First Democracy: The Challenge of an Ancient IdeaOxford University Press, 2006 M03 16 - 304 pages Americans have an unwavering faith in democracy and are ever eager to import it to nations around the world. But how democratic is our own "democracy"? If you can vote, if the majority rules, if you have elected representatives--does this automatically mean that you have a democracy? In this eye-opening look at an ideal that we all take for granted, classical scholar Paul Woodruff offers some surprising answers to these questions. Drawing on classical literature, philosophy, and history--with many intriguing passages from Sophocles, Aesop, and Plato, among others--Woodruff immerses us in the world of ancient Athens to uncover how the democratic impulse first came to life. The heart of the book isolates seven conditions that are the sine qua non of democracy: freedom from tyranny , harmony, the rule of law, natural equality, citizen wisdom, reasoning without knowledge, and general education. He concludes that a true democracy must be willing to invite everyone to join in government. It must respect the rule of law so strongly that even the government is not above the law. True democracy must be mature enough to accept changes that come from the people. And it must be willing to pay the price of education for thoughtful citizenship. If we learn anything from the story of Athens, Woodruff concludes, it should be this--never lose sight of the ideals of democracy. This compact, eloquent book illuminates these ideals and lights the way as we struggle to keep democracy alive at home and around the world. |
From inside the book
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Page 4
... better than democratic ones. But we should call things by their right names, if we are to avoid confusion. A republic is not necessarily a democracy. The Athenians were not held back by a written constitution. Instead they had an oral ...
... better than democratic ones. But we should call things by their right names, if we are to avoid confusion. A republic is not necessarily a democracy. The Athenians were not held back by a written constitution. Instead they had an oral ...
Page 5
... better than the Athenians served democracy. Yes, democracy is hard to achieve; yes, it is impossible to make perfect. But democracy is not a utopian ideal, because it takes human imperfections into introduction: democracy and its doubles 5.
... better than the Athenians served democracy. Yes, democracy is hard to achieve; yes, it is impossible to make perfect. But democracy is not a utopian ideal, because it takes human imperfections into introduction: democracy and its doubles 5.
Page 6
... better than any other ideal of government. The ancient inventors of democracy knew that even the best of us can be distracted by ambition or fear from doing what is right. They knew how easily success leads to pride and pride to ...
... better than any other ideal of government. The ancient inventors of democracy knew that even the best of us can be distracted by ambition or fear from doing what is right. They knew how easily success leads to pride and pride to ...
Page 8
... better what is most important in the image. We are too close to our own experience of democracy, too embroiled in our own internal disputes, to see clearly what are the essential features of democracy. And perhaps we are too close to ...
... better what is most important in the image. We are too close to our own experience of democracy, too embroiled in our own internal disputes, to see clearly what are the essential features of democracy. And perhaps we are too close to ...
Page 16
... better, and we need to look at their examples. Ideas are the subject of this book, ideas and the questions they make us ask. If democracy can be translated across the ages, its essence must be in ideas. We cannot simply transplant the ...
... better, and we need to look at their examples. Ideas are the subject of this book, ideas and the questions they make us ask. If democracy can be translated across the ages, its essence must be in ideas. We cannot simply transplant the ...
Contents
3 | |
2 The Life and Death of Democracy | 21 |
3 Freedom from Tyranny And from Being a Tyrant | 61 |
4 Harmony | 81 |
5 The Rule of Law Nomos | 109 |
6 Natural Equality | 127 |
7 Citizen Wisdom | 145 |
8 Reasoning Without Knowledge | 171 |
Are Americans Ready for Democracy? | 211 |
Notes | 233 |
Dates | 258 |
Cast of Characters | 260 |
Guide to the Peloponnesian War | 263 |
Ancient Sources | 265 |
Scholarly Works Cited | 266 |
Index | 273 |
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able Aeschylus ancient argument army Assembly Athenians Athens attack believe better bring called chapter citizens civil claim common court culture debate decisions defeat defend democracy democratic elected empire enemies equal expert failed failure fear follow force freedom gave give Greece Greek harmony human ideal ideas interests issues judgment justice keep killed kind king knew knowledge known lead leaders lines live majority means nature never Nicias ordinary party Pericles Persian philosophers Plato play poets political poor practice probably Protagoras question reason requires reverence rhetoric rich rule of law shared shows side slaves Socrates Sparta speak speakers speech Syracuse teach teachers thing Thirty thought Thucydides trial tyranny tyrant United vote wealth wisdom women wrong young