First Principles of Government and the Foundations of Political Authority

The Philosophical Surprise of Governance: To a philosophical observer, the most striking aspect of human affairs is the ease with which the "many" are governed by the "few." This involves the implicit submission of the majority, who resign their own sentiments and passions to the will of their rulers.
The Primacy of Opinion over Force: While physical force is inherently on the side of the governed (the majority), the governors themselves have nothing to support their authority but opinion.
Universal Application of the Maxim: This principle—that government is founded on opinion only—applies across the entire political spectrum, including:
- The most despotic and military regimes (e.g., the Soldan of EGYPT or the Emperor of ROME).
- The most free and popular governments.
The Management of the Enforcer Class: While a despot might treat his general subjects like "brute beasts," driving them against their inclinations, he must lead his specialized enforcers—such as the Mamalukes of Egypt or the Praetorian bands of Rome—"like men," governed by their opinion of his authority.

Opinion of Interest:
- This refers to the general sense of advantage reaped from being under a government.
- It includes the persuasion that the established government is at least as advantageous as any alternative that could be easily settled.
- When this opinion is held by the general population or those who hold the physical force, it provides significant security to the government.
Opinion of Right: This is subdivided into two distinct categories: Right to Power and Right to Property.
- Right to Power: This is heavily influenced by the attachment nations have to ancient government and names sanctioned by antiquity. Antiquity naturally begets an opinion of right. Despite negative sentiments about mankind, people are often "prodigal both of blood and treasure" to maintain public justice based on this right.
- Right to Property: This involves the belief in the legitimacy of property ownership. Some noted authors (likely referencing Locke) have argued that property is the foundation of all government. While this may be an exaggeration, the opinion of right to property is a major influence in governance.

The Social Disposition and Factional Behavior: Mankind exhibits a psychological contradiction: in a faction, men may neglect honor and morality to serve the party. However, if a faction is based on "right or principle," people display extreme obstinacy and a heightened sense of justice. Both behaviors stem from the social disposition of man.
Secondary Principles of Government: There are other principles that add force to government, but they are secondary because they require the prior existence of the opinions mentioned above:
- Self-Interest: This refers to the expectation of specific individual rewards beyond general protection. A magistrate's authority must be antecedently established or hoped for before anyone can expect a reward from him.
- Fear: A tyrant's individual bodily force is minimal. He can only be feared because of the power he possesses via the opinion of his followers. Without that established authority, his reach is limited only to his personal physical capacity.
- Affection: High regard for a sovereign's wisdom or virtue has influence, but only if the sovereign is already invested with a "public character." Without that existing status, virtue operates only within a very narrow personal sphere.

The Disparity Between Power and Property: A government can endure for ages even if the balance of power and property do not coincide. This is common when an order of the state acquires property but lacks a share in the government's original constitution.
The Expansion of Authority: When a constitutional order possesses both significant property and even a small share of power, it can gradually stretch that authority to match its property holdings.
Case Study: The House of Commons:
- Writers often assume the weight of the House of Commons is perfectly proportional to the property and power of the people it represents. However, this is not an absolute truth.
- Example: The Tory House of Commons during the reign of King WILLIAM was not always followed by the people, even when in opposition to the Crown.
Hypothetical Shifts in Representation: If members of the House were required to receive direct instructions from constituents (similar to the DUTCH deputies), the combined power and riches of the British commons would likely become an "overbalance" of property that the Crown could not withstand or influence.
The Role of Crown Influence: The Crown maintains influence over elections, but this is only exerted once every $7\,\text{years}$ . If the Crown attempted to influence every individual vote through popularity or revenue, that influence would be quickly exhausted.

The Nature of Popular Bodies:
- Large collective bodies (e.g., the ROMAN tribes) are often unfit for government.
- When the people are dispersed into smaller bodies, they become more susceptible to reason and order.
- Dispersion breaks the force of "popular currents and tides," allowing the public interest to be pursued with method and constancy.
Final Prescription: While a dispersed republic might not be an "inconvenient form," it is not the current aim of any party in Britain. The author concludes that one should cherish and improve the current ancient government and avoid the passion for "dangerous novelties."