Mass and Elite in Athenian Democracy

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Questions and Answers

According to Josiah Ober, due to what did the Athenian elite actually rule?

The Athenian elite did not actually rule. Instead, reciprocity achieved through discourse was the method used by the elites to maintain their power and influence.

When did Ober begin work on the book that was first published in 1989 by Princeton University Press, as Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens?

Ober began work on the book in the early 1980s.

What was Ober's dissertation topic?

Ober's dissertation was on the topic of Athenian defense policy after the Peloponnesian war.

According to Ober, on what topic did the original idea for a book concerning depictions of elite and non-elite attributes in Athenian rhetoric of the late fifth and fourth centuries BCE arise?

The idea arose when Ober was doing background reading for his dissertation. Signup and view all the answers

The core of the argument Ober provides in Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens is based on a model of civic ideology and practices of citizenship that he asserts gave Athenians reasons to cooperate across lines that were often considered to be divides.

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Ober argues that the elite in Athens were demonstrably less powerful than the elite in other comparable ancient societies.

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Ober's book Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens was first published in what year?

Ober's book Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens was first published in 1989. Signup and view all the answers

Ober attributes his success to what in the context of his scholarly work?

Ober attributes his success to several key developments in the study of ancient societies, such as advances in collective agency, social epistemology, law and informal rule enforcement, institutional economics, and explorations of the complex associations. Signup and view all the answers

Briefly summarize Ober's theoretical framework for analyzing the relationship between mass and elite in classical Athens.

Ober's theoretical framework suggests that the Athenian elite, while powerful due to wealth, education, and status, did not rule Athens. Instead, they were part of a complex system of reciprocal exchange through a sophisticated civic discourse that was grounded in shared values and norms and which was ultimately responsible for maintaining social stability and promoting democracy. Signup and view all the answers

How does Ober define the term ‘elite’ in the context of Athenian society?

Ober defines ‘elite’ in Athens as a group of individuals who held positions of wealth, education, and status and were part of a system of reciprocal exchange with the mass of ordinary citizens, but who did not rule. The elite in Athens constituted a smaller group of individuals who had power and influence, and were distinguished from the mass of ordinary citizens by their wealth, education, family background and access to political influence. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Mass and Elite Revisited

The author, Josiah Ober, discusses the concept of "mass and elite" in ancient Athenian democracy, revisited in light of 21st-century scholarship.
Initially, the author's focus was on Athenian rhetoric and defense policy in the late 5th and 4th centuries BCE.
His dissertation, supervised by Chester Starr, explored Athenian defense policy after the Peloponnesian War, leading to the concept of mass and elite.
The author was first inspired by apparent contradictions in the speeches of Demosthenes.
His initial research focused on the relationship between the Athenian elite and the masses.
The author's original book, Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens (1989), sought to understand how democratic Athens was able to maintain stability amidst challenges.
The author highlights the importance of political sociology, particularly the work of Moses Finley, in understanding ancient Greek democracy.
The author's project evolved to encompass political sociology, analyzing the complex interaction of mass and elite in Athenian society.
He sought to bridge the gap between elite discourse and mass action.
The author's work argues that Athenian stability stemmed from a reciprocal exchange between elites and the masses.
The author's research explored the interplay of public discourse, ideology, and social behavior in Athenian democracy suggesting that a shared civic discourse reconciled elite and mass interests.
The study's conclusion underscores the relevance of "mass and elite" as a concept in understanding social and political dynamics, even in modern contexts.

Further Considerations

The author suggests that ancient Athenian society was not binary, but rather diverse in wealth and resources.
Income distribution models in ancient Athens were more akin to a skewed distribution, not a simple dichotomy.
Elite influence was not absolute, but bound by a shared civic ideology and popular acceptance.
The author's research touches upon the relationship between elites and the masses in various historical contexts.

Key Entities

Richard Evans (ed.)
Josiah Ober
Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens (1989)
Mass and Elite in the Greek and Roman Worlds
Demosthenes
Chester Starr

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Description

Explore the nuanced theories of mass and elite in ancient Athenian democracy, as revisited by Josiah Ober. This quiz delves into the interaction between the Athenian elite and the masses, informed by 21st-century scholarship and historical research. Test your understanding of the pivotal concepts shaping Athenian politics and sociology.