Today, in democratic societies, the people exercise their small share of power by acting as sovereign when they participate in the election of their representatives after enduring the electoral campaign which, along with bed and war, is where the most lies are heard. Then, after the corresponding votes and recounts, it is time to put into practice the «where I said I say, I say Diego » and leave the people aside. At this point we only have to protest, demonstrate or promote a Popular Legislative Initiative , provided for in article 87.3 of the Constitution, and that Congress admits it for processing.
What did they do in ancient Rome in these cases in which politicians legislated and governed without taking the people into account?
They took drastic and, apparently, effective measures.
Patricians and Plebeians
The Roman Republic (509 BC) put an end to the Monarchy with the expulsion of the last king, Lucius Tarquinius the Proud . Still, not everyone in Rome was the same:the patricians , descendants of the first families that had founded the city, were the only ones who could be part of the Senate and the only ones who could hold public office. On the other hand, the commoners , outside power, were deprived of certain civil rights but with all the obligations. The tensions between these two social groups led to the Secessio Plebis (the secession of the commoners).
Secessio Plebis
During this protest action, the commoners stopped carrying out their responsibilities and jobs... a kind of general strike that paralyzed Rome and which, moreover, was accompanied by the abandonment of the city . The first secession took place in 494 B.C. and the last in 287 BC. The latter, called Aventine secession , had special importance because it was the seed of the plebiscites . The plebeians left Rome and congregated on the Aventine Hill where they agreed that the decisions of the plebeians (Plebis Scitum ) would have the force of law, not only for them, but for the entire Roman people, without the prior approval of the Senate.
Decisions of the people that prevail over the will of the legislators.