This book analyses ancient Greek federalism by focusing on one of the most organised and advanced Greek federal states, the Achaean Federation Sympoliteia. Unlike earlier studies that mainly focused on its political history, this book adopts an interdisciplinary approach, analysing aspects of the economic organization and institutions, and the political economy of the Achaean Federation, and combining these findings with political history. It also discusses the strategic choices made by significant historical figures such as generals Aratos and Philopoemen. The analysis of the Achaean Federation verifies the intertemporal federal axiom, which states that the success and viability of federal experiment is achieved when the benefits of participation for the member-states exceed the costs of conferring national sovereignty on supranational federal authorities.
The book further argues that the Achaeans developed a system of sophisticated direct democratic procedures in decision-making on federal matters, as well as significant and highly sophisticated (for the era) economic institutions and federal practices, in order to achieve bonds of trust and legitimacy regarding their innovative federal structure. These practices included, among others, the creation of free market type economic institutions, a monetary union, federal budget, provision of public goods and a common defense and security policy for all the Achaean city-state members. Lastly, the book relates these findings to ideas on how the Achaean Federation would have dealt with a series of current global issues, such as European Union integration and problems such as Euroscepticism, Brexit and immigration.
Author(s): Emmanouil M. L. Economou
Series: Frontiers in Economic History
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 260
City: Cham
Foreword
Preface
Contents
About the Author
List of Abbreviations (Ancient Authors´ Works)
List of Figures
List of Tables
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Methodology of Analysing the Institutions of the Achaean Federal State (Sympolity)
1.1 The Key Questions Raised by the Study of Ancient Greek Federalism and the Achaean Federal State
Chapter 2: The Achaean Sympolity (389-146): The Political History
2.1 The Period 389-280: Political and Military Developments
2.2 The Reconstitution and Evolution of the Achaean Federal State (280-146)
2.3 The Achaean Sympolity During the Second Century. Achieving Political Integration Before the Fall
2.4 The Final Phase of the Drama: The Dissolution of the Achaean Sympolity and Its Conversion into a Roman Province
Chapter 3: Interpreting the Defeat of the Achaean Sympolity by Rome Through a Defence Economics Perspective
3.1 The Socio-Economic Aspects Regarding the Strategic Choice of War Over Peace
3.2 Measuring the Strength of the Achaean Sympolity Against the Roman Republic Through State Power Equations
3.3 The Game-Theoretical Approach Regarding Peace or War Strategy of the Achaean Sympolity Versus the Roman Republic
Chapter 4: Aratus of Sicyon: The Great Leader of the Achaean Sympolity During the Period 245 and 213
4.1 Aratus: A Young Exiled Sicyonian in Argos Becomes Strategos of the Achaean Sympolity
4.2 Aratus and the Achaean Sympolity´s Expansion into the Leading Power in Southern Greece
4.3 Aratus and Cleomenes: Two Great Men and the Lost Opportunity for the Unification of the Peloponnesus Under the Achaean Sym...
4.4 The Last Phase of the Life of Aratus: The Dream and the Reality
Chapter 5: Philopoemen of Megalopolis: `The Last Great Greek´
5.1 Preface to Sellacia: A New Great Leader Is Born
5.2 Philopoemen Becomes Strategos of the Achaean Sympolity, Increasing His Military Power Considerably
5.3 The Inglorious End of a Glorious Old General
Chapter 6: The Political Institutions of the Achaean Sympolity
6.1 The Organisation of Political Institutions
6.2 The Crucial Institutions of Isopoliteia, the Concession and the Sale of Political Rights, Asylia and Proxeny
6.3 Conflict Resolution Regime between City-States on Civil and Territorial Matters
6.4 The Military Organisation of the Achaean Armed Forces
6.5 The Administrative Organisation at the State/Regional Level
6.6 The `Common Foreign and Security Policy´ of the Achaean Sympolity
Chapter 7: The Economic Institutions of the Achaean Federal State
7.1 The Economic Freedom and Market-Type Institutions of the Unified Market of the Achaean Federal State
7.2 The Adoption of a Common Currency as a Means of Expanding Economic Activity
7.3 Public Revenues and Expenses of the Sympolity and the Issues of State Budget, Taxation and Public Debt Management
7.4 The Provision of Federal Public Goods and the Issue of Positive Externalities
7.4.1 Provision of the Public Good of Defence and the Operational Cost of the Achaean Federal Armed Forces
7.4.2 Other Federal Public Goods: Federal Courts and the Road Network
7.4.3 Provision of Public Goods Under the Discretionary Supervision of the Achaean Federal Authorities (Health, Education Etc.)
7.4.4 Water Management and the Positive Externalities
7.5 The Other Social Groups: Women, Metics and Slaves in the Achaean Sympolity
7.6 The Value-Added of the Political and Economic Institutions of the Achaean Sympolity. Was it a Successful Historical Federa...
Chapter 8: Further Key Issues Regarding the Achaean Sympolity
8.1 A Spatial Decision Model Analysis Between Aratus and Antigonus III Doson
8.2 Was the Achaean Sympolity a Federation or a Confederacy? A Constitutional Economics Approach
8.3 The Achaean Sympolity and the US Constitution
8.4 The Achaean Sympolity and the European Union: An Interactive Comparison
Epilogue
Glossary of Ancient Greek Terms
Bibliography
Ancient Authors (Perseus Digital Library)
Modern Authors
Index
