Direct Democracy and Social Contract in Ancient Athens
In the present essay, a model of choice by actors is analysedby utilizing the theory of chaos to explain how change comes about. Then, by using ancient and modern sources of literature, the theory of the social contract is analysed as a historical phenomenon that first appeared during the period of Classical Greece. Then, based on the findings of this analysis, the practice of direct democracy and public choice in ancient Athens is analysed, through two historical cases: Eubulus and Lycurgus political program in the second half of the 4th century. The main finding of this research is that these policies can be interpreted as an implementation of a social contract, through which citizens were taking decisions based on rational choice according to economic considerations.
[1] A. J. Toynbee, A study of history. Oxford: Oxford University Press and
Dell Publishing Co., (1946, 1965), ch. 5.
[2] D. North, "Structure and performance: The task of economic history,"
Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 963-978, Sept. 1978.
[3] D. North, Structure and change in economic history. New York: W.W.
Norton and Company, 1981, ch. 3.
[4] D. North, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990, pp. 73-92.
[5] N. Kyriazis, N. and E.M. Economou, "Democratic values and property
rights in Bronze Age and Archaic Greece," unpublished.
[6] K.A. Raauflaub, J. Ober, R. Wallace, P. Cartledge, and C. Farrar,
Origins of democracy in Ancient Greece. California: University of
California Press, 2007, pp. 35-69.
[7] P. Κrentz, "The nature of hoplite battle," Classical Antiquity, vol. 4, no.
1, pp. 50-61, Apr. 1985.
[8] P. Κrentz, "Fighting by the rules: The invention of the hoplite agon,"
Hesperia, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 23-39, Jan.-Mar. 2002.
[9] V.D. Hanson, The western way of war. Berkeley and Los Angeles:
University of California Press, 2009, 9-18.
[10] P. J. Rhodes, The Greek city states: A source book. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2007, pp. 58-60.
[11] Kyriazis, N. (2009), "Financing the Athenian state: Public choice in the
age of Demosthenes," European Journal of Law and Economics, vol.
27, no. 2, pp. 109-127, Apr. 2009.
[12] K. Tsatsos, "Rhetoric" in History of the Greek Nation, Γ(2),
EkdotikiAthinon, 1972, pp. 548-565 (in Greek).
[13] C. Moulton, "Antiphon the sophist, on truth," Transactions and
Proceedings of the American Philological Association, vol. 103, pp.
329-366, 1972.
[14] M. Gagarin, Antiphon. The speeches. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1997.
[15] V. Farenga, Citizen and self in Ancient Greece: Individuals performing
justice and the law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006, p.
328.
[16] M. Nill, Morality and self-interest in Protagoras, Antiphon, and
Democritus. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1985, p. 26.
[17] C. Farrar, The origins of democratic thinking: The invention of politics
in Classical Athens. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University
Press, 1988, p. 81-85.
[18] R.G. Mulgan, “Lycophron and Greek Theories of Social Contract,”
Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 121-128, Jan.-Mar.
1979.
[19] G.B. Kerferd, The sophistic movement, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1981, p. 147.
[20] E. C. Marchant, and O. J. Todd, Xenophon’s Memorabilia Oeconomicus,
Symposioum-Apology, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University
Press, 1997, pp. 1-361.
[21] J. De Romilly, (1992), Pourquoi la Grèce?, Paris: Editions de Fallois,
1992.
[22] N. Kyriazis, and M. Zouboulakis, “Democracy, sea power and
institutional change: An economic analysis of the Athenian naval law,”
European Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 17, pp. 117-132, 2004.
[23] G. Halkos. and N. Kyriazis, “The Athenian economy in the age of
Demosthenes,” European Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 29, pp.
255–277, 2010.
[24] D. Engen, D. “Ancient Greenbacks,” Athenian owls, the law of
Nicophon, and the Greek economy,” Historia, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 359-
381, 2005.
[25] J. Ober, Democracy and knowledge. Innovation and learning in
Classical Athens. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008, pp. 211-
258.
[26] N. Kyriazis, and A. Karayiannis, “Democracy, institutional changes and
economic development: The case of ancient Athens,” Journal of
Economic Assymetries, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 61-93, 2011.
[27] D. Pritchard, “Costing festivals and war: Spending priorities of the
democracy”, in H. van Wees, P.J. Rhodes, D.M. Pritchard, P. Fawcett
and G. Oliver (eds.) Public Finance in Athens, 594 BC to AD 14.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, (to be published).
[28] P. Arvanitides and N. Kyriazis (2012) “Public choice, economy and war
in classical Athens,” paper presented at the 16th Annual International
Conference on Economics and Security, Cairo, June, 2012.
[29] P. Green, (1998), The Greco-Persian wars, California: University of
California Press, 1998, pp. ch. 1.
[30] E. M. Burke, “Lycurgus finances,” Greek, Roman and Byzantine
Studies, vol. 26, pp. 251-264, 1985.
[31] S. Humphreys, “Lycurgus of Butadae: An Athenian aristocrat,” in J. W.
Eadie and J. Ober (eds.) Essays in Honor of Chester G. Starr: The Craft
of the Ancient Historian. Lanham: University Press of America, pp. 199-
252, 1985.
[1] A. J. Toynbee, A study of history. Oxford: Oxford University Press and
Dell Publishing Co., (1946, 1965), ch. 5.
[2] D. North, "Structure and performance: The task of economic history,"
Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 963-978, Sept. 1978.
[3] D. North, Structure and change in economic history. New York: W.W.
Norton and Company, 1981, ch. 3.
[4] D. North, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990, pp. 73-92.
[5] N. Kyriazis, N. and E.M. Economou, "Democratic values and property
rights in Bronze Age and Archaic Greece," unpublished.
[6] K.A. Raauflaub, J. Ober, R. Wallace, P. Cartledge, and C. Farrar,
Origins of democracy in Ancient Greece. California: University of
California Press, 2007, pp. 35-69.
[7] P. Κrentz, "The nature of hoplite battle," Classical Antiquity, vol. 4, no.
1, pp. 50-61, Apr. 1985.
[8] P. Κrentz, "Fighting by the rules: The invention of the hoplite agon,"
Hesperia, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 23-39, Jan.-Mar. 2002.
[9] V.D. Hanson, The western way of war. Berkeley and Los Angeles:
University of California Press, 2009, 9-18.
[10] P. J. Rhodes, The Greek city states: A source book. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2007, pp. 58-60.
[11] Kyriazis, N. (2009), "Financing the Athenian state: Public choice in the
age of Demosthenes," European Journal of Law and Economics, vol.
27, no. 2, pp. 109-127, Apr. 2009.
[12] K. Tsatsos, "Rhetoric" in History of the Greek Nation, Γ(2),
EkdotikiAthinon, 1972, pp. 548-565 (in Greek).
[13] C. Moulton, "Antiphon the sophist, on truth," Transactions and
Proceedings of the American Philological Association, vol. 103, pp.
329-366, 1972.
[14] M. Gagarin, Antiphon. The speeches. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1997.
[15] V. Farenga, Citizen and self in Ancient Greece: Individuals performing
justice and the law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006, p.
328.
[16] M. Nill, Morality and self-interest in Protagoras, Antiphon, and
Democritus. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1985, p. 26.
[17] C. Farrar, The origins of democratic thinking: The invention of politics
in Classical Athens. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University
Press, 1988, p. 81-85.
[18] R.G. Mulgan, “Lycophron and Greek Theories of Social Contract,”
Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 121-128, Jan.-Mar.
1979.
[19] G.B. Kerferd, The sophistic movement, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1981, p. 147.
[20] E. C. Marchant, and O. J. Todd, Xenophon’s Memorabilia Oeconomicus,
Symposioum-Apology, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University
Press, 1997, pp. 1-361.
[21] J. De Romilly, (1992), Pourquoi la Grèce?, Paris: Editions de Fallois,
1992.
[22] N. Kyriazis, and M. Zouboulakis, “Democracy, sea power and
institutional change: An economic analysis of the Athenian naval law,”
European Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 17, pp. 117-132, 2004.
[23] G. Halkos. and N. Kyriazis, “The Athenian economy in the age of
Demosthenes,” European Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 29, pp.
255–277, 2010.
[24] D. Engen, D. “Ancient Greenbacks,” Athenian owls, the law of
Nicophon, and the Greek economy,” Historia, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 359-
381, 2005.
[25] J. Ober, Democracy and knowledge. Innovation and learning in
Classical Athens. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008, pp. 211-
258.
[26] N. Kyriazis, and A. Karayiannis, “Democracy, institutional changes and
economic development: The case of ancient Athens,” Journal of
Economic Assymetries, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 61-93, 2011.
[27] D. Pritchard, “Costing festivals and war: Spending priorities of the
democracy”, in H. van Wees, P.J. Rhodes, D.M. Pritchard, P. Fawcett
and G. Oliver (eds.) Public Finance in Athens, 594 BC to AD 14.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, (to be published).
[28] P. Arvanitides and N. Kyriazis (2012) “Public choice, economy and war
in classical Athens,” paper presented at the 16th Annual International
Conference on Economics and Security, Cairo, June, 2012.
[29] P. Green, (1998), The Greco-Persian wars, California: University of
California Press, 1998, pp. ch. 1.
[30] E. M. Burke, “Lycurgus finances,” Greek, Roman and Byzantine
Studies, vol. 26, pp. 251-264, 1985.
[31] S. Humphreys, “Lycurgus of Butadae: An Athenian aristocrat,” in J. W.
Eadie and J. Ober (eds.) Essays in Honor of Chester G. Starr: The Craft
of the Ancient Historian. Lanham: University Press of America, pp. 199-
252, 1985.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:54669", author = "Nicholas Kyriazis and Emmanouil Marios L. Economou and Jr and Loukas Zachilas", title = "Direct Democracy and Social Contract in Ancient Athens", abstract = "In the present essay, a model of choice by actors is analysedby utilizing the theory of chaos to explain how change comes about. Then, by using ancient and modern sources of literature, the theory of the social contract is analysed as a historical phenomenon that first appeared during the period of Classical Greece. Then, based on the findings of this analysis, the practice of direct democracy and public choice in ancient Athens is analysed, through two historical cases: Eubulus and Lycurgus political program in the second half of the 4th century. The main finding of this research is that these policies can be interpreted as an implementation of a social contract, through which citizens were taking decisions based on rational choice according to economic considerations.
", keywords = "Chaos theory, public choice, social contract, 4th century BC. Athens.", volume = "6", number = "11", pages = "2974-6", }
