Johannes Althusius: Politica - Hubertlerch.com - HubertLerch.com

Althusius_0002
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To demonstrate this point I am able to produce the excellent example of your own and the other provinces confederated with
you. For in the war you undertook against the very powerful king of Spain you did not consider that the rights of sovereignty
adhered so inseparably to him that they did not exist apart from him. Rather, when you took away the use and exercise of them
from those who abused them, and recovered what was your own, you declared that these rights belong to the associated
multitude and to the people of the individual provinces. You did this with such a courageous spirit, with such wisdom, fidelity, and
constancy, that I cannot find other peoples to compare with your example.
And this among other reasons leads me to dedicate these political meditations to you. It even leads me to refer very often in
them, when illustrations of political precepts are used, to examples chosen from your cities, constitutions, customs, and deeds,
and from other confederated Belgic provinces. I am also moved to do this by the favor, warmth, and disposition that you,
together with your confederates, have expressed often towards this Commonwealth that I have served for a number of years,
and indeed, even toward me when not many years ago you saw fit to call me—with very fair provisions—to profess the juristic
science at your illustrious and much celebrated academy at Franeker. Wherefore I think it only just that I acknowledge and
openly proclaim your kindness in this preface and dedication, and publicly commend for the imitation of others those virtues
through which, by the grace of God, you not only defended and conserved your commonwealth from tyranny and disaster, but
also made it even more illustrious. For the success of your admirable deeds, and those of your allies, is so abundant that it
overflows into neighboring countries, indeed, into all of Germany and into France. It is even experienced by the nations of the
Indies and many other realms plagued by Spanish arms that have been sustained and defended by you and the other provinces
united with you. Since the published annals and histories speak of these things to the eternal glory of your name, I choose to
pass over them in silence rather than to mention only a small part of them.
May the supremely good and great God grant that while we live in this political life and this symbiosis by his grace, we may
make ourselves useful and beneficial to men, and so attain the purpose that has been the concern of this discipline. With this
prayer I close this preface.
With reverent and humble respect and honor for your illustrious splendor
Johannes Althusius
[1]
[2]
[This preface was prepared originally for the second edition (1610) and retained in the third and later editions.]
[City of Emden.]
[3] [ consociatio universalis: the commonwealth; an association inclusive of all other associations (families, collegia, cities, and
provinces) within a determinate large area, and recognizing no superior to itself.]
I THE GENERAL ELEMENTS OF POLITICS
[§ 1] POLITICS IS THE ART OF ASSOCIATING ( consociandi) men for the purpose of establishing, cultivating, and conserving social life
among them. [§ 2] Whence it is called “symbiotics.” The subject matter of politics is therefore association ( consociatio), in
which the symbiotes
1
pledge themselves each to the other, by explicit or tacit agreement, to mutual communication of whatever
is useful and necessary for the harmonious exercise of social life.
[§ 3] The end of political “symbiotic” man is holy, just, comfortable, and happy symbiosis,
2
a life lacking nothing either
necessary or useful. Truly, in living this life no man is self-sufficient ( ¿ V), or adequately endowed by nature. [§
4] For when he is born, destitute of all help, naked and defenseless, as if having lost all his goods in a shipwreck, he is cast
forth into the hardships of this life, not able by his own efforts to reach a maternal breast, nor to endure the harshness of his
condition, nor to move himself from the place where he was cast forth. By his weeping and tears, he can initiate nothing except
the most miserable life, a very certain sign of pressing and immediate misfortune.
3
Bereft of all counsel and aid, for which
nevertheless he is then in greatest need, he is unable to help himself without the intervention and assistance of another. Even if
he is well nourished in body, he cannot show forth the light of reason. Nor in his adulthood is he able to obtain in and by himself
those outward goods he needs for a comfortable and holy life, or to provide by his own energies all the requirements of life. The
energies and industry of many men are expended to procure and supply these things. Therefore, as long as he remains isolated
and does not mingle in the society of men, he cannot live at all comfortably and well while lacking so many necessary and useful
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