Kurzbeschreibung:

Roughly 2,500 years ago, the Athenian people established a radical demacy in which power derived from the votes of everyday citizens. At a time when local governments ranged from oligarchy to tyranny, the elite classes of Athens gradually ceded power to the inexperienced masses, whose votes served as referendums for everything from taxation to war to welfare. The sequence of events that led to this development is astonishing, and the society that flourished under Athenian demacy is one of the greatest - even if greatly flawed - achievements in world history.
Today, when the foundations of our own demacy are under greater and greater scrutiny, the Athenian experiment in citizen rule offers a powerful object lesson in national politics. How did the Athenian system of demacy work? What were its strengths and weaknesses? And how does it compare to demacy in our world today? Athenian Demacy: An Experiment for the Ages answers these questions and more with 24 captivating lectures. Professor Robert Garland of Colgate University takes us back to ancient Greece and unpacks the development and workings of Athenian demacy. Youll witness the story of history through the lens of Athenian government, going inside the assemblies and courts to find out how demacy worked - and where it came up short.
You may be familiar with the broad strokes of Athenian history, but Professor Garlands unique lens offers a wealth of insights into everything from taxation and welfare to military structure and strategy. Go beyond the traditional "kings and battles" history to gain a sense of what life was like for the people living in the demacy. The heart of Athenian demacy is the "demos", the body of citizens who participated in public assemblies, made speeches, and voted on matters of law. But because only citizens were allowed to vote, Professor Garland also explores Athens through the eyes of women, immigrants, and slaves who could not participate.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.