A review of

THE HISTORIES

By

POLYBIUS

In

William Ebenstein (ed.) Great Political Thinkers: Plato to the Present

9 pages

Janu – Lee C. Tarnate

POLCSCI 100

MSU – IIT

July 6, 2009
 Scrutiny from the past, mankind by far presages the forthcoming.

Polybius, as an historian, sorted greatly in view with the facts from the past.

He proclaimed that “it is not hard to foretell the future by inference from the

past.” Polybius dealt with causes of political change and such changed is a

cycle and natural. He concluded that the best form of government is a mixed

constitution, the combination of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy.

Polybius The Histories comes up in his inquiry in the Roman Empire.

Polybius begins his work discussing the forms of State. He

characterized each form of government, the monarchy, aristocracy, and

democracy as the good form while tyranny, oligarchy, and mob-rule, which

are naturally allied from the first group, as perverted one. In this chapter,

chapter 1, Polybius gave us an overview on how political revolution/changes

occur or happen. But a more explicit discussion of the topic he gave on the

next chapter. In this chapter, Polybius, present to us his perception on what

is the best form of government for him, and that the mixed constitution is

the best constitution.

In the second chapter entitled “The Causes of Political Change,”

Polybius clearly set the theory of natural transformation more vividly and

comprehensively than other philosophers did. He applied actual history of

facts in setting his arguments and notion. He begins his exposition of the

theory in the origin of the political societies. Polybius considered men in

nature are weak, so there is a need of them to work together and those who

excel in strength and courage will lead over the rest. Accordingly, he says:

“…at the beginning men lived thus, herding together like animals
and following the lead of the strongest and bravest, the ruler’s
strength being here the sole limit to his power and the name we
should give to this rule being monarchy.”

This chapter clearly demonstrates the political revolution, how does

monarchy turns into tyranny, and tyranny to aristocracy and so on.

Furthermore, Polybius examines the causes of political revolution, and give

emphasis that changes occurs when the descendants/ second generations

takeover the sit of power and use the power for their own self-interest, to

acquire resources and to feed their appetites.

Thus, according to Polybius, this political revolution/change is a cycle

that accompanied in nature. He concluded, “…constitutions change,

disappear, and finally return to the point from which they started.” Polybius

added, the state has been formed and grown naturally so it will undergo a

decline and change naturally.

Moving on, in chapter 3, Polybius deals with the advantages of having

a mixed constitution. He described a mixed constitution as the combination

of three forms of government which are; monarchy, aristocracy, and

democracy. In this chapter, Polybius explained not only how political power

is distributed among the different class of the State but also how this class

interact in accordance to their power. Polybius elucidated this concept of

power, with interference in the Roman constitution, the power of the consuls
seemed to be monarchical for it has the authority over all public affairs.

Moreover, the senate has the control of the treasury, all revenues and

expenditure being regulated by it; with the absence of consuls the

constitution is highly aristocratic. Furthermore, the constitution seemed

clearly democratic, in view with the power of the masses; for the people has

the right to confer honors and inflict punishments.

Polybius introduces the system of check and balance. Each part of the

society must act in accordance with other. Polybius implied this system so

that no one is absolute than others and they will remain in their position.

Hence, the main purpose of check and balance is to maintain the balance of

power in the State.

Polybius proclaimed that the Roman Empire has the best government.

He assessed it in the nature of Romans religious convictions. He compares

Greek’s as nothing incomparable to Roman Empire. For Greek’s cannot keep

their faith while on the other hand, Romans maintain their pledge of faith.

Thus, for Polybius, a good State must have strong religious belief/faith.

Polybius end his work in stating that:

“…all exixting things are subject to decay and change is a truth

that scarcely needs proof; for the course of nature is sufficient to
force this conviction on us.”

Polybius asserted that there are two organizations in every kind of the

State that is liable to decay, the external and the other one the state itself.

Thus, we can easily foretell the future with the interference from the past.
 In conclusion, Polybius the Histories is essentially well written.

Polybius, gave us a concrete view of the revolution of the state, from what is

the first being of a state to come up to how one form transformed into other.

His discussion on the causes of political change is incomparable than Plato

and Aristotle. He actually gives a vivid and more comprehensive discussion

on the theory of transformation.

The facts he presented help us to understand deeply what he’s trying

to communicate. It has a sufficient stands. All his arguments and nation that

are based on actual history of facts are well organized, and give us , the

reader, a vivid picture of reality.

We can easily picture out why does the second generations causes the

political changes because of Polybius vast discussion on the subject matter.

All his arguments are precise and concise.

We should give credit to Polybius presentation on the system of check

and balance, which is now greatly appreciated in the political science

discipline and even in the actual government processes, and also in the

balance of power. His discussion on how power distributed in the three parts

of the society is accurate with the interference from the Roman Empire The

Histories also gave us an overview of the history of Roman Empire, it’s

government and system.

All college students, especially those whose majoring in History,

Political Science and Public Administration, would enjoy reading this work of
Polybius for it provides us the basic concepts of the form of governments

and For they can gain knowledge on how to organized a point basing on the

historical facts.

We should take into account that Polybius is one of the great

Historians. Polybius The Hostories, a work that is worth reading for.

 A review of

THE HISTORIES

By

POLYBIUS

In

William Ebenstein (ed.) Great Political Thinkers: Plato to the Present

9 pages

Janu – Lee C. Tarnate

POLCSCI A3

Prof. Enrique Batara

MSU – IIT

July 6, 2009