Our Older Brother, The Roman Republic

Looking back on Rome and how it has shaped our present civilization can be like a younger brother looking up to an older one. The younger idolizes the older, often ignoring flaws and striving to that perfect ideal. The Roman Republic is such an older brother. Even though the Republic didn’t always aim for the ideal, western thought looks to the Republic as an ideal government, a mature system run by representatives of the people. “[Rome represents] the grandest symbol of the ideals of universal peace, law and order” (Muller 201). This ideal yet practical nature is what sets the influence of the Roman Republic apart from that of the Roman Empire.
What sets the Republic apart? The republic had two halves, the ideal and the practical reality. Both these sides of the Republic have influenced the development of western civilization. The governmental structure was an ideal framework but it adapted to the conditions of the era. Its constitutional law was held high as an ideal, but in practice the law was interpreted to fit the goals of the individual and nation. The goal of a commonwealth and the concept of citizenship grew out of practical concerns yet morphed into something greater than itself. One could say the older brother stumbled into glory, and made the most of it.
The Roman Republic setup a governmental structure that had a built-in balance of power. This power was shared among two consuls, senate and assemblies. An example of checks and balances among the consuls were their ability to veto each others policy decisions. A power the Senate had over the consuls (who normally commanded the army) was to appoint a dictator to command forces for a specified time period (Brinton, A History 100). A similar structure can be seen in governments today. The executive, legislative and judicial branches in the United States all have some sort of check on each other.
The ideal function of the Senate and Assembly system now is to represent the people. The practical outworking of this in the Roman Republic was the Senate and majority of the Centuriate Assembly being made up of the landed patricians, while the later Council of Plebs were made up of more common folk. These practical out-workings of representation gave the privileged and less privileged a voice in government. This system of representation is seen in the House of Lords and House of Commons today in Great Britain. The ideal and practical outworking of representation both have influenced our current world.
After the Plebians withdrew from the state and forced a compromise on the patricians, the Twelve Tables of Law were made to inform the Plebs of the law. (Spielvogel 118) This constitution of law eventually morphed to a point where the ideal nature was that “all Roman citizens were equal under the law and all could strive for political office” (Spielvogel 120). This ideal nature created an equality under the law; an equality many western countries today seek. The Roman application of the ideal constitutional law is also practiced among these same societies today. Crane Brinton is insightful on this point when he says, “They invented what we (not they) call legal fictions. . . [They] made an adjustment; but they used the old forms, the old words, the old “right’ ways.” (Ideas, 100) This practical compromise of the absolute law was done for the benefit of the individual and even state. For instance, a law may state a son can do certain things, but one does not have a son. A son is adopted and thereby the law is not defied and fulfilled through compromise (Brinton, p. 100). This practice can be seen today through interpretation battles of the United States Constitution. There is the absolute law, but compromise is made on the law is actually applied. The ACLU may fight on grounds of separation of church and state by asking for removal of religious symbols on public grounds, whilst at the same time a religious group will fight on grounds of freedom of expression or even separation (government shouldn’t remove religion) to keep those symbols present.
Another Roman Republic ideal is that of a commonwealth and citizenship. This developed more from practical to ideal. The practical situation was to defend Rome through an expansionist policy. The result was an extension of Roman law to other peoples (Brinton, Ideas 101). This extension of law combined with the power of citizenship (privileges of a say in government), transformed the city-state of Rome into a nation-state. This nation-state created a national identity because the assimilated and conquered looked to Rome for law, guidance and their own well being. This nationalistic spirit, an ideal that a nation wants it’s constituents to hold to serves as a unifying force. Today patriotism is mirror image of this spirit; a result of a common citizenship and code of law. This national patriotism was of keen interest to John Adams, who was well acquainted with “On Public Responsibility” (De officiis) by Cicero (O’ Malley 133).
A practical fact concerning the commonwealth was its structure. It was not just a centralized mass but is also allowed for local autonomy. This dual nature is described as, “. . . A complex political organism . . . nicely poised between the two extremes of excessive localism excessive centralization” (Brinton, A History 103). This “complex political organism” serves as a bureaucratic model for modern governments. Allowing local populations to enjoy autonomy and protection of common law while giving full allegiance to a central authority. Federalism is an outgrowth of this practical political philosophy. In the creation of the United States, local states were left much to their own designs while giving heed to a common national law and central authority in the Federal government.
Even the Roman Empire looked back on it’s “older brother” and tried to hide its autocracy in the vestiges of the Republic. Although Augustus seized power, the Senate was held in form. Even the title Augustus preferred, princeps, or first among equals lent to this ideal form of government for the people (Spielvogel 148). The Republic was still nodded to as worthy but the reality of the Roman Empire proved otherwise. Even some of the accomplishments of the Empire have root in the Republic. Romanization is one such example.
Under Romanization, citizenship expanded and thereby the progression of Roman law. The law grew to include the concept of natural law and natural rights (Spielvogel 158). This was done through the practice of Roman lawyers deciding cases between litigants from different locales. This led to jus gentium or law of peoples and later grew into the more universal jus naturale or law of nature (Brinton, Ideas 103). This concept of natural rights has led to revolutions. The American and French revolutions just to name two. It is also root to the practice of international law. If there is a common law among all men, then all men can be judged accordingly. Even soon after it’s own demise the influence of the Republic can be seen in the Empire.
The Roman Republic has had a lasting influence on western civilization. Although not perfect in the implementation of its own ideals the Republic has left a model for many a nation to follow. This model consists of an organized and representative governmental structure. It also includes an absolute and ideal form of law in a constitution. The practice of interpreting this law based on societal norms and standards also remains. The concept of a national commonwealth and responsible citizenship has done much to change this world. The bureaucratic political organism of local autonomy and central authority provided a system by which large areas can be governed. Even the Roman Empire gave it’s due toward the ideals of the Republic. Although it may have been a big brother that stumbled into it’s own glory, the Republic did it’s best in paving a way for the rest of the family to follow.

Works Cited
Brinton, Crane. Ideas and Men. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1963.
Brinton, Crane, John B. Christopher, and Robert L. Wolff. A History of Civilization. 3rd ed. Vol. 1. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1967. 98-139.
Muller, Herbert J. The Uses of the Past. New York, NY: Oxford UP, 1957.
O'Malley, John W. Four Cultures of the West. New York: Belknap P, 2004.
Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization Vol. 1 : To 1715. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2008.