only with the elite.

Cicero defined Classical Republicanism

All “good” governments served the “public” . . . Hence re-public.

Citizens and their government were supposed to work cooperatively to achieve a common good.

This is also known as the commonwealth.

How to promote the common good

He believed the only possible way to pull this off was to follow these characteristics Civic Virtue Moral Education Small, uniform communities

#1--Civic Virtue The needs of the many outweigh the

needs of the one. I can't give her no more captain! Citizens were EXPECTED to ask not

what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country!

Devoting oneself to personal interests was seen as greedy!

Civic Virtue’s and individual rights vs. group rights

Folks were discouraged to think of much besides government

There was little concern to protect rights such as privacy, freedom of religion, or non-political speech.

There was a lot of concern to protect political rights such as voting, political speech, and serving the public

#2--Moral Education Cicero didn’t believe that civic virtue

came naturally Rather citizens NEEDED to have moral

and religious education LOTS emphasis on the Roman gods,

goddesses, and their practices to be virtuous!

The Gods and goddesses rewarded citizens for

Generosity Courage Self-control Fairness Sacrifice Learning

#3—Small, uniform communities

Small communities ensured folks cared about one another.

You probably care if your neighbor’s house was on fire and try to help.

Probably not is someone in Kansas’s house is on fire . . . Just don’t care that much!

And the uniform part People needed to be alike. Diversity should not be tolerated Most folks should have about the same

wealth, religion, moral beliefs, culture Diversity brought along the problems of

“factions” or interest groups bickering.

Cicero

All good governments focus on the common good.The are owned by the public and served the common good--republicThis is accomplished through civic virtue, moral education, and small uniform communities