The Siena Fresco

It's been a while - as my commenters would inform you - sorry. I've been busy finishing another school term but there will be more frequent posts next few months, stay tuned.

I have recently been reading John Ralston Saul's most recent publication called "The Collapse of Globalism." He describes the fundamental purpose of good government - and its alternative - as depicted hundreds of years ago:

"If in Siena you walk into the old council chamber of the Palazzo Communale - the city hall - you find it wrapped by an early-fourteenth-century fresco over forty metres long. The subject is good government. This was the first non-religious cycle painted anywhere in the West. You could say that Ambrogio Lorenzetti had produced the first modern visual expression of responsible, citizen-based government. Down one long wall are city scenes showing the results of good government, including peace, friendship, learning, the arts, general well-being and prosperous businesses; facing it are the results of bad government, images of urban decline, of fear, violence and suffering. There the only successful business makes weaponry.


And on the central wall is a representation of how a civilization actually works. A large woman called Wisdom floats above another, even larger, called Justice. The two arms of Justice's scale spring from her head, balanced by the influence of Wisdom. Suspended from each of the arms of the scale is a brass tray holding a small figure who distributes justice. And from these trays in turn two cords hand down, only to be grasped by a third large woman - Concord. She winds them together before passing this complex rope into the hands of the twenty-four magistrates who run the city. They are slightly smaller. They in turn pass the rope to a large male figure, Ben Comun, the common good, the Good Commune. Finally, on either side of him are seated six more large women - Peace, Fortitude, Prudence, Magnanimity, Temperance and, once again, Justice. These are the working elements of the common good. The humanist support system.


If you then look back to the figure of Justice, you notice that the small figure in one of the trays is handing down an object called a staia - a bushel - to two extremely small figures. They are merchants. The staia was an instrument of just measure; that is, of regulation.

So wisdom permits justice to produce concord through equilibrium. And the resulting shared common good is maintained thanks to the play between six humanist qualities. They whole process of civilization is driven by justice, and among the many beneficiaries are those who turn the wheels of the economy."

Within this imagery, public servants must situate themselves as the magistrates and abide by the virtues of good governance. (Some of this imagery is compelling if you have the time to look.) Strangely, I have to look back into the 14th Century to find a full understanding of the fundamental principles of government. "Epiphany" is the word best used to describe my reaction. If these values are upheld over nonsensical processes and procedures, the public sector can reach a higher potential.

Next question: How?
This will be addressed in the following posts - including how do make the how more efficient and effective.