Through a well-organized government a state can function effectively by exercising both social control and allocating power to institutions that function for the well being of society. The constitution embodies principles that serve as a mean to govern its nation. These are regulatory bodies of society that are driven by the constitution and that up to almost the end of the republic had succeeded in maintaining order. As a whole the constitution allowed the existence of an organized government, from which the state benefited, because they were able to concentrate on their foreign policy. Three important aspects of the constitution are the consuls, the senate, and the people of Rome. In theory these three elements are equal between themselves, but in practice some are disadvantaged more than their counterparts. The people as a unit were disadvantage, and less politically involved; a flaw that will later mark the end of the Roman republic. The first part of this essay will be looking at the important roles and functions of each element, and later, how they work for, or against each other.
The important aspect of the constitut
The Constitution was meant to function in harmony with all these three elements. The Roman government at the end of the period of the republican era had an effective system of "checks and balances", but did not permit ordinary Romans to influence political decisions. The management of the government was in practice left at the hands of the patricians. They were the ones who enjoyed posts as dictators, consuls, quaestors and priests. They constituted the army and the populus (people). (Leighton, 1883, p.55). The rest of the common people were previously referred to as plebeians. These people were inhabitants of conquered towns who were free to engage in property transactions and trade, but were restricted from political rights. The common people had a vote in the comitia centuriata, which was however, later reformed to include the influence of the patricians. This was an annual voting assembly that was attended by citizens from Rome, as well as by city populace. Therefore, it possessed more of a representative character than other assemblies.
The above paragraphs outline the functions of each separate organ that formulates
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