Classical Greek Oligarchy - A Political History (Paperback)

Classical Greek Oligarchy thoroughly reassesses an important but neglected form of ancient Greek government, the "rule of the few." Matthew Simonton challenges scholarly orthodoxy by showing that oligarchy was not the default mode of politics from time immemorial, but instead emerged alongside, and in reaction to, democracy. He establishes for the first time how oligarchies maintained power in the face of potential citizen resistance. The book argues that oligarchs designed distinctive political institutions-such as intra-oligarchic power sharing, targeted repression, and rewards for informants-to prevent collective action among the majority population while sustaining cooperation within their own ranks. To clarify the workings of oligarchic institutions, Simonton draws on recent social science research on authoritarianism. Like modern authoritarian regimes, ancient Greek oligarchies had to balance coercion with co-optation in order to keep their subjects disorganized and powerless. The book investigates topics such as control of public space, the manipulation of information, and the establishment of patron-client relations, frequently citing parallels with contemporary nondemocratic regimes. Simonton also traces changes over time in antiquity, revealing the processes through which oligarchy lost the ideological battle with democracy for legitimacy. Classical Greek Oligarchy represents a major new development in the study of ancient politics. It fills a longstanding gap in our knowledge of nondemocratic government while greatly improving our understanding of forms of power that continue to affect us today.

General

Imprint:	Princeton University Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	March 2019
First published:	2017
Authors:	Matthew Simonton
Dimensions:	235 x 156 x 21mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - Trade
Pages:	376
ISBN-13:	978-0-691-19205-5
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political science & theory Books > Humanities > History > World history > BCE to 500 CE Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political ideologies > General Books > History > World history > BCE to 500 CE
LSN:	0-691-19205-7
Barcode:	9780691192055

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