Greed and Injustice in Classical Athens

by: Balot, R.K.

Price: 63,98 EURO

1 copy in stock

In this original and rewarding combination of intellectual and political history, Ryan Balot offers a thorough historical and sociological interpretation of classical Athens centered on the notion of greed. Integrating ancient philosophy, poetry, and history, and drawing on modern political thought, the author demonstrates that the Athenian discourse on greed was an essential component of Greek social development and political history. Over time, the Athenians developed sophisticated psychological and political accounts of acquisitiveness and a correspondingly rich vocabulary to describe and condemn it. Greed figures repeatedly as an object of criticism in authors as diverse as Solon, Thucydides, and Plato--all of whom addressed the social disruptions caused by it, as well as the inadequacy of lives focused on it. Because of its ethical significance, greed surfaced frequently in theoretical debates about democracy and oligarchy. Ultimately, critiques of greed--particularly the charge that it is unjust--were built into the robust accounts of justice formulated by many philosophers, including Plato and Aristotle. Such critiques of greed both reflected and were inextricably knitted into economic history and political events, including the coups of 411 and 404 B.C. Balot contrasts ancient Greek thought on distributive justice with later Western traditions, with implications for political and economic history well beyond the classical period. Because the belief that greed is good holds a dominant position in modern justifications of capitalism, this study provides a deep historical context within which such justifications can be reexamined and, perhaps, found wanting.

Preface and Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations xi
Introduction
1 (21)
Greed in Aristotle's Political Thought
22 (36)
Greed and Unfairness in Distribution in Nicomachean Ethics 5
23 (11)
What Makes Human Beings Greedy?
34 (10)
Analyzing Greed in the Polis: Revolution, Civic Strife, and Distributive Justice
44 (11)
Conclusion
55 (3)
Solonian Athens and the Archaic Roots of Greed
58 (41)
Homer and Hesiod
59 (14)
Solon's Reform
73 (6)
Solon's Critique: the Problem of Acquisition and Unfairness
79 (20)
Herodotus and the Greed of Imperialism
99 (37)
Eastern Imperialism
100 (8)
Greed and Fairness in the Panbellenic League
108 (6)
The Emergent Imperialism of Athens
114 (15)
Conclusion
129 (7)
Thucydides, Greed, and the Breakdown of Political Community
136 (43)
Revolution at Corcyra: Greed, Leadership, and Civic Trust
137 (5)
Periclean Athens: Greedy Success
142 (12)
Human Nature, Democracy, and Greed
154 (5)
Post-Periclean Disintegration
159 (13)
Conclusion: The Ethics of Athenian Imperialism
172 (7)
``Revolution Matters''? Oligarchic Rebellion and Democratic Hegemony in Athens
179 (55)
Athenian Culture in the Late Fifth Century: Unity and Division
180 (31)
The Revolution of 411: Speech, Mistrust, and Violence
211 (8)
The Revolution of 404: Greed and the Thirty
219 (6)
Responding to the Revolutions: Lysias and Xenophon
225 (9)
Epilogue: Plato's Republic in Context
234 (15)
Bibliography 249 (24)
Index Locorum 273 (6)
General Index 279

Subjects:
15.51 Antiquity
Athen
Athens (Greece) History
Athens (Greece) Politics and government
Athens (Greece) Politics and government 5th century B.C
Athènes (Grèce) Politique et gouvernement
Avarice
Avarice Greece Athens 5th century B.C,
Avarice Greece Athens History
Avarice Grèce Athènes Histoire
Distributive justice
Distributive justice Greece Athens 5th century B.C
Distributive justice Greece Athens History
Greece Athens
Griechenland
Griechenland <Altertum>
Habsucht
Hebzucht
History
Ideeëngeschiedenis
Justice distributive Grèce Athènes Histoire
Literatur
Onrechtvaardigheid
Philosophie ancienne
Philosophy, Ancient
Politics and government
Soziale Gerechtigkeit

Greed and Injustice in Classical Athens

by: Balot, R.K.

• ISBN-13: 9780691048550 / 978-0-691-04855-0
• ISBN-03: 069104855X / 0-691-04855-X
• Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 2001

Price: 63,98 EURO

1 copy in stock