Cato's letters
Publication of Cato's Letters
Date and Authors:
On November 5th, 1720, John Trencher and Thomas Gordon, writing under the pseudonym Cato, published a letter titled "Reasons to Prove That We Are No Danger of Losing Gibraltar."
These letters are now referred to as Cato's Letters.
Impact:
Although mostly unknown to modern readers, Cato's Letters posed significant challenges to the British government of the 1720s.
Their content served as a lamentation over the corruption among politicians, particularly during the South Sea Bubble controversy, where numerous politicians were implicated in bribery and other corrupt practices.
The fiery and inspiring nature of these letters contributed to their popularity, captivating large audiences across England.
Evolution of Focus:
Initially concentrated on current affairs, Cato's Letters evolved into a deeper examination of fundamental issues concerning liberty and power.
Over approximately three years, they published nearly 150 letters discussing themes like:
The blessings of liberty.
Methods to prevent tyranny.
Freedom of speech.
Separation of church and state.
The right to resist tyrannical governments.
From this correspondence, Cato's clear and comprehensive political theory emerged, which would later hold great influence in colonial America as it approached revolution.
Background of Authors
John Trencher:
Birth and Education: Born in 1662, Trencher belonged to a prominent family and attended Trinity College Dublin.
Wealth and Influence: He lived a comfortable life due to substantial inheritances and later married into an affluent family, allowing him to dedicate his life to writing.
Political Stance:
An ardent opponent of a standing army in 1690.
Believed such armies would lead to conflicts abroad and domestic oppression, advocating instead for a citizen militia.
Thomas Gordon:
Background: Much less known prior to his writings, Gordon was born around 1691 in Scotland.
Education: There is speculation regarding his attendance at college to study law, but this remains unconfirmed.
Early Work: Initially wrote light-hearted essays, culminating in the 1720 collection The Humorist, humorously dedicated to "the man on the moon."
The Bangorian Controversy
Catalyst for Collaboration: Gordon and Trencher connected during the Bangorian Controversy.
Benjamin Hoadly’s Sermon:
Hoadly, Bishop of Bangor, delivered a sermon questioning the divine right of kings and asserting that religious belief should be free from government interference.
Gordon defended Hoadly's views, advocating for religious toleration and criticizing religious influences on state affairs.
The encounter between Gordon and Trencher occurred in 1719 in London, leading to their collaboration on a weekly pamphlet, The Independent Wig, focused on religious issues such as:
Toleration of various religions.
Separation of church and state.
The publication lasted for a year, totaling 53 essays.
Transition to Cato's Letters
Writing for the London Journal:
After The Independent Wig, Gordon and Trencher began writing for the London Journal, broadening their topics.
Choice of Pseudonym:
The name Cato refers to Cato the Younger, a Roman statesman known for his opposition to Julius Caesar.
Cato was recognized for his integrity, wisdom, and stoic philosophy, defending Roman liberties and challenging governmental corruption.
Cato's Legacy:
The 18th century associated Cato with liberty and opposition to tyranny, greatly popularized by Joseph Addison’s play Cato: A Tragedy.
Cato's suicide, chosen over accepting Caesar's pardon, solidified his position as a symbol of defiant liberty.
Political Philosophy of Cato
Nature of the State:
Cato poses a foundational question in political philosophy: What is the purpose of a state?
For him, the state exists not to promote moral flourishing, but rather to ensure temporal felicity (human happiness, comfort, and security).
The role of government is to protect individual rights rather than serve as a tool for moral education.
Equality and Consent:
Cato posits that all individuals are born equal, without inherent superiority or natural authority over one another.
Legitimate government must rest on consent, rejecting force or fraud as bases for authority.
Cato outlines the concept of liberty as the power of individual actions and the right to enjoy the product of one's labor, so long as it does not harm others.
Human Nature and Self-interest:
Cato advocates for the harm principle, stating individual actions should only be restricted when they harm others.
Influenced by John Locke, Cato asserts the government's role in safeguarding life, liberty, and property.
He holds a pessimistic view of human nature, believing that people are inherently selfish, prone to greed and ambition.
Cato criticizes the idea of moral reform, suggesting that attempts to alter human nature are futile.
Law and Power Dynamics:
Laws arise from mutual fears for self-preservation, restricting the appetites of individuals.
Cato argues that power concentrates potentially corrupt individuals in positions of authority, leading to tyranny.
He warns against the dangers of concentrating power, asserting that tyranny leads to slavery—not as physical bondage, but as a subjugation to the whims of an absolute ruler.
The establishment of law should aim to avoid a concentration of power in governmental hands.
Mechanisms to Protect Liberty
Constitutional Restraints:
Cato emphasizes the necessity of constitutional restraints on power to prevent corruption.
Recommended reforms include:
Frequent elections
Term limits
Increased representation within Parliament.
Separation of Powers:
Advocated for the division of governmental powers to decentralize authority and prevent tyranny.
This separation creates a system of checks and balances, preventing domination by any single body or individual.
Freedom of Speech:
Cato deems free speech as essential to public liberty, dubbing it the "great bulwark of liberty."
He asserts that the first step towards tyranny is the suppression of dissent and criticism against the government.
Civic Engagement and Resistance
Civic Virtue:
Cato recognizes the relationship between self-interest and public good, rejecting the notion of patriotism as merely self-sacrificial.
He argues that personal interest often leads to the resistance of tyrannical power.
Cato elucidates that government should protect against violations of rights; thus, citizens inherently understand when governance turns unjust.
Trust in the People:
Cato believes ordinary people possess the sense to discern good from bad governance based on the security of their rights and property.
When rights are violated, Cato holds that individuals are motivated not by abstract ideals, but by personal interest to rise against tyranny.
Dissolution of Government:
Cato asserts a natural right to oppose oppressive government, indicating that the power granted to government can also be retracted when it betrays public trust.
He likens power to fire, emphasizing that unchecked power can lead to destruction or tyranny.
Conclusion and Legacy
Cato's End:
The publication of Cato's Letters concluded when the British government pressured the London Journal to cease their series.
Trencher died in December 1723 at age 61, while Gordon's critiques faded after he accepted a commissioner position.
Influence:
Despite their decline in British notoriety, Cato's Letters became profoundly influential in the American colonies, resembling key texts for individuals like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.
Cato's writings, especially on freedom of religion, free speech, and tyranny, became foundational in shaping revolutionary thoughts among the founding fathers.
Contemporary Relevance:
Cato's observations on state power remain relevant, highlighting ongoing tensions between liberty and authority.
Cato’s Letters outlined a rational governance model, affirming the necessity for power while wrestling with its potential for corruption.