civic republicanism

civic republicanism, tradition of political thought that stresses the interconnection of individual freedom and civic participation with the promotion of the common good.

The concept of civic republicanism is most easily understood as a form of government that contrasts with autocratic forms of government, where one person rules over the state in his or her own interest. However, such an understanding belies an oversimplification that masks civic republicanism’s complexity and rich heritage. As an approach to governance, the principal ideals of civic republicanism can be traced back to the ancient works of Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, and Cicero, among others; its more modern adherents include Niccolò Machiavelli, Montesquieu, James Harrington, and James Madison.

The phrase res publica is most readily understood as “that which belongs to the people,” where “the people” represent not just the masses but an organized society founded on justice and a concern for the common good. It follows, then, that a state founded on civic republican ideals is one whose political constitution is aimed at securing the common good of all its citizens. This task is chiefly fulfilled by the successful promotion of key ideals, such as mixed constitutions, civic virtue, and patriotism, and by institutions restrained by certain principles, such as the separation of powers and the principle of checks and balances.

Within civic republicanism there are two related, yet distinct, approaches. The first, often referred to as neo-Athenian republicanism, is inspired by the civic humanism of the ancient Greeks. This version of civic republicanism holds that individuals can best realize their essential social nature in a democratic society characterized by active participation in political life. From an institutional perspective, democratic participation, fostered by a rich sense of civic virtue and strong versions of citizenship and patriotism, is thought to be the primary means of maintaining the freedom of the state. In contemporary terms, this strand of civic republicanism is often associated with communitarianism.

While the second civic republican approach, often referred to as neo-Roman republicanism, stresses many of the same principles as its neo-Athenian counterpart, it represents a decisive shift away from direct forms of democracy. Within this approach, the freedom of the individual is closely linked to the freedom of the state. Importantly, unlike its neo-Athenian counterpart, this version stresses the need to protect and promote individual freedom. Among neo-Roman republican writers such as Machiavelli and Madison, the ancient republics were viewed as unstable and susceptible to mob rule, factions, and tyrants. To counter this threat to freedom, the constitutional focus is on creating the institutional arrangements that preserve individual freedom by stressing, in addition to traditional republican ideals, more modern principles, such as certain antimajoritarian devices like judicial review, representative government, and a strong sense of the rule of law. The thought behind these principles is to ensure that the government does not exercise any arbitrary power over the citizenry.