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Examples Of Medieval Body Politics

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The Medieval Body Politic
Although the metaphor of the body politic was widely employed in medieval writing to discuss ideas about politics, two particularly influential accounts can be found in the works of John of Salisbury (c1120-1180) and Marsiglio of Padua (1275-1342). In the Policraticus, John describes the political community, or commonwealth, as “a sort of body which is animated” (John of Salisbury, 1990, p. 66). On this view, the differentiated offices of political society are analogous to the parts of the human anatomy. Like all bodies, the commonwealth is guided by the soul, which, according to John, is held by the “those who direct the practice of religion” (p. 67). Yet, just as the eternal human soul is not part of the mortal …show more content…

Just as the human physiology depends on every organ and every limb for its best performance, each member of the body politic occupies a unique function, “which is fixed by its location within the overall scheme of the body” (Nederman, 1992, p. 979), and makes an indispensable contribution to the maintenance of the whole. No part may be removed or excluded without serious damage to the community. Jealousy or competition are likewise precluded – at least in theory – because every part of the body is vital; the “lower could not more long for higher than a finger… could want to be an eye” (Augustine, 1958, p. …show more content…

62). The substance of justice, in John’s definition, is responsibility towards others and it demands attention and care for other members. As a guiding principle for societal interactions, justice requires social cooperation and contains an obligation on the part of all members to sustain the commonwealth through appropriate actions: “Inasmuch as the duties of each individual are practiced so that provisions are made for the corporate community, so long as justice is practiced, the ends of all are imbued with sweetness of honey” (ibid., p. 131). According to John, justice may be viewed as the modus operandi of the body

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