ontaneous allegiance of successive
generations. In such a community some of the problems that vex us most
presented themselves in a very simple form. In particular the relation
of the individual to the community was close, direct, and natural.
Their interests were obviously bound up together. Unless each man did
his duty the State might easily be destroyed and the population
enslaved. Unless the State took thought for its citizens it might easily
decay. What was still more important, there was no opposition of church
and state, no fissure between political and religious life, between the
claims of the secular and the spiritual, to distract the allegiance of
the citizens, and to set the authority of conscience against the duties
of patriotism. It was no feat of the philosophical imagination, but a
quite simple and natural expression of the facts to describe such a
community as an association of men for the purpose of living well.
Ideals to which we win our way back with difficulty and doubt arose
naturally out of the conditions of life in ancient Greece.

On the other hand, this simple harmony had very serious limitations,
which in the end involved the downfall of the city system. The
responsibilities and privileges of the associated life were based not on
the rights of human personality but on the rights of citizenship, and
citizenship was never co-extensive with the community. The population
included slaves or serfs, and in many cities there were large classes
descended from the original conquered population, personally free but
excluded from the governing circle. Notwithstanding the relative
simplicity of social conditions the city was constantly torn by the
disputes of faction--in part probably a legacy from the old clan
organization, in part a consequence of the growth of wealth and the
newer distinction of classes. The evil of faction was aggravated by the
ill-success of the city organization in dealing with the problem of
inter-state relations. The Greek city clung to its autonomy, and though
the principle of federalism which might have solved the problem was
ultimately brought into play, it came too late in Greek history to save
the nation.

The constructive genius of Rome devised a different method of dealing
with the political problems involved in expanding relations. Roman
citizenship was extended till it included all Italy and, later on, till
it comprised the whole free population of the Mediterranean basin.