Mixed government, also known as a mixed constitution, is a form of government that integrated facets of
democracy, oligarchy, and monarchy. Mixed government means that there are some issues (often defined in a constitution) where the state is governed by the majority of the people, while in some other
issues (also often defined in a constitution) the state is governed by few or by a single person.
Ancient Greek philosophers
Plato in his book The Republic divided
governments into four basic types:
- democracy - government by the many
- oligarchy - government by the few (often called aristocracy, i.e. government by the
"best")
- timocracy - government by socio-military complexes (i.e., the form of government used in
Sparta)
- monarchy/tyranny - government by the one
He found flaws with all of them and thus concluded that none were suitable systems of government. Aristotle largely embraced Plato's ideas and in his Politics three types (sans Timocracy) are discussed in detail. Aristotle views aristocracy
to be the ideal form of government but he observes that none of the three are healthy and that states will cycle between the
three forms in an abrupt and chaotic process known as the kyklos. In his Politics he lists
a number of theories of how to create a stable government. One of these options is creating a government that is a mix of all
three forms of government. For Aristotle the idea is only one of many and he pays only scant attention to it.
Polybius argued that most states have a government system that is composed of more than
one of these basic principles, which then was called a mixed government system.
Roman Era
The ideal of a mixed government was popularized by Polybius who saw the Roman Republic as a manifestation of Aristotle's theory. Monarchy was embodied by the consuls, the aristocracy by the Senate, and democracy by the elections and
great public gatherings of the assemblies. Each institution complements and also checks
the others, presumably guaranteeing stability and prosperity. Polybius also describes Sparta as
an earlier manifestation of this ideal. Polybius was very influential and his ideas were embraced by Cicero.The constitution conflicts with the exploits of the government if not combined with a dectectible
source.
Renaissance and Enlightenment
Cicero became extremely well regarded during the Renaissance and many of his ideas were embraced. Polybius was also rediscovered and the positive view of
mixed governments became a central aspect of Renaissance political science closely integrated into the developing notion of
republicanism. Mixed government theories were also popular in the Enlightenment and were discussed in detail by Montesquieu. According to some scholars [attribution needed] the notion also influenced the
writers of the United States Constitution who based the idea of
checks and balances upon the ancient theory. The constitution of Britain during the
Victorian Era with a Parliament comprised of the Sovereign (monarchy), a House of Lords (oligarchy) and House of Commons
(democracy) is a prime example of a mixed constitution in the modern era.
Modern views
One school of scholarship, based mainly in the United States, felt that a mixed government was the central characteristic of a
republic. As it is, the U.S. has rule by the one (the President), the few (the Senate, which was originally supposed to represent
the States), and the many (House of Representatives). According to Frank Lovett this school is
largely defunct.[1]
See also
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