The Luxuries of Athenian Democracy

Herodotus, Politics and Athenian Democracy

As is widely accepted by scholars, much of the Western philosophies have roots in ancient Greece. Among the most influential ancient Greek figures is the “Father of History,” Herodotus of Halicarnassus, who chronicled the history of the Persian Wars. Herodotus used the Histories as a medium for discussing the political trends of his time, specifically those in Athens. Herodotus shared his views...

Aristotle, the “Good Life,” and Athenian Democracy:

A mathematical model of Athenian democracy

A mathematical model of Athenian democracy (594–322 BC) is considered. Indicators of popularity, universality, and goodness are introduced to evaluate single political leaders, the Assembly, the Council of 500, and magistrates. The popularity is a spatial characteristic of representativeness, the average percentage of the population whose opinion is represented on a number of questions. The uni...

Introduction to Athenian Democracy of the Fifth and Fourth Centuries BCE

This essay serves to introduce students to the institutions of the democratic constitution of ancient Athens, during its flowering in the fifth and fourth centuries BCE. Its principal purpose is to enable students to compare the Athenian democracy with the system established by the U.S. Constitution. It will serve equally well to meet the needs of anyone who is interested in the Athenian democr...

Risk Preferences and the Consumption of Luxuries

Consumer risk preferences over income are derived from the optimal consumption bundle purchased at each income, via the construction of an indirect uility function. The paper shows that, even though an individual may exhibit risk averse preferences over a wide income range, consumer theory predicts that the opportunity to acquire high-priced luxury goods can induce a convexity in the indirect u...