jan 1, 1544 - Book on Republic of Venice's Government

Description:

The Gasparo Contarini book 'De Magistratibus et Republica Venetorum' describes the unique system of government in Venice and its institutions. It demonstrates the awe of foreigners at Venetian independence and resistance to Italy's loss of freedom, including coming out unscathed from the war against the League of Cambria. Contarini suggests that the secret to Venetian greatness lay in the co-existence of three types of government, namely democracy through the Maggior Consiglio ('Major Council' qualified by by hereditary right and responsible for electing offices), oligarchy through the Senate (in charge of day-to-day legislation) and the Council of Ten (authority over all government actions), and monarchy through the Doge (head of state and of all government institutions). He claimed that the combination of these three principle in the Venetian government came as close as possible to perfection in the mechanism of government.

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