After some years in England, French essayist Voltaire declared England to be superior to the Roman Empire, because unlike the Romans the English had managed to establish a balanced form of government: the Crown was unable to do much harm, nobles had status but little power, and the public were free to do more than just fight in the army.

The Romans, admitted Voltaire, had benefited from their disenfranchisement of the public by the boost given to their overseas conquests; but by giving the public a say in government, England had benefited more. The Romans, and other European nations, always sank back into slavery, whereas the English grew ever more free.

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