Parcite paucarum diffundere crimen in omnes.
—P. Ovidius Naso, Ars Amatoria. III, 9.*
The Rule of Law
I oppose rulers,
but I am not against rules—
they’re different things.
(I fully support
constitutional monarchs,
those figurehead kings.
Hereditary
princes are fine by me; the
accident of birth
is as suitable
a method for divining
the figurehead’s worth
as any other,
except determining all
leaders randomly
as was the case in
fair Cecrops’ town, home of the
first democracy.
Muslims should note that
true democratic
reform will provide
godly rule: choosing
representatives by lot
lets Allah decide.)
Anyway, like verse
without metrical form—that
is haphazard prose—
a society
without rules is one wherein
any conduct goes
but the rules can’t be
bounden on all unless based
on equality,
and “thus we are all
servants of the law so that
we all may be free”.†
If the rule of law
go then civilisation
too will get the boot
(for sharia law,
except for uncivil folk,
is no substitute).
I oppose rulers,
but I am not against rules—
they’re different things.
(I fully support
constitutional monarchs,
those figurehead kings.
Hereditary
princes are fine by me; the
accident of birth
is as suitable
a method for divining
the figurehead’s worth
as any other,
except determining all
leaders randomly
as was the case in
fair Cecrops’ town, home of the
first democracy.
Muslims should note that
true democratic
reform will provide
godly rule: choosing
representatives by lot
lets Allah decide.)
Anyway, like verse
without metrical form—that
is haphazard prose—
a society
without rules is one wherein
any conduct goes
but the rules can’t be
bounden on all unless based
on equality,
and “thus we are all
servants of the law so that
we all may be free”.†
If the rule of law
go then civilisation
too will get the boot
(for sharia law,
except for uncivil folk,
is no substitute).
* Forbear to scatter
the fault of a few upon
everybody.
† M. Tullius Cicero, Pro Cluentio, 53: Legum ministri magistratus, legum interpretes iudices, legum denique idcirco omnes servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. [The ministers of the law are the magistrates; the interpreters of the law are the judges; lastly, therefore, we are all servants of the laws so that we may be free.]
Though, as Edmund Burke
said (in Bristol), “Bad laws make
the worst tyranny”.
I suppose that, like
Tolkien, I lean (just a tad)
to true anarchy.
J.R.R. Tolkien, writing to his son Christopher, in November 1943:
the fault of a few upon
everybody.
† M. Tullius Cicero, Pro Cluentio, 53: Legum ministri magistratus, legum interpretes iudices, legum denique idcirco omnes servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. [The ministers of the law are the magistrates; the interpreters of the law are the judges; lastly, therefore, we are all servants of the laws so that we may be free.]
Though, as Edmund Burke
said (in Bristol), “Bad laws make
the worst tyranny”.
I suppose that, like
Tolkien, I lean (just a tad)
to true anarchy.
J.R.R. Tolkien, writing to his son Christopher, in November 1943:
My political opinions lean more and more to Anarchy (philosophically understood, meaning abolition of control not whiskered men with bombs)—or to ‘unconstitutional’ Monarchy.
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