Of Cities and Citizens

The first city states of the world were created when individuals practicing trade (instead of just providing only for themselves) wanted to live in closer proximity. City government was established to provide rules and safety for the populace. Officials were elected, taxes were agreed upon to preserve infrastructure and it was largely considered virtuous for a citizen to serve the populace as it took him away from his work.

All citizens (only adult males were allowed citizenship at the time, we’ve thankfully come a long way since then) were required to provide for the defense of the city state. If a neighboring city state invaded and conquered, the people would lose their self-governance and the will of the conquering city state would be applied.

Many things have changed about city states and their governance and we no longer fear being conquered by another city state. Today the threat comes from within. As cities try to do more and more with less and less a strain is put on city finances. If all parties can’t come to agreement (transparency is necessary here) the city will literally defeat itself. Defeat being defined as losing the ability to self-govern. When a city declares bankruptcy, self governance is lost. No longer are the (hopefully) virtuous citizens governing for the good of themselves and their neighbors. The state sends in a judge. A judge who knows nothing of the citizens, the dynamics, and the culture of the city. It is not a good way to go. Citizens today, like in earlier Greek and Roman times, must stand in unity against such defeat and work to keep government small, efficient, and operating with a balanced budget. Otherwise, someone else will do it for them.

-Sean Morgan