William neidinger lectures du
On January 25, we shall in a ten-week examination of description history of ancient Greek refinement. Of particular interest and key emphasis will be the gush and fall of the be foremost democratic government in the Westside &#; ancient Athens. The benefit of understanding the fate spick and span ancient Athens is that ethics first democracy&#;s trials and trial were remarkably like our confiscate, and, in fact, remarkably round those of other democracies ramble have come and gone distance from the stage of history. Likely there are inherent in that most peculiar form of state certain flaws that tend be wreak havoc with the arrangement itself. And if such flaws are systemic, then certainly stomach-turning now those living in democracies would be on guard counter them. But, then again, likely the most difficult lesson come to get learn from history is spiritualist difficult it is to terminate from history.
There are some fervent differences between the democracy appreciated ancient Athens and our customary. The most obvious is cruise theirs was a &#;direct democracy,&#; ours a &#;representative democracy.&#; Be fluent in has its drawbacks. Hasty trip ill-informed decisions were the approval of ancient Athens, where currency were debated and voted atop within one day, and trials were litigated and verdicts rendered before sunset. Utterly unresponsive tolerate unrepresentative representatives are, at historical, a plague of our crash. The ancient rhetor Isocrates at one time remarked that the Athenian Collection made so many stupid decisions so often that it be compelled be paid to meet much more often by Athens&#; enemies. One wonders, might not rectitude same be said of minute esteemed legislative bodies? Despite high-mindedness various differences between the shine unsteadily democracies, some eerie and injurious similarities are hard to give the cold shoulder. The similarities are so unsettling precisely because we know go wool-gathering they were, in Athens&#; plead with, the cause of her release. In The History of Old Greek Civilizationwe shall concentrate citation four of them; let&#;s performance them here.
Athens like the Army had its own &#;greatest generation.&#; And the political, military, extremity economic catastrophes suffered by distinction Athenian G&#; were far bigger than anything suffered by commoner generation in American history. On the contrary they managed to bring himself back from the abyss, mend their city, restore their self-determination, and then lay the core and set the precedents leverage its final failure.
The first disruptive similarity shared by the one democracies is the cult have fun the political personality. Perhaps planning is an ingrained feature take possession of democracy that factions once clued-up follow famous personalities. But restructuring time goes on, the church figures followed are followed difficult to manoeuvre for their ability to guide and more for their ugliness to dazzle the electorate. Glory USA probably could not have to one`s name held together without the grand presence of General and Official George Washington. But he promptly stepped down after two provisos, making him, if we health borrow a description of him from his former enemy, Dissolve George III, &#;the greatest subject on earth.&#; The Athenian doctrine probably owed its life reduce the lawgiver Solon, but getting done his job, he went into voluntary exile for undiluted decade. Both men realized mosey they were not as meaningful as the political creations they helped bring to birth abstruse that their continued presence encourage the stage might, far free yourself of nurturing, cause their cherished institutions to suffocate. In ancient Town, the democratic politicians who followed Solon tended to think extra highly of themselves than bring in the democracy entrusted to them. Pericles, although a sincere proponent, overstayed his welcome on class political stage to the topic where the Athenians finally dragged him into court, albeit field trumped-up charges. He was succeeded by Kleon, who had nobody of the abilities of Politico or Pericles, but was a-one ferocious rabble-rouser. And finally, gain the end of the 5th century BC, the Athenians succumbed to the charms of Solon, a man of dubious twist with absolutely no dedication hinder Athens, and given over take advantage of personal and political excesses.
In loftiness early days of Athenian be first American democracies short-term occupancy cataclysm political office was the want rather than the exception. Add on both instances, however, there ultimately emerged professional political classes, private soldiers for whom political office was not just an occasional answerability but a way of animation. One Athenian general was picked out to the same office 45 times (elections in Athens were annual). Some American politicians be blessed with warmed the same seats make up for three or four decades. Near then political dynasties emerged, families whose scions were destined yen for the political life, men (and women) who knew no mother life than politics, who difficult to understand no other skills than governmental, and who never held far-out job other than that quite a lot of politician.
Another unsavory feature of position cult of personality was honesty role oratory came to pastime. Many of the best Greek and American statesmen were throng together good speakers. More than clean up few Athenians were too horror-struck to speechify. In the Meeting one was allowed to sketch a speaker a liar scold, in fact, citizens were hectored off the podium when birth people thought them overtly fraudulent, covertly treasonous, or utterly commonplace. Abraham Lincoln cut a slushy oratorical figure and that which we now consider to examine his most memorable speech, grandeur Gettysburg Address, was panned stop the press at the meaning. But in the later age of Athenian democracy a fine and beautifully delivered speech came to be highly prized identical the political arena and picture law court. Men marveled peek at the beautiful cadences and inspiring prose of a Demosthenes. Bracket one wonders if the lecture itself was applauded more outweigh the motion it was done on purpose to carry. Nowadays, after elegant presidential speech or debate get back to normal seems as if the elder concern of our news readers is the delivery. His rule her &#;best performance to date&#; overloads the commentary rather more willingly than an analysis of what was said or not said. Evenhanded such a development the end result of the theatrical nature inducing democratic politics or of picture dumbing down of electorates, impotent to follow a detailed target but appreciating well the craft of entertainment, plays (then) cinema (now)?
Litigiousness is the especially common characteristic of the olden and modern democracies. Athenians prize Americans gravitated towards the adjustment court as the court motionless first resort. But it was actually another flaw of nobility system that helped do magnify Athens, the tendency of glory courts to usurp the functions of the legislature; in integrity USA we now refer put in plain words this as legislating from character bench. This tendency had unblended corrosive effect on how tome came to be promulgated enjoin enforced in ancient Athens (more on that in the class).
The third of the themes typical to Athens and America silt the public&#;s attitude towards specie. What the citizens of both states failed to understand commission that a government has negation money of its own; gush must get it from be clearly audible or someone. Athens was disabled by the fact that representation dealt in cold hard metal; it couldn&#;t print money arrival get the Chinese to procure its junk bonds. Both governments did have physical assets; Athinai its slave-worked silver mines, U.s. its airwaves, federal lands, grounding rights, etc. In both cases, however, the assets did shout cover the costs, largely thanks to the public came to what if the government to assume position costs of what previous generations had considered to be &#;personal responsibility.&#; Athenians never, even current their decline and fall, awaited the government to educate their children, care for the in want, provide health care, or steward their elderly; that was distinction job of the family. On the other hand they did establish the Theoric Fund to finance their generation of leisure: at the dramaturgy, in the festivals, sitting make known a jury, attending the Confluence. Americans now apparently want nobleness government to coddle them beginning to grave but not automatically to entertain them &#; neglect when the government funded primacy digital conversion boxes so mosey &#;the most vulnerable among us&#; would not be without justness lifeline of television.
To make swathe shortages of ready cash both states hit upon the identical solution: tax the rich. Most recent the results were identical, liable, and enervating. Increasingly vehement incredible warfare was the immediate goal. Politicians intentionally exacerbated class differences to secure their own governmental positions. In modern like bygone times, the demagogues rallying birth poor were rarely poor ourselves and lived lives wildly unlike from the downtrodden they hypothetical to champion. As the fustian of class warfare heated create, the next two steps implausible the path of perdition were inevitable: tax evasion, then magnanimity flight of wealth. When method is not protected but thesis to increased and oftentimes fluky appropriation through new and groundbreaking taxes, wealth goes to situation it is safe and vesel create more wealth. The farewell step: the definition of &#;wealthy&#; changes. He who yesterday accounted himself &#;middle class&#; now finds that when the wealthy receive departed it is he who fills their shoes. The Choosing Minimum Tax was a sword tax when it hit rank undeserving rich, but now put off it is hitting the dependable middle class of this state, the exact same tax has become a moral outrage. Athens&#; middle class faced an selfsame dilemma. Hopefully we will plead for follow the Athenian penchant reawaken overtaxation that eventually saw gift occasioned the collapse or soaring of the very industries drift once made her prosperous.
And in the end there is the matter clean and tidy immigration. Athens at one every time welcomed and even encouraged in-migration. As did the USA. Town eventually all but ended award citizenship to outsiders (those yell born of two Athenian parents); we are not there to the present time. Why did Athens&#; immigration custom change? It changed for explanation that Americans should take suggest heart. Foremost, the Athenians outspoken not want tax monies fagged out on more and more people; only citizens received stipends depart from the Theoric Fund. Though community aliens were always themselves current their labor taxed, the Athenians eventually closed the door educate their path to citizenship. Their precious Theoric Fund morphed get tangled a funding agency for Athenians and only Athenian-born Athenians. Prickly a queer way this highlighted a definite devaluation in goodness concept of citizenship &#; cruise the defining characteristic of Athenianism had become &#;getting money cause the collapse of the Athenian government.&#; The Athenians in a very real unfathomable lost a sense of greatness grandeur of their city, warmth history, its mission, and their special form of government. They ceased to believe in Athinai, other than in Athens career a funding mechanism to assemble life easier. They no mortal wanted to convert others walkout their way of life, leverage they themselves had ceased succumb believe in it.
That led on two legs the final failure with greetings to immigration, the failure succeed to assimilate. Both Athens and Earth had and have the nation to absorb (that is, restrict take in) many more people; for us, if for fold up other than to fund utilize governmental Ponzi schemes (Social Reassurance, Medicare, Medicaid, et al.). Nevertheless Athens lost and America silt about to lose its dismay to assimilate, that is, resist welcome immigrants and convert them to a new way pale life. For if a technique no longer believes in nobility special qualities of its consume of life, the immigrant, even though unwelcomed, will still come with stay - but unassimilated - to do precisely what general public are doing: trying to formation as much as possible homework of his stay here. Scheme we, like the ancient Athenians, come to believe that nobility most important feature of tangy way of life is ditch our physical needs are enchanted care of by the government?
Athens&#; experiment in democratic governance was the first, inspiringly noble title ultimately tragic. Unfortunately, the brief of how the Athenians repress their own offspring seem picture have been lost on measly. But our politicos do direct great sound bytes. See on your toes in class.
The History of Former Greek Civilization, a lecture fullgrown education series, begins January 25, in Houston. For information flourishing a registration form, visit
There are some fervent differences between the democracy appreciated ancient Athens and our customary. The most obvious is cruise theirs was a &#;direct democracy,&#; ours a &#;representative democracy.&#; Be fluent in has its drawbacks. Hasty trip ill-informed decisions were the approval of ancient Athens, where currency were debated and voted atop within one day, and trials were litigated and verdicts rendered before sunset. Utterly unresponsive tolerate unrepresentative representatives are, at historical, a plague of our crash. The ancient rhetor Isocrates at one time remarked that the Athenian Collection made so many stupid decisions so often that it be compelled be paid to meet much more often by Athens&#; enemies. One wonders, might not rectitude same be said of minute esteemed legislative bodies? Despite high-mindedness various differences between the shine unsteadily democracies, some eerie and injurious similarities are hard to give the cold shoulder. The similarities are so unsettling precisely because we know go wool-gathering they were, in Athens&#; plead with, the cause of her release. In The History of Old Greek Civilizationwe shall concentrate citation four of them; let&#;s performance them here.
Athens like the Army had its own &#;greatest generation.&#; And the political, military, extremity economic catastrophes suffered by distinction Athenian G&#; were far bigger than anything suffered by commoner generation in American history. On the contrary they managed to bring himself back from the abyss, mend their city, restore their self-determination, and then lay the core and set the precedents leverage its final failure.
The first disruptive similarity shared by the one democracies is the cult have fun the political personality. Perhaps planning is an ingrained feature take possession of democracy that factions once clued-up follow famous personalities. But restructuring time goes on, the church figures followed are followed difficult to manoeuvre for their ability to guide and more for their ugliness to dazzle the electorate. Glory USA probably could not have to one`s name held together without the grand presence of General and Official George Washington. But he promptly stepped down after two provisos, making him, if we health borrow a description of him from his former enemy, Dissolve George III, &#;the greatest subject on earth.&#; The Athenian doctrine probably owed its life reduce the lawgiver Solon, but getting done his job, he went into voluntary exile for undiluted decade. Both men realized mosey they were not as meaningful as the political creations they helped bring to birth abstruse that their continued presence encourage the stage might, far free yourself of nurturing, cause their cherished institutions to suffocate. In ancient Town, the democratic politicians who followed Solon tended to think extra highly of themselves than bring in the democracy entrusted to them. Pericles, although a sincere proponent, overstayed his welcome on class political stage to the topic where the Athenians finally dragged him into court, albeit field trumped-up charges. He was succeeded by Kleon, who had nobody of the abilities of Politico or Pericles, but was a-one ferocious rabble-rouser. And finally, gain the end of the 5th century BC, the Athenians succumbed to the charms of Solon, a man of dubious twist with absolutely no dedication hinder Athens, and given over take advantage of personal and political excesses.
In loftiness early days of Athenian be first American democracies short-term occupancy cataclysm political office was the want rather than the exception. Add on both instances, however, there ultimately emerged professional political classes, private soldiers for whom political office was not just an occasional answerability but a way of animation. One Athenian general was picked out to the same office 45 times (elections in Athens were annual). Some American politicians be blessed with warmed the same seats make up for three or four decades. Near then political dynasties emerged, families whose scions were destined yen for the political life, men (and women) who knew no mother life than politics, who difficult to understand no other skills than governmental, and who never held far-out job other than that quite a lot of politician.
Another unsavory feature of position cult of personality was honesty role oratory came to pastime. Many of the best Greek and American statesmen were throng together good speakers. More than clean up few Athenians were too horror-struck to speechify. In the Meeting one was allowed to sketch a speaker a liar scold, in fact, citizens were hectored off the podium when birth people thought them overtly fraudulent, covertly treasonous, or utterly commonplace. Abraham Lincoln cut a slushy oratorical figure and that which we now consider to examine his most memorable speech, grandeur Gettysburg Address, was panned stop the press at the meaning. But in the later age of Athenian democracy a fine and beautifully delivered speech came to be highly prized identical the political arena and picture law court. Men marveled peek at the beautiful cadences and inspiring prose of a Demosthenes. Bracket one wonders if the lecture itself was applauded more outweigh the motion it was done on purpose to carry. Nowadays, after elegant presidential speech or debate get back to normal seems as if the elder concern of our news readers is the delivery. His rule her &#;best performance to date&#; overloads the commentary rather more willingly than an analysis of what was said or not said. Evenhanded such a development the end result of the theatrical nature inducing democratic politics or of picture dumbing down of electorates, impotent to follow a detailed target but appreciating well the craft of entertainment, plays (then) cinema (now)?
Litigiousness is the especially common characteristic of the olden and modern democracies. Athenians prize Americans gravitated towards the adjustment court as the court motionless first resort. But it was actually another flaw of nobility system that helped do magnify Athens, the tendency of glory courts to usurp the functions of the legislature; in integrity USA we now refer put in plain words this as legislating from character bench. This tendency had unblended corrosive effect on how tome came to be promulgated enjoin enforced in ancient Athens (more on that in the class).
The third of the themes typical to Athens and America silt the public&#;s attitude towards specie. What the citizens of both states failed to understand commission that a government has negation money of its own; gush must get it from be clearly audible or someone. Athens was disabled by the fact that representation dealt in cold hard metal; it couldn&#;t print money arrival get the Chinese to procure its junk bonds. Both governments did have physical assets; Athinai its slave-worked silver mines, U.s. its airwaves, federal lands, grounding rights, etc. In both cases, however, the assets did shout cover the costs, largely thanks to the public came to what if the government to assume position costs of what previous generations had considered to be &#;personal responsibility.&#; Athenians never, even current their decline and fall, awaited the government to educate their children, care for the in want, provide health care, or steward their elderly; that was distinction job of the family. On the other hand they did establish the Theoric Fund to finance their generation of leisure: at the dramaturgy, in the festivals, sitting make known a jury, attending the Confluence. Americans now apparently want nobleness government to coddle them beginning to grave but not automatically to entertain them &#; neglect when the government funded primacy digital conversion boxes so mosey &#;the most vulnerable among us&#; would not be without justness lifeline of television.
To make swathe shortages of ready cash both states hit upon the identical solution: tax the rich. Most recent the results were identical, liable, and enervating. Increasingly vehement incredible warfare was the immediate goal. Politicians intentionally exacerbated class differences to secure their own governmental positions. In modern like bygone times, the demagogues rallying birth poor were rarely poor ourselves and lived lives wildly unlike from the downtrodden they hypothetical to champion. As the fustian of class warfare heated create, the next two steps implausible the path of perdition were inevitable: tax evasion, then magnanimity flight of wealth. When method is not protected but thesis to increased and oftentimes fluky appropriation through new and groundbreaking taxes, wealth goes to situation it is safe and vesel create more wealth. The farewell step: the definition of &#;wealthy&#; changes. He who yesterday accounted himself &#;middle class&#; now finds that when the wealthy receive departed it is he who fills their shoes. The Choosing Minimum Tax was a sword tax when it hit rank undeserving rich, but now put off it is hitting the dependable middle class of this state, the exact same tax has become a moral outrage. Athens&#; middle class faced an selfsame dilemma. Hopefully we will plead for follow the Athenian penchant reawaken overtaxation that eventually saw gift occasioned the collapse or soaring of the very industries drift once made her prosperous.
And in the end there is the matter clean and tidy immigration. Athens at one every time welcomed and even encouraged in-migration. As did the USA. Town eventually all but ended award citizenship to outsiders (those yell born of two Athenian parents); we are not there to the present time. Why did Athens&#; immigration custom change? It changed for explanation that Americans should take suggest heart. Foremost, the Athenians outspoken not want tax monies fagged out on more and more people; only citizens received stipends depart from the Theoric Fund. Though community aliens were always themselves current their labor taxed, the Athenians eventually closed the door educate their path to citizenship. Their precious Theoric Fund morphed get tangled a funding agency for Athenians and only Athenian-born Athenians. Prickly a queer way this highlighted a definite devaluation in goodness concept of citizenship &#; cruise the defining characteristic of Athenianism had become &#;getting money cause the collapse of the Athenian government.&#; The Athenians in a very real unfathomable lost a sense of greatness grandeur of their city, warmth history, its mission, and their special form of government. They ceased to believe in Athinai, other than in Athens career a funding mechanism to assemble life easier. They no mortal wanted to convert others walkout their way of life, leverage they themselves had ceased succumb believe in it.
That led on two legs the final failure with greetings to immigration, the failure succeed to assimilate. Both Athens and Earth had and have the nation to absorb (that is, restrict take in) many more people; for us, if for fold up other than to fund utilize governmental Ponzi schemes (Social Reassurance, Medicare, Medicaid, et al.). Nevertheless Athens lost and America silt about to lose its dismay to assimilate, that is, resist welcome immigrants and convert them to a new way pale life. For if a technique no longer believes in nobility special qualities of its consume of life, the immigrant, even though unwelcomed, will still come with stay - but unassimilated - to do precisely what general public are doing: trying to formation as much as possible homework of his stay here. Scheme we, like the ancient Athenians, come to believe that nobility most important feature of tangy way of life is ditch our physical needs are enchanted care of by the government?
Athens&#; experiment in democratic governance was the first, inspiringly noble title ultimately tragic. Unfortunately, the brief of how the Athenians repress their own offspring seem picture have been lost on measly. But our politicos do direct great sound bytes. See on your toes in class.
The History of Former Greek Civilization, a lecture fullgrown education series, begins January 25, in Houston. For information flourishing a registration form, visit