Chapter 175 : Uncharted Territory

"So, what you’re saying is..."

Cato let out a heavy sigh.

"You’re saying you need someone to oversee this ’public opinion poll’ of yours? And you want to entrust that to me?"

"Yes, exactly. My Father agrees too."

I watched Cato open his mouth, only to snap it shut again.

If cigarettes had existed in Rome, he would have looked like a man in desperate need of one.

"You’re asking me to serve as your watchdog. Was the recent financial audit of the foundations not enough?"

"Didn’t you perform that task exceptionally well, Senator?"

Even I was surprised. Cato had thrown himself into the audit with greater diligence than anyone else, even learning the new numerical methods and formulas required to complete it.

That wasn’t all. Just a few days earlier, he had staged a filibuster in the Senate, buying Father the time he needed to deliver his speech.

Of course, the man himself vehemently denied having any such intention.

Considering how Cato had opposed Caesar at every turn in the history I remembered, the change was almost unbelievable.

"Listening to the citizens is one thing; leaving every decision to the whims of the mob is another," Cato said firmly.

"I used pamphlets to oppose Clodius this time, but that does not make this the right course. Governing by stirring up the masses will eventually ruin the Republic. I’m sure you know full well why once-great Athens lost its former power."

"As you said, Senator, not every policy needs to be decided directly by the citizens."

I adjusted my posture. In this age, no politicians were more wary of mob rule than Cato and Cicero.

Rome was one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of several hundred thousand.

Consulting every citizen and following their wishes on every policy was all but impossible.

To begin with, most citizens lacked the time and specialized knowledge needed to examine every policy in depth.

But that didn’t mean we should just ignore the citizens’ opinions.

Even in the twenty-first century, few democracies practiced direct democracy. Yet citizens still had many other ways to participate in politics.

"It’s about giving the citizens meaningful alternatives to choose from."

"Meaningful alternatives?"

"As citizens gain influence, politicians will have to offer them a wider range of choices. They will begin proposing policies designed to win public support rather than merely serve their own interests."

Politicians and political factions always fought to gain an advantage over their rivals. In Rome, gaining power now depended on winning the citizens’ support.

In other words, they had to offer better policies if they wanted to win the citizens’ favor.

The competition among the temples had already proved that.

Even without pressure from Father or me, they had fallen over themselves to propose reforms that would appeal to the citizens.

"For that to happen, the citizens’ wishes must be measured and communicated accurately."

"And for that, this ’public opinion poll’ is necessary, you say..."

Cato murmured thoughtfully.

"I still oppose it. This would make it far too easy for men like Clodius to endanger the Republic. The free grain bill is proof enough. It would only encourage more politicians to dazzle and deceive the citizens."

"That risk exists. But the citizens rejected the free grain bill in the assembly," I said. "If the Senate continues to shape politics however it pleases, as it does now, public discontent will only grow."

"You always have an answer, don’t you?"

For the first time in our conversation, Cato laughed.

"No matter what I say, you won’t change your mind. To be honest, I came prepared with a proposal of my own."

"A proposal of your own...?"

What was he talking about? The thought of Cato arriving with a proposal of his own gave me an ominous feeling.

"I realized something while auditing the foundations and their funds. Rome needs a permanent inspectorate with broad powers," Cato said. "A one-time audit can accomplish only so much. The foundations are not the only institutions in need of independent scrutiny. The temples undergoing reform must be audited as well—assuming your father agrees."

"A specialized institution devoted solely to audits," I said. It was an excellent proposal. Such a body would be enormously useful to both Cato and me.

At present, Cato was almost completely isolated in the Senate. By helping Father and me several times, he had alienated many of his fellow optimates.

"The Temple of Fides sits on the Capitoline Hill."

Fides—the goddess of good faith, trust, and sworn promises.

No deity could have been a more fitting patron for an inspectorate.

"I am certain the goddess Fides will lend us her aid."

***

"First, let’s divide Rome into several strata and draw a sample from each, just as Caesar suggested..."

Once Caesar’s instructions arrived, the Strategy Office staff did what they always did: they plunged into debate.

How could they conduct an accurate public opinion poll?

Rome’s citizens belonged to thirty-five tribes, but the staff could also divide them by neighborhood, age, wealth, social rank, and legal status—freeborn or freed. The possible criteria seemed endless.

"Couldn’t we simply send interviewers to the bathhouses, where large numbers of people gather?"

"If we do that, we’ll only get the opinions of people who frequent the bathhouses. Morning bathers may differ from evening bathers, and people who visit every day may differ from those who come only once a month."

"This is a real headache."

"We also have to decide how to conduct the survey—by post or through face-to-face interviews."

After a long debate, they settled on a suitable method: using the insurance premium collectors who already visited households regularly.

"Haven’t we collected citizens’ complaints the same way before? It should work just as well this time."

Thus, the premium collectors set out with sheets of paper in hand and began visiting their assigned households.

"Fourth alley east of the shrine of the Lares. Fifth door on the right."

One collector checked his wax tablet and knocked on the door.

A flour-dusted man peered out.

"Are you Marcus Fabius?"

"That’s me. That’s me. Aren’t you the insurance premium collectors? My household isn’t insured."

"Just a moment, please. We have something different to discuss with you today."

At house after house, the collectors’ explanation was met with puzzled looks.

"Respond to a survey, you say? What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. We ask you questions, and you answer them."

Romans had shared complaints about daily life with Lucius Caesar’s collectors before; the streetlights had been a direct result of that feedback.

But being questioned about specific political issues and policies was entirely new to them.

"Well, let’s hear it, then."

"Do you believe Rome needs a dedicated force to patrol the city and maintain order? If so, who should oversee it?"

The questions continued.

"Should its members be allowed to carry clubs and shields, or should they remain completely unarmed?"

To the collectors’ surprise, the citizens proved remarkably receptive to the unexpected questions.

"You’re asking for my thoughts? No one has ever bothered to ask for my opinion before."

Even more surprising to them was that the survey was anonymous.

"What’s the point of asking my opinion if you won’t even record my name?"

"The survey is meant to measure what Roman citizens think as a group, not to identify individual respondents."

"Lucius Caesar is always coming up with the strangest things."

"I’ll give you this sheet. Write down your answers and drop it into this jar. Even we won’t know which answers came from whom."

Once a large number of responses had been collected, the counting began. The counting room looked remarkably like the site of an election tally.

"What’s this ’percent’ thing?"

"It is a way of comparing quantities by expressing each one as a share of one hundred."

"It seems needlessly complicated."

"Divide the number of people who chose a particular answer by the total number of respondents, then multiply by one hundred. That makes the results easier to compare."

Although the new methods and symbols took time to learn, Rome’s first-ever public opinion poll progressed slowly but steadily.

The survey did not deal solely with the proposed police force. The questions that drew the greatest interest concerned a different proposal altogether.

[Do you support the creation of a permanent inspectorate to audit the accounts of foundations, temples, and public works?]

[Should the inspectorate have the authority to examine the accounts of temples?]

[Who should oversee the inspectorate?]

***

Two weeks later, Caesar established a new committee at the Temple of Fides in his capacity as Pontifex Maximus.

Provisionally named the Inspectorate Committee, it was tasked with auditing temples whose finances had previously been managed according to custom rather than standardized rules.

"I trust you all know who I am. Some of you worked with me when I was quaestor; others I am meeting for the first time," Cato said, looking over the assembled men.

"But I know who each of you are. You are all men respected for your honesty, and I have followed your work for years."

"Then what kind of task do you intend to entrust us with?"

"It’s simple. You will help me root out corruption in Rome."

The men exchanged glances.

"Root out corruption in Rome?"

"It would be quicker to name a place in Rome untouched by corruption. There is almost nothing in this city that money cannot buy. How many senators can honestly claim never to have accepted a bribe?"

"That will change from this day forward."

Cato cleared his throat.

He pointed to the table in front of the men.

Several pieces of paper were laid out on it.

"These are the results of a recent survey of Roman citizens. One proposal received more than eighty-one percent support."

"The creation of an institution to eradicate corruption..."

The men stared in shock at the figures and charts spread across the sheets.

"Did this many people really support it?"

"I verified the results myself. I found no sign of manipulation," Cato said. "But I warn you now: this work will not be easy. You will make many enemies and face many temptations. If you accept, you will swear an oath before the goddess Fides. If any of you accepts a bribe, he will be tried for corruption and for violating that sacred oath. You will lose your position and your honor—and you will be guilty of sacrilege as well."

The men swallowed hard.

Sacrilege.

Ordinary jurors could be bribed, but few Romans would lightly risk becoming complicit in an offense against the gods.

"But if any of you truly wish to change Rome—no, to restore Rome’s true traditions—then follow me," Cato continued. "I have much to teach you."

"But can such an institution be created without the Senate’s approval? Can even the Pontifex Maximus do that?"

"We will begin with the temples. After that, we will need the approval of both the Senate and a popular assembly," Cato said. "If we succeed, your names will be inscribed at this Temple of Fides and remembered in the history of Rome."

***

Rome’s first-ever large-scale public opinion poll drew attention far beyond the ordinary citizenry.

"Using public opinion to determine policies! Even for Caesar, this is crossing the line!"

"Exactly! And isn’t this so-called public opinion poll merely designed to produce whatever result Caesar wants?"

"But I heard Senator Cato oversaw the polling process..."

Even the enraged senators fell silent at the mention of Cato’s name.

After all, this was Cato. He had made his name as quaestor through exceptionally rigorous financial audits.

More recently, during the foundation audits, he had proved himself the very embodiment of integrity, refusing to make any compromise.

They might criticize Cato, but no one could accuse him of acting for personal gain.

That was precisely why so many of them despised him.

"As I have said before, Rome is already changing. No amount of grumbling will stop it."

It was Cicero who finally spoke.

"If we sit here and do nothing, Caesar will reform the temples and force through whatever policies he wishes. If we cannot seize the initiative from him, we must turn the tables."

"Turn the tables? How?"

Cicero cleared his throat before answering. Although he had not been as prominent as Cato during the recent pamphlet war, he remained one of Rome’s most respected politicians.

With Hortensius—who had once clashed openly with Caesar—now effectively disgraced, the optimates were beginning to rally around Cicero.

"We must be the first to bring Caesar’s own proposals before the Senate."

"But establishing an armed force within Rome could undermine the very foundations of our Republic!"

"The same is true of this inspectorate. It could encroach upon the Senate’s control of the treasury..."

"The political expectations of Rome’s citizens have already changed. If we remain idle, Caesar will simply take these measures directly to a popular assembly."

"But don’t we have tribunes who were elected with our support? We can simply have them veto the measures."

A few senators argued. The tribunate was formally an office of the plebs, but many tribunes had won election with senatorial backing.

Those aligned with the Senate could veto bills proposed by rival tribunes and speak in the Senate’s favor before the assembly.

"Even the tribunes aligned with us will not be able to ignore these poll results," Cicero replied.

The other senators saw the polls merely as a means of pressuring the Senate. Cicero saw something more.

Public opinion polls had the potential to transform Roman politics completely.

"If the tribunes openly defy a result showing overwhelming public support, they may never win another election."

In the past, there was no way to know just how many citizens supported a policy.

They could only guess from the size of the crowds in the Forum.

But the pamphlets and polls Lucius had introduced changed that. Politicians could now present competing policies to the public through pamphlets and measure public sentiment through polls.

"..."

"There is only one way to stop Caesar. We must be the first to propose policies that serve the citizens. We must offer an alternative of our own." Cicero added. "Whether you like it or not, we have no other choice."

The Senate—and the optimates in particular—had only one option left: persuade more citizens and bring them to their side.

To do that, they would have to imitate Caesar.

"We must show the citizens of Rome a new path," Cicero said, looking at his fellow senators.

"At the next meeting of the Senate, let us be the first to introduce the City Security Bill and the Public Inspectorate Bill."

And thus, Roman politics entered uncharted territory.