Description

Book Synopsis

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

    Table of Contents

    Series Editor’s Preface vii

    Contributors viii

    Introduction 1
    Johann P. Arnason, Kurt A. Raaflaub, and Peter Wagner

    Part I The Greek Experience in Long-term Perspective 19

    1 Exploring the Greek Needle’s Eye: Civilizational and Political Transformations 21
    Johann P. Arnason

    2 Transformations of Democracy: Towards a History of Political Thought and Practice in Long-term Perspective 47
    Peter Wagner

    Part II Ways of Polis-making: Grasping the Novelty of the Political 69

    3 To Act with Good Advice: Greek Tragedy and the Democratic Political Sphere 71
    Egon Flaig

    4 Democracy and Dissent: the Case of Comedy 99
    Lucio Bertelli

    5 Democracy, Oratory, and the Rise of Historiography in Fifth-century Greece 126
    Jonas Grethlein

    6 Political Uses of Rhetoric in Democratic Athens 144
    Harvey Yunis

    7 Law and Democracy in Classical Athens 163
    Adriaan Lanni

    8 Democracy and Political Philosophy: Influences, Tensions, Rapprochement 181
    Ryan K. Balot

    9 Inscriptions and the City in Democratic Athens 205
    Elizabeth A. Meyer

    Part III Changing a Way of Life: Democracy’s Impact on Polis Society 225

    10 The Impact of Democracy on Communal Life 227
    Sara L. Forsdyke

    11 The Demos’s Participation in Decision-making: Principles and Realities 260
    Claude Mossé

    12 Democracy and Religion in Classical Greece 274
    Robin Osborne

    13 Democracy and War 298
    Lawrence A. Tritle

    Part IV Political Concepts and Commitments 321

    14 Perfecting the “Political Creature”: Equality and “the Political” in the Evolution of Greek Democracy 323
    Kurt A. Raaflaub

    15 Tyranny and Tragedy in Nietzsche’s Understanding of the Greek Polis 351
    Tracy B. Strong

    16 The Liberty of the Moderns Compared to the Liberty of the Ancients 371
    Nathalie Karagiannis and Peter Wagner

    Index 389

The Greek Polis and the Invention of Democracy

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    A Hardback by Johann P. Arnason, Kurt A. Raaflaub, Peter Wagner

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      Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
      Publication Date: 23/04/2013
      ISBN13: 9781444351064, 978-1444351064
      ISBN10: 1444351060
      Also in:
      Politics and government

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      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

        Table of Contents

        Series Editor’s Preface vii

        Contributors viii

        Introduction 1
        Johann P. Arnason, Kurt A. Raaflaub, and Peter Wagner

        Part I The Greek Experience in Long-term Perspective 19

        1 Exploring the Greek Needle’s Eye: Civilizational and Political Transformations 21
        Johann P. Arnason

        2 Transformations of Democracy: Towards a History of Political Thought and Practice in Long-term Perspective 47
        Peter Wagner

        Part II Ways of Polis-making: Grasping the Novelty of the Political 69

        3 To Act with Good Advice: Greek Tragedy and the Democratic Political Sphere 71
        Egon Flaig

        4 Democracy and Dissent: the Case of Comedy 99
        Lucio Bertelli

        5 Democracy, Oratory, and the Rise of Historiography in Fifth-century Greece 126
        Jonas Grethlein

        6 Political Uses of Rhetoric in Democratic Athens 144
        Harvey Yunis

        7 Law and Democracy in Classical Athens 163
        Adriaan Lanni

        8 Democracy and Political Philosophy: Influences, Tensions, Rapprochement 181
        Ryan K. Balot

        9 Inscriptions and the City in Democratic Athens 205
        Elizabeth A. Meyer

        Part III Changing a Way of Life: Democracy’s Impact on Polis Society 225

        10 The Impact of Democracy on Communal Life 227
        Sara L. Forsdyke

        11 The Demos’s Participation in Decision-making: Principles and Realities 260
        Claude Mossé

        12 Democracy and Religion in Classical Greece 274
        Robin Osborne

        13 Democracy and War 298
        Lawrence A. Tritle

        Part IV Political Concepts and Commitments 321

        14 Perfecting the “Political Creature”: Equality and “the Political” in the Evolution of Greek Democracy 323
        Kurt A. Raaflaub

        15 Tyranny and Tragedy in Nietzsche’s Understanding of the Greek Polis 351
        Tracy B. Strong

        16 The Liberty of the Moderns Compared to the Liberty of the Ancients 371
        Nathalie Karagiannis and Peter Wagner

        Index 389

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