Civic Traditions in Italian Cities, 19 93

Italian city republics offered their citizens greater opportunity to directly participate in political life than monarchies or tyrannies. The practice of participation produced and was sustained by a highly refined theory or language called civic humanism. This set of beliefs was reinforced by the persuasion that to be a good citizen is not onlym ally right, but also wise. If citizens devote themselves to the service of the republic, they can stop corrupt and powerful citizens from becoming the owners of the republic,. thereby enslaving other citizens.