Aristotle S Politics And Athenian Constitution

Probably written by a student of Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution is both a history and an analysis of Athens' political machinery between the seventh and fourth centuries BC, which stands as a model of democracy at a time when city-states lived under differing kinds of government. The writer recounts the major reforms of Solon, the rule of the tyrant Pisistratus and his sons, the emergence of the democracy in which power was shared by all free male citizens, and the leadership of Pericles and the demagogues who followed him. He goes on to examine the city's administration in his own time - the council, the officials and the judicial system. For its information on Athens' development and how the democracy worked, The Athenian Constitution is an invaluable source of knowledge about the Athenian city-state.

An extended and revised edition of one of the best-selling Cambridge Texts.

First published in 1998, this volume compares the political ideals and ideas of Plato and Aristotle to examine whether they are relevant in that era of American constitutional crisis. The author, Raymond Polin, felt that debate had been hampered by focusing too strongly on America’s existing constitutional system, and hoped that exploring the roots of Western political tradition and alternative conceptions of constitutionalism might increase the kind of understanding humanity should seek. He considers concepts of constitutionalism, gives summary accounts of the philosophers’ lives and times, identify their key political ideas and reproduces some of their work verbatim, with the aim being to serve as a textbook for constitutional education. It will be of interest to teachers and students of the American system of government.