Celebration Colloquium - Null - Classics

Democracy: Ancient and Modern - Whether the regimes targeted are the axis of evil or oligarchs from the island of Mytilene, many of the issues faced by the United States today and Athens two and a half millennia ago are very similar. Athens dominated the Aegean culturally, economically, and militarily much like the United States does in a more global sense today. Just like the U.S. today, Athens used her power to institute crippling sanctions and embargos upon uncooperative cities and worked tirelessly to encourage and develop friendly local democracies in their place. And although Athens was the most dominant state in ancient Greece, she was also home to the most liberal democracy. As in America, Athens offered far more social mobility, individual freedom, and political representation than any other government of her day. Both Athens and the United States share this seemingly contradictory position; simultaneously able to project their authority farther and more powerfully than anyone else while also claiming to be the home of freedom, liberty, and democracy. With the United States position today at the head of a global war on tyranny, a close examination of the likenesses and differences between the two states is perhaps more important now than ever before. I aim to present particular parallels and differences in policy and government between 5th century Athenian hegemony and the challenges faced by the United States today so that we might learn from Athens experience.

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