The Commonwealth of Oceana

"The Commonwealth of Oceana" by James Harrington is a political book from the 1600s that explores how governments should work, especially focusing on fair power distribution within a community; it argues that having a balance of property is very important for keeping society stable and free. Harrington, using his connections and insightful observations from post-war England, thought about different ways to govern that would focus on giving power to the people and making sure they were represented. The beginning of the book talks about Harrington’s family, his education at Oxford, and his travels around Europe, which all helped shape his ideas. He believed the problems of his time came from unfair wealth, not just from bad kings or democracies, and he used this idea as the base for his political book by including how the Dutch and Venice governed inspired his thinking, hinting he will soon give details about his own view on a new, equal, and virtuous government.