Cicero was one of the first thinkers to posit the preservation of property as a core motivation behind the formation of political communities. He wrote that “the men who administer public affairs must first of all see that everyone holds on to what is his, and that private men are never deprived of their goods by public acts.” In other words, the state is meant to ensure citizens hold on to their property.31:T4ff,George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights stated something similar: “All men have certain inherent natural rights of which they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity, among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.” One month after its publication, the Declaration of Independence was drafted. Although it omitted “property” and “safety,” the same meaning was implied: To pursue happiness, citizens must be given the opportunity to obtain property, without which their independence is impossible. Cicero would have agreed.

The Importance of a Classical Education

The Founders’ appreciation for Greco-Roman philosophy partly resulted from an education system that valued classical studies. As historian Carl J. Richards noted, “The Founders’ classical training frequently began around age eight.” Schools focused on Latin and Greek, which were mandatory subjects in the entrance exams of every American college in the 18th century. Cicero was among the authors students were expected to know.

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