Swift refers to Harrington, the author of Oceana. Harrington believed that 'an equal commonwealth' might be a perpetual form of constitution. By such a commonwealth he meant one 'equal both in the foundation and the superstructure.' The equality in the foundation was equal distribution of property in land: and the equality in the superstructure was equal rotation of rule, which he thus defines:—
'Equal rotation is equal vicissitude in government, or succession to magistracy, conferred for such convenient terms ... as take in the whole body by turns.'
Of such an immortal constitution Harrington thought that Venice gave an example. Cf. p. 68, 1. 3.