after the fall of the Republic, the Pretorian Guard nominated and
appointed its emperors.

Well up toward the summit of each known civilization, four groups have
shared authority and competed for supremacy: land-lords, wealth-lords,
war-lords and priests. Where these four major shapers of public policy
and directors of public administration were of like mind, they shared
wealth and power. When they differed, one or another enjoyed priority
and exercised some measure of control over the other three.

Less personal, but of major concern among the institutions of
civilization were the channels of communication and transportation that
have played so decisive a role in the life of every civilization. Top
ranking among the means of communication were common language, spoken
and written on metal, papyrus, paper; a unified system of accounting and
cost keeping; permanent records. Among the means of transport were
waterways, including canals, viaducts, roads, bridges skillfully built
and kept in good repair.

Another significant institution of civilization is the idea of
ownership, the division of property into public property and private
property and the right of the private property owner to do what he will
with his property, subject always to the over-riding principle of
eminent domain: the right of the community to expropriate private
property for public uses, with or without compensation.

Another institution of civilization is the provision of public services
in addition to means of communication and transportation. These public
services include a water supply; the disposal of waste; public defense
of life and property; food and diversion (bread and circuses) for the
needy; fire prevention and fire fighting apparatus; educational
facilities, including libraries and reading rooms; outside recreational
facilities such as parks and play-grounds. All of these facilities could
be provided by the rich and powerful for themselves and members of their
families. They could be supplied more effectively and apportioned more
justly when they were public services open to all.

The countryside lacks the financial and the administrative means of
providing a wide range of public services. Indeed, countryside dwellers
pride themselves on being able to provide necessary services on a
family, household or village basis. City dwellers learn to regard such
public services as a matter of public right. Their existence is a magnet
which dra