Besides, the prince, in such a form of
government, having the power of dissolving the other parts of the
legislative, and thereby rendering them private persons, they can
never, in opposition to him, or without his concurrence, alter the
legislative by a law, his consent being necessary to give any of their
decrees that sanction. But yet so far as the other parts of the
legislative any way contribute to any attempt upon the government, and
do either promote, or not, what lies in them, hinder such designs,
they are guilty, and partake in this, which is certainly the
greatest crime men can be guilty of one towards another.
219. There is one way more whereby such a government may be
dissolved, and that is: When he who has the supreme executive power
neglects and abandons that charge, so that the laws already made can
no longer be put in execution; this is demonstratively to reduce all
to anarchy, and so effectively to dissolve the government. For laws
not being made for themselves, but to be, by their execution, the
bonds of the society to keep every part of the body politic in its due
place and function. When that totally ceases, the government visibly
ceases, and the people become a confused multitude without order or
connection.
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