Brucker: chp 4 politics

Consider American politics: what does it mean to say that a small group of connected individuals controls the state? and if true, why do we tolerate it? Greeks must be asking the same question.

Vocabulary: franchise, plutocracy, patricians [members of families entitled to act politically; also member of a mercentile elite), rights-obligations-privileges, open society [vs. feudal], patronage.

Recall:

THE EVOLUTION OF THE FLORENTINE STATE

  1. [128] F was atypical in terms of its wealth and size; played a leading role in Italian affairs and also involved in European diplomacy. [role of wealth, need for place to invest it, others in need wealth for their own purposes].
  2. [129]. Threats: internal dissension characterized all cities, but the Florentine was more successful in controlling its fate and winning the support of its citizens..
  3. Towns struggle to gain autonomy from feudal and ecclesiastical authorities, and need to dominate surrounding countryside and neighbors.
  4. The rise of the "commune": initially a private association of townsman who organized to protect their interests. Assumed public functions: administration of justice, military defense, maintenance of food supply. Communes eventually replaced the lay (feudal) and ecclesiastical authorities. The recognized the theoretical sovereignty of the German emp and the Roman pope, but ignored authority wherever possible in fact and in practice. To succeed, the commune in a military emergency mustered a militia, tho basically relied on hired mercenaries, and assessed taxes to pay them, in a famine, commandeered grain from countryside, rationed food.
  5. [130]THESIS: "the first secular institutions since Roman times to win the loyalty of the Italian city-dweller, they provided the political framework for the great surge of creative vitality unleashed by Italy's economic revival." Basic features: a legislative assembly representing the urban electorate and an executive commission responsible for administration. The system evolved to meet interests of new groups (immigrants, entrepreneurs, affluent artisans, but not all voted!).
  6. [131]. Models and changes:
    1. Dante:a distinct Roman tradition; matched by the discord and violence brought by the Germanic tribesmen who settled at Fiesole --> led to factionalism; immigration led to moral breakdown (the role of the nouveau riche).
    2. Structure: legislative, executive, judiciary..
    3. [132]. The new men challenged the old order: the economy characterized by risk and speculation, sharp fluctuations in wealth, high degree of social mobility ==> contributed also to vitality of popular government [broader base of participation; social mobility, shared power]. Was F a plutocracy? The size and diversity of the electorate was a deterrent to the ambitions of the tyrant.
    4. [133] The guild regime (after 1343) was more popular and more broadly based, but not democratic. A relatively powerless legislative assembly. The Executive/signoria/priors : One had to be a member of the guild to vote /be elected. But nobility also disenfranchised. About 5000-6000 men. Controlled by an election process: nomination, scrutiny, then by lot. Only 10%of 3000 nominated were declared eligible to hold administrative/executive office. Also: short term of office (two months 134). Inefficiencies balanced by small group of permanent civil servants, and senior statesmen consulted; if necessary also a commission appointed to deal with particular problems. Implications: not all thought worthy or capable of governing.
    5. [135] Legislative assemblies. Council of 500. Not much initiative but an effective "check". Tho cumbersome, these structures facilitated broader participation aka consensual govt, and thereby allowed F to meet all dangers without become a tyranny. NOTE THE EQUATION.
    6. [136] the difference between oligarchic and conservative after 1434: contraction of ruling group, concentration of power in fewer hands; turning away form tendency to more popular govt.How did this work? artisons still have their "seats", but elaborate system of electoral controls desgined to ensure the selection of loyal officials; limiting communal office to men of status and substance who had paid taxes for thirty years. within limits it tolerated disagreement and dissent...
    7. [137] did serve to community together. But how? NOT A DEMOCRACY, BUT INTENDED TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS AND PRESERVE THE COMMUNE

PATRICIAN HEGEMONY (1382-1434): public welfare and private interest.

  1. [137]THESIS: "it governed for the benefit of the rich, and often to the disadvantage of the poor." Patricians enjoyed most of the offices, profited from the tax system (esp by not importing food into town). [138] the apparent paradox: it was exploitative, but its stability and lognevity were due to its ability to maintain order (what is assumed here?), and to gain popular support. Tapped into a civc loyalty, that one "belonged" to the political establishment. Maintained balance between individual and collective needs, between private interest and public welfare...pursuit of individual advantage, but also sense of obligation to commune; patricians wlling accepted responsibility it imposed on them.
  2. [139] Florentines no longer served in the militia; but they remained ready to make the fiscal sacrifices to preserve their liberty. 'city is more important that our children!'
  3. [140] Preference for lengthy discussion of issues; search for agreement and consensus. time for private affairs....patronage / friendship. helping eachother. writing letters of support. Minimize conflict by prolonging negotiation.
  4. [144] Most Florentines accepted the necessity to pay taxes and the principle that each citizen should contribute according to ability. Under what conditions would this idea NOT be accepted?
  5. [147] Use of judicial sanctions to channel activites aonly courses approved by society. But prone to manipulation by the wealthy and well connected. The solution: use outsiders to render justice and exercise police functions. NOTE THE PROBLEM Appointed for short terms and precautions taken to minimize contact btween judges and citizenry.
  6. [149-150] Judges attitude: "to help others as far as reason and honor permit" but also subject to fines, and even to intervention of signoria thru the bolletino. Perpetual tension between communal ideals of equity and impartiality, and individual requests for favors and privileges. While it was possible for anyone to obtain justice, the possession of wealth, ancestry, political influence were valuable assets in that search

PATTERNS OF DOMESTIC CONFLICT.

  1. [151] Politics: a combination of private and public interest. People knew eachother, hence intensely personal character. Discussion of public issues inevitably involved private disagreements and grievances, real and imagined. Advantages and disadvantages??
  2. [152] the down and out wanted not true revolution but a replacement of the ruling elite by themselves. [154]
    1. after black death a decline in revolutionary ferver: demographic losses and the subsequent rise in wages and standards of living? effective security? use of amnesty and pardons to minimize discontent.
    2. [156] the real danger came from a divided ruling class, whose members only could provide leadership. [158] divisions also about alliances with Milan, tyrants, the pope and emperor.
    3. hence the use of amnesties and pardons to reduce the number of malcontents.
  3. [159] triumph of Medici: superior financial resources [PATRONAGE] allowed them to buy support in the city and abroad, judicious loans and gifts. a corps of clients. Masterful handling of condottieri, handling of opposition and dissent. displays of power and wealthy. pretends to me "just another citizen" and holds no office. People were content to live with the deception.

WAR AND SOCIETY

  1. [160] BALANACE: Cohesive forces: communal tradition, civic loyalty, mutual cooperation and trust, dedication to the general welfare; the forces of fragmentation: personal ambition, greed, hostility between individuals and groups, persistence of exploitation and injustice. Mercenaries increased military expenditures; servicing public debt a major problem. War forced state to become more efficient and systematic; success if limited was enough to general positive experiences.
  2. [161] F becomes the main defender of republicanism in a world of tyrants.In one theory this led to the formalization/articulation of a republican value system. [162] that is, they looked to classical texts to justify and exalt those traditions. Materialist historians see no essential differences between the two forms.
  3. [163] Florentine sources stress the ideological; material considerations are rarely mentioned. [165] Material interests of upper class and imperialist/xenophobic tendencies among the lower order were strongest.
  4. [166] Ultimate goal of florentine foreign policy: preservation of independence and of republican govt. [167] Fear (of falling the despot or tyrant) more important than greed for expansion.
  5. [168] Well aware of the costs of war, and the risks

Summary: 170. important role of dissension and conflict within the city. but through it all the rule of law (and not the will of a despot) was valued. the dilemma: In its quest for security from security from external agresssion, it pursued a course of territorial expansion which aggravated it sinteranl problems and sapped its strength...the costs of defense and control were heavy. . Florence could not extend the communal ideals much beyond her walls.