The Casual Ward Part 3

I quote from the Court Journal:-

"The Emperor Nero reigns in the hearts of His People. Persons a.s.serting the contrary will be decapitated."

PHILOGEORGOS, OR CONCERNING BRIBERY

Going down the other day to the Kerameikos, I met my friend Philogeorgos, who is at present one of those who desire to hold office in the city.

And I said to him-

"Philogeorgos, you look sad; is it because you fear lest you should not be elected Archon?"

"No, Socrates," he replied. "It is not that which saddens me; it is the baseness of those who try to prevent the people from choosing me."

"In what way do they act basely?" I asked.

"There is a certain wine-seller," he said, "who is offering what the Hyperboreans call Free Drinks (that is, you know, draughts of wine without payment) to all those who will vote for Misogeorgos, but not for me."

"That is very unkind of the wine-seller. But why do you say that the transaction is base?"

"Why, of course it is base. How can it be anything else?"

"When we predicate baseness of a transaction," I said, "we must also predicate baseness of those who are concerned in it, or at least of one of them. Now, Philogeorgos, let me ask you a question; for you are accustomed by this time to answer questions. When you wish for a pair of shoes or a flute, how do you obtain one?"

"How else," he said, "except by buying it from a shoemaker or a maker of flutes?"

"How else, indeed?" I replied. "So, then, the tradesman gives you something which he possesses; and you give the tradesman in return something which you possess. And this exchange is advantageous to both of you, and honourable; is it not?"

"I suppose so."

"And neither of you becomes base?"

"Neither."

"Then it is not a base transaction?"

"No."

"Now consider in this way; Does a vote belong to the man who possesses a vote?"

"Yes, Socrates; but I am afraid that you are going to quibble, as usual."

"It is only by dialectic," I replied, "that we can arrive at the truth.

And the wine belongs, I suppose, to the wine-seller?"

"It would seem so, at least."

"Then when the wine-seller gets the voter's vote in exchange for his own wine, they simply give each other what each possesses; and such a transaction, as you have said, is advantageous to both parties, and honourable, and not base at all."

"I said," he replied, rather angrily, "that you were going to quibble.

Of course, the case is quite different. A vote is a sacred thing; and it ought not to be exchanged for the satisfaction of mere bodily desires, such as the desire for drink."

"Nor for any other material comfort?" I asked.

"Certainly not," he replied.

"n.o.bly spoken, indeed!" I said. "But I confess, all the same, that you rather surprise me; for only this morning I heard the herald proclaiming in your name that all the citizens would have Free Food if they voted for Philogeorgos. And I remember how some years ago either Phaidrolithos or one of those around him used to promise at elections that everyone should have three acres of land and a cow, on condition that the city kept him and his party in power. You do not mean to tell me that what Phaidrolithos or his friends did was base?"

"No, indeed," he replied. "But surely, Socrates, even you must see that this is a different matter altogether."

"How different? You say that votes must not be exchanged for material comforts; yet Free Food is a material comfort; and so are three acres, because they produce food; and so, I presume, is a cow. And these things were offered to the voter in exchange for his vote, just as the wine-seller now is offering draughts of wine."

"No, Socrates, it is not the same thing at all. When I talk of Free Food, and when men like Phaidrolithos talk of land and cows, we do not give these things immediately in exchange for votes. We could not; they are not ours to give; we have not got them."

"That is very true," I said. "For I remember when Phaidrolithos and his party were put in power many people used to come to those in authority and demand that they should now receive three acres of land each and a cow; and when they did not receive these things they were indignant, as having been deceived. And I daresay that when you are in power men will come expecting to receive Free Food, and will not get it. But, as far as I can understand your argument, it is honourable to promise in return for a vote that which you cannot give; but when one promises that which he _can_ give, as the wine-seller does, that is base, and that makes you sad. Is it not so? And the reason seems to be that when the wine-seller offers Free Drinks for a vote, then the vote is sold; but when you offer Free Food for a vote, then it is not the vote which is sold, but only the voter."

"Socrates," said Philogeorgos, "you are a philosopher; and no philosopher ever understood politics. But I am busy, and have really no more time to waste upon you and your dialectics."

"Farewell, then, Philogeorgos," I said; "but please do not be angry with me for being so stupid. And if I were you," I continued, "I do not think I would be angry with the wine-seller either; for perhaps the draughts of wine will make the citizens drunk, especially when they need not be paid for; and when a citizen is drunk he will run the risk of voting for you rather than for Misogeorgos. Do you not think so?"

But Philogeorgos was already out of hearing.

PHILELEUTHEROS; OR, CONCERNING THE PEOPLE'S WILL

"Is not this a dreadful thing, Socrates, that Balphurios has been lately doing about what he calls a Referendum?"

"What thing?" I said. "I have heard indeed lately that he has said this-that if he and his friends should be elected to sit in the Ecclesia, he will not propose a law taxing Megarian imports without first consulting the citizens; and he has invited Askothios to do the same thing, and not to give autonomy to the Samians without first consulting the citizens. Is that the dreadful thing?"

"So dreadful, Socrates, that even now I can scarcely believe it: for it aims at the destruction of the democracy. But I can tell him that Askothios will certainly not do what he is invited to do."

"Why will he not do it?" I asked.

"Because Askothios knows very well already that all the citizens are in favour of giving autonomy to the Samians."

"Well, Phileleutheros," I said, "in that case he will do no harm by having consulted them. And does Balphurios also know what the citizens think about taxing Megarian imports?"

"Certainly: he knows that all men (except himself and his friends) abhor such a plan."

"Then," I said, "no harm will be done there either; for the citizens, being consulted, will say what they wish."

"But, Socrates, it is always harmful that the citizens should be consulted. And that is why Askothios will not consult them."