Basic Ideas Of Ancient Greek Democracy And Their Relevance For Modern Conceptions Of Democracy

Author : Lisa Wegener
Publisher : GRIN Verlag
Page : 29 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2008-10
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9783640189526

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Basic Ideas of Ancient Greek Democracy and Their Relevance for Modern Conceptions of Democracy by Lisa Wegener Pdf

Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject Politics - Political Theory and the History of Ideas Journal, University of Applied Sciences Bremen, course: Democracy: Theory and Practice, 6 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The fascination that springs from the first democratic polity of history, the ancient polis of Attica, remains undaunted right up to now and the examination of this alluring topic will certainly occupy future scientists as well. The main questions are: How - and most of all why - did democracy develop at this time and at this place? How was this political system organised? And what lessons can we draw from the rise and fall of the Athenian democracy? In the following, I am going to touch some of these issues while analysing what the basic ideas of Athenian democracy looked like, comparing the ancient with the modern understanding and investigating to what extent they might be relevant to current theories of democracy. Thus, I am going to concentrate more on the abstract, intellectual foundations of the political system than on concrete manifestations like institutions and procedures. From my point of view, this approach appears to be more advantageous anyway because the formal frame could only be applied much harder to modern states than general ideas might be. As the basic ideas which led to the genesis and shaped the form of democracy may be considered the power of the people (commonly known as the rule of the people but I am going to show why this is not the appropriate translation), equality, liberty and the rule of law. After having examined the nature and consequences of these concepts, I am going to summarise my results.

Author : Mogens Herman Hansen
Publisher : Kgl. Danske Videnskabernes Selskab
Page : 84 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Athens (Greece)
ISBN : 8773043206

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The Tradition of Ancient Greek Democracy and Its Importance for Modern Democracy by Mogens Herman Hansen Pdf

Author : Johann P. Arnason,Kurt A. Raaflaub,Peter Wagner
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 506 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2013-04-29
Category : History
ISBN : 9781118561676

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The Greek Polis and the Invention of Democracy by Johann P. Arnason,Kurt A. Raaflaub,Peter Wagner Pdf

The Greek Polis and the Invention of Democracy presents a series of essays that trace the Greeks’ path to democracy and examine the connection between the Greek polis as a citizen state and democracy as well as the interaction between democracy and various forms of cultural expression from a comparative historical perspective and with special attention to the place of Greek democracy in political thought and debates about democracy throughout the centuries. Presents an original combination of a close synchronic and long diachronic examination of the Greek polis - city-states that gave rise to the first democratic system of government Offers a detailed study of the close interactionbetween democracy, society, and the arts in ancient Greece Places the invention of democracy in fifth-century bce Athens both in its broad social and cultural context and in the context of the re-emergence of democracy in the modern world Reveals the role Greek democracy played in the political and intellectual traditions that shaped modern democracy, and in the debates about democracy in modern social, political, and philosophical thought Written collaboratively by an international team of leading scholars in classics, ancient history, sociology, and political science

Author : Georgios Anagnostopoulos,Gerasimos Santas
Publisher : Springer
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2018-11-16
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9783319963136

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Democracy, Justice, and Equality in Ancient Greece by Georgios Anagnostopoulos,Gerasimos Santas Pdf

The original essays in this volume discuss ideas relating to democracy, political justice, equality and inequalities in the distribution of resources and public goods. These issues were as vigorously debated at the height of ancient Greek democracy as they are in many democratic societies today. Contributing authors address these issues and debates about them from both philosophical and historical perspectives. Readers will discover research on the role of Athenian democracy in moderating economic inequality and reducing poverty, on ancient debates about how to respond to inborn and social inequalities, and on Plato’s and Aristotle’s critiques of Greek participatory democracies. Early chapters examine Plato’s views on equality, justice, and the distribution of political and non-political goods, including his defense of the abolition of private property for the ruling classes and of the equality of women in his ideal constitution and polis. Other papers discuss views of Socrates or Aristotle that are particularly relevant to contemporary political and economic disputes about punishment, freedom, slavery, the status of women, and public education, to name a few. This thorough consideration of the ancient Greeks' work on democracy, justice, and equality will appeal to scholars and researchers of the history of philosophy, Greek history, classics, as well as those with an interest in political philosophy.

Author : Josiah Ober,Charles Hedrick
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 487 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2021-03-09
Category : History
ISBN : 9780691227887

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Demokratia by Josiah Ober,Charles Hedrick Pdf

This book is the result of a long and fruitful conversation among practitioners of two very different fields: ancient history and political theory. The topic of the conversation is classical Greek democracy and its contemporary relevance. The nineteen contributors remain diverse in their political commitments and in their analytic approaches, but all have engaged deeply with Greek texts, with normative and historical concerns, and with each others' arguments. The issues and tensions examined here are basic to both history and political theory: revolution versus stability, freedom and equality, law and popular sovereignty, cultural ideals and social practice. While the authors are sharply critical of many aspects of Athenian society, culture, and government, they are united by a conviction that classical Athenian democracy has once again become a centrally important subject for political debate. The contributors are Benjamin R. Barber, Alan Boegehold, Paul Cartledge, Susan Guettel Cole, W. Robert Connor, Carol Dougherty, J. Peter Euben, Mogens H. Hansen, Victor D. Hanson, Carnes Lord, Philip Brook Manville, Ian Morris, Martin Ostwald, Kurt Raaflaub, Jennifer Tolbert Roberts, Barry S. Strauss, Robert W. Wallace, Sheldon S. Wolin, and Ellen Meiksins Wood.

Author : M. I. Finley
Publisher : Rutgers University Press
Page : 147 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2018-11-05
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781978802346

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Democracy Ancient and Modern by M. I. Finley Pdf

Western democracy is now at a critical juncture. Some worry that power has been wrested from the people and placed in the hands of a small political elite. Others argue that the democratic system gives too much power to a populace that is largely ill-informed and easily swayed by demagogues. This classic study of democratic principles is thus now more relevant than ever. A renowned historian of antiquity and political philosophy, Sir M.I. Finley offers a comparative analysis of Greek and modern conceptions of democracy. As he puts the ancient Greeks in dialogue with their contemporary counterparts, Finley tackles some of the most pressing issues of our day, including public apathy, partisanship, consensus politics, distrust of professional politicians, and the limits of free speech. Including three lectures that Finley delivered at Rutgers University, plus two additional essays that further illuminate his thinking, Democracy Ancient and Modern explores the dramatic differences between the close-knit civil society of the ancient Greeks and our own atomized mass societies. By mapping out democracy’s past and its present manifestations, this book helps us plot a course for democracy’s future.

Author : Kurt A. Raaflaub,Josiah Ober,Robert W. Wallace,Robert Wallace
Publisher : Univ of California Press
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2007-01-11
Category : History
ISBN : 9780520245624

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Origins of Democracy in Ancient Greece by Kurt A. Raaflaub,Josiah Ober,Robert W. Wallace,Robert Wallace Pdf

This book presents a state-of-the-art debate about the origins of Athenian democracy by five eminent scholars. The result is a stimulating, critical exploration and interpretation of the extant evidence on this intriguing and important topic. The authors address such questions as: Why was democracy first realized in ancient Greece? Was democracy “invented” or did it evolve over a long period of time? What were the conditions for democracy, the social and political foundations that made this development possible? And what factors turned the possibility of democracy into necessity and reality? The authors first examine the conditions in early Greek society that encouraged equality and “people’s power.” They then scrutinize, in their social and political contexts, three crucial points in the evolution of democracy: the reforms connected with the names of Solon, Cleisthenes, and Ephialtes in the early and late sixth and mid-fifth century. Finally, an ancient historian and a political scientist review the arguments presented in the previous chapters and add their own perspectives, asking what lessons we can draw today from the ancient democratic experience. Designed for a general readership as well as students and scholars, the book intends to provoke discussion by presenting side by side the evidence and arguments that support various explanations of the origins of democracy, thus enabling readers to join in the debate and draw their own conclusions.

Author : Eric Nilsen
Publisher : Independently Published
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2022-05-25
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9798831881738

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Democracy From Then to Now by Eric Nilsen Pdf

Discover the fascinating evolution of democracy from then until now - the influence of ancient figures, and the origins of today's political systems. Now more than ever, Democracy has become a compelling conversation topic. But have you ever wondered what has shaped the political systems that govern many societies today? Are you curious about the history of democracy? Or do you wonder how some of the democratic policies developed through the ages? Or maybe you wonder how democracies die? Many people might believe the start of democracy to be the establishment of the United States of America as it threw off the shackles of British rule. Some may even be familiar with the fact that those democratic ideals can be traced back to the teachings and practices of the ancient Greeks and Romans. But is that all there is to it? Studying history will help give you a better understanding of the origins of democracy, how it shaped our current laws and policies, and how democracy works now. Which begs the question: what does history tell us about democracy? And what does it tell us about democracy in the US now? Where did democracy start? How did it develop? What inspired and ignited an entire democratic system to govern societies? In order to understand today's democracy, we need to start from its earliest beginnings by understanding the works of the ancient philosophers who laid the foundations of democracy from the early days. Even looking at the democracy around the world today, it's clear that there are degrees to which countries choose to adhere or stray from democratic ideals. Understanding where these ideals developed from and the development of democracy over time is essential to determining what endangers these ideals in the present. Drawing from recent research and critical arguments on the development of democracy, within these pages, you'll discover: The early years of democracy and the evolution of democracy through the ages Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle - Greek philosophers whose contributions to political theory helped to shape democracy as we now know it today The democratic ideas in Ancient Rome that helped design some of the foundations of modern governments The emergency of a modern parliamentary system that resulted from reforms throughout the Medieval Ages How the Roman Republic created a legacy that continues to endure - and what we can learn from its downfall The evidence that shows widely held beliefs about democracy in the Medieval Era may be mistaken The roots of America's democracy and democracy in America now Case studies - a comparison of democracies around the world today to explore why some countries are fully democratic while others are heavily authoritarian The rising threats to democracy jeopardizing the systems that have been in place in some form for centuries And much more. Democracy has reshaped society from oppressive and authoritarian systems to a more egalitarian one, but the work is still not done. Even today, democracy is still a work in progress, and it will continue to transform as civilizations grow and develop. By understanding the principles behind Democracy and its evolution worldwide, we have a better chance of achieving "a government of the people, by the people, and for the people." If you're ready to study the history of democracy today, then scroll up and grab your copy of Democracy From Then to Now.

Author : Paul Cartledge
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 383 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2016-03-03
Category : History
ISBN : 9780190494322

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Democracy by Paul Cartledge Pdf

Ancient Greece first coined the concept of "democracy", yet almost every major ancient Greek thinker-from Plato and Aristotle onwards- was ambivalent towards or even hostile to democracy in any form. The explanation for this is quite simple: the elite perceived majority power as tantamount to a dictatorship of the proletariat. In ancient Greece there can be traced not only the rudiments of modern democratic society but the entire Western tradition of anti-democratic thought. In Democracy, Paul Cartledge provides a detailed history of this ancient political system. In addition, by drawing out the salient differences between ancient and modern forms of democracy he enables a richer understanding of both. Cartledge contends that there is no one "ancient Greek democracy" as pure and simple as is often believed. Democracy surveys the emergence and development of Greek politics, the invention of political theory, and-intimately connected to the latter- the birth of democracy, first at Athens in c. 500 BCE and then at its greatest flourishing in the Greek world 150 years later. Cartledge then traces the decline of genuinely democratic Greek institutions at the hands of the Macedonians and-subsequently and decisively-the Romans. Throughout, he sheds light on the variety of democratic practices in the classical world as well as on their similarities to and dissimilarities from modern democratic forms, from the American and French revolutions to contemporary political thought. Authoritative and accessible, Cartledge's book will be regarded as the best account of ancient democracy and its long afterlife for many years to come.

Author : Aristotle
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 212 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 1984-10-02
Category : History
ISBN : 0140444319

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The Athenian Constitution by Aristotle Pdf

Probably written by a student of Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution is both a history and an analysis of Athens' political machinery between the seventh and fourth centuries BC, which stands as a model of democracy at a time when city-states lived under differing kinds of government. The writer recounts the major reforms of Solon, the rule of the tyrant Pisistratus and his sons, the emergence of the democracy in which power was shared by all free male citizens, and the leadership of Pericles and the demagogues who followed him. He goes on to examine the city's administration in his own time - the council, the officials and the judicial system. For its information on Athens' development and how the democracy worked, The Athenian Constitution is an invaluable source of knowledge about the Athenian city-state. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Author : James Day,Mortimer Chambers
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 234 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2011-07-01
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 125806877X

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Aristotle's History of Athenian Democracy by James Day,Mortimer Chambers Pdf

Author : Eric W. Robinson
Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2008-04-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9780470752197

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Ancient Greek Democracy by Eric W. Robinson Pdf

This book invites readers to join in a fresh and extensive investigation of one of Ancient Greece’s greatest inventions: democratic government. Provides an accessible, up-to-date survey of vital issues in Greek democracy. Covers democracy’s origins, growth and essential nature. Raises questions of continuing interest. Combines ancient texts in translation and recent scholarly articles. Invites the reader into a process of historical investigation. Contains maps, a glossary and an index.

Author : John R. Wallach
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 323 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2018-01-25
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781108422574

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Democracy and Goodness by John R. Wallach Pdf

Proposes a new democratic theory, rooted in activity not consent, and intrinsically related to historical understandings of power and ethics.

Author : Mirko Canevaro
Publisher : Edinburgh University Press
Page : 591 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2018-06-06
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781474421782

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Ancient Greek History and Contemporary Social Science by Mirko Canevaro Pdf

The first full-length academic study to deal exclusively with female stardom in British cinema.

Author : Ralph Ketcham
Publisher : University Press of Kansas
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2021-10-08
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780700631599

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The Idea of Democracy in the Modern Era by Ralph Ketcham Pdf

Although the last half of the twentieth century has been called the Age of Democracy, the twenty-first has already demonstrated the fragility of its apparent triumph as the dominant form of government throughout the world. Reassessing the fate of democracy for our time, distinguished political theorist Ralph Ketcham traces the evolution of this idea over the course of four hundred years. He traces democracy's bumpy ride in a book that is both an exercise in the history of ideas and an explication of democratic theory. Ketcham examines the rationales for democratic government, identifies the fault lines that separate democracy from good government, and suggests ways to strengthen it in order to meet future challenges. Drawing on an encyclopedic command of history and politics, he examines the rationales that have been offered for democratic government over the course of four manifestations of modernity that he identifies in the Western and East Asian world since 1600. Ketcham first considers the fundamental axioms established by theorists of the Enlightenment—Bacon, Locke, Jefferson—and reflected in America's founding, then moves on to the mostly post-Darwinian critiques by Bentham, Veblen, Dewey, and others that produced theories of the liberal corporate state. He explains late-nineteenth-century Asian responses to democracy as the third manifestation, grounded in Confucian respect for communal and hierarchical norms, followed by late-twentieth-century postmodernist thought that views democratic states as oppressive and seeks to empower marginalized groups. Ketcham critiques the first, second, and fourth modernity rationales for democracy and suggests that the Asian approach may represent a reconciliation of ancient wisdom and modern science better suited to today's world. He advocates a reorientation of democracy that de-emphasizes group or identity politics and restores the wholeness of the civic community, proposing a return to the Jeffersonian universalism—that which informed the founding of the United States—if democracy is to flourish in a fifth manifestation. The Idea of Democracy in the Modern Era is an erudite, interdisciplinary work of great breadth and complexity that looks to the past in order to reframe the future. With its global overview and comparative insights, it will stimulate discussion of how democracy can survive-and thrive-in the coming era.