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Early Political Theory and Practice

Early Political Theory and Practice. C a. 800– ca. 450 BCE. Exercise in Critical Thinking. Democracy crowns the demos. Athenian, ca. 337/6 BCE. “Today’s readings show that ancient Greece valued democracy above all other systems.” You. . . strongly agree. agree. disagree.

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Early Political Theory and Practice

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  1. Early Political Theory and Practice Ca. 800–ca. 450 BCE

  2. Exercise in Critical Thinking Democracy crowns the demos. Athenian, ca. 337/6 BCE. “Today’s readings show that ancient Greece valued democracy above all other systems.” • You. . . • strongly agree. • agree. • disagree. • strongly disagree. • No basis for judging. • Why?

  3. Comments. . . • strongly disagree – no political structure • most states not democracy! • by ancient greece what do you mean? • be more specific • athens • define democracy • ideologically fraught “Today’s readings show that ancient Greece valued democracy above all other systems” http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~clas381a/writing_content.htm#critical_thinking

  4. Agenda • Exercise in Honesty, MLA, etc. • A paper in miniature • Recap & Update • Dahl, Ober, Scholtz • Historical Sketch • From Aristocracy to Proto-Democracy • Oral Report • Martin & David on Harmodius & Aristogeiton • Discussion • Your Questions. . .

  5. Exercise in Honesty, MLA, etc. 

  6. A Paper in Miniature http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~clas381a/papers.htm http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~clas381a/honesty.htm

  7. Recap & Update Dahl, Ober, Scholtz

  8. Dahl’s Criteria “Strong principle of equality” (compare isonomia) Effective participation. Voting equality at the decisive stage. Enlightened understanding. Control of agenda.

  9. Ober’s Dialectical • Operative antitheses • mass “hegemony” v. elite “advice” • political equality v. material inequality • freedom v. consensus • popular sovereignty v. rule of law • Ideological-rhetorical negotiation

  10. Scholtz’s Dialogical Model

  11. Quotes & Notes: Pick a Model. . . Hesiod: “Whomsoever of heaven-nourished princes the daughters of great Zeus honor, and behold him at his birth, they pour sweet dew upon his tongue, and from his lips flow gracious words.” (Theogony) Democritus: “Poverty under democracy is as preferable to so-called prosperity under despotic rulers as freedom is to slavery.” (fr. 251) Eupolis: “A certain peitho resided on [Pericles’] lips, he used to put us in such a trance! And he alone of the orators left a sting in his listeners.” (fr. 102 PCG) Dahl? Ober? Scholtz?

  12. Historical Sketch From Aristocracy to Proto-Democracy

  13. from Iron-Age chiefdom loosely affiliated villages basileus (king, chief) boulē (sub-chiefs) dēmos (rank-and-file) to Archaic polis amalgamated villages archons (officials) boulē (aristocratic council) dēmos (popular assembly) Archaic Period: Birth of the polis

  14. Athens: Solonian Reforms (594/3? BCE) Birth qualification => property qualification. Cancellation of debt. End to debt-slavery. Council (boule) of 400. Citizen-jury courts (eliaia, dikasteria). New law code.

  15. Cleisthenic Reforms (507 BCE) from oligarchy clan and village 4 tribes archons Council of 400 to proto-democracy deme and trittys 10 tribes archons + stratēgoi Council of 500 isonomia

  16. Oral Report Martin & David on Harmodius & Aristogeiton

  17. Discussion Your Questions. . .

  18. Your Questions • Leadership issues: • In readings, in real life, how to agree on who’s best to lead? • Was a good ruler formally trained or divinely created? (Can you “manufacture,” i.e., educate, good leaders, or are they just born?) • “Ascent of Humanity,” Plato’s Protagoras: • In giving justice, reverence to all, did Zeus (perhaps still angry over theft of fire, etc.) promote democracy? Or was democracy to be humanity’s blight? • Persian debate, Democracy = isonomia. . . • Can isonomia coexist with inequities? With the demos’ propensity to hubris? (Is the demos hubristic?)

  19. Your Answers. . . • Ruler training • not accounting for sleeper leaders – they’re there • abstract terms – difficult to deal with • ideological loaded • ideology not necessarily bad – can be more important than reality • Leader criteria • [comment] • Paradoxical gifting? • [comment] • Democracy: blessing or blight? • [comment]

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