Introduction -- 1. The history and structure of Athenian democracy; 2. The reception of ancient constitutional theory; 3. Ancient democracy and social backwardness; 4. The American founding fathers and their emancipation from the ancient model; 5. The French Revolution and antiquity; 6. Terror and the 'cult of antiquity' in post-revolutionary discourse; 7. 'Ancient and modern liberty' -- from Benjamin Constant to Max Weber; 8. German nineteenth-century ambivalence regarding Athenian democracy; 9. The 'rehabilitation' of Athenian democracy; 10. Models of democracy and constitutional policy in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; 11. Democracy, Fu��hrer and Volksgemeinschaft; 12. Between totalitarianism and the constitutional state; 13. Conclusion: is Athens still a standard?
Summary:
"Ancient and Modern Democracy is a comprehensive account of Athenian democracy as a subject of criticism, admiration and scholarly debate for 2,500 years, covering the features of Athenian democracy, its importance for the English, American and French revolutions and for the debates on democracy and political liberty from the nineteenth century to the present. Discussions were always in the context of contemporary constitutional problems. Time and again they made a connection with a long-established tradition, involving both dialogue with ancient sources and with earlier phases of the reception of Antiquity. They refer either to a common cultural legacy or to specific national traditions; they often involve a mixture of political and scholarly arguments. This book elucidates the complexity of considering and constructing systems of popular self-rule"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.