The Constitution of Athens

Name: The Constitution of Athens
ISBN: 9787100079624

AristotleThe Commercial Press · ChinaApr 2023

4.5

Word count: 48K words
Chapters: 18
ISBN: 9787100079624

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Summary

This book is the only surviving study by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle of a Greek city-state, recounting the development of the Athenian constitution and carefully tracing the birth and evolution of Athenian democracy, offering invaluable historical material for later study of the Greek polis system.

Editor's review

The Constitution of the Athenians is the only complete surviving work from the collection of 158 Greek city-state constitutions compiled by Aristotle and his students, and its value as a historical document and its significance for political science are both exceptionally great. This book is not an abstract treatise on political philosophy but an empirical study based on fieldwork and the examination of documents, systematically recording the evolution of Athens' political system from the legendary age to the end of the fourth century BC, and detailing in particular the specific measures and legal provisions at key junctures such as Solon's reforms and Cleisthenes' reforms. As a foundational document in the history of Western political institutions, it provides first-hand material for understanding the origins, operating mechanisms, and internal tensions of democracy. Readers should note that Aristotle incorporates analysis and judgment based on his own political ideas, which gives the book a dual character as both objective historical source and subjective commentary. For modern readers, the book not only helps us trace the classical prototype of democracy but also prompts us to reflect on how the design of political institutions can balance such enduring issues as equality, freedom, and efficiency. The Commercial Press edition is rigorously researched and richly annotated, making it a reliable version for in-depth study.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in the history of Western political thought and institutions
Scholars and students of classics, history, or political science
Thinkers who wish to understand the operation and evolution of democracy from its historical origins
Deep readers who enjoy primary historical documents and are not deterred by detailed textual research

Not a good fit for

Casual readers expecting light, story-driven history
Pragmatists seeking direct solutions to modern political problems

Reading tips

Read the translator's preface or relevant background material on Greek history first to establish a basic historical framework
Read alongside a chronology of major events in Athenian history to understand institutional change in its specific historical context
Focus on the chapters on Solon's and Cleisthenes' reforms, and reflect on the relationship between institutional innovation and political stability

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

The Commercial Press is a publisher known for classic works and academic publishing, with titles spanning Eastern philosophy, foreign literature, world history, social culture, and applied psychology. Its list includes classical commentaries such as Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects and Wang Bi's Commentary on the Zhouyi, as well as modern annotated translations like Zhuangzi with Modern Notes and Translation. In foreign literature it offers War and Peace and Crime and Punishment, while in world history it carries Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Applied psychology is represented by Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy, and ethical texts include a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics. Its authors and translators include Zhu Xi, Wang Bi, Yalom, Braudel, and translators such as Huang Zheng, Zhang Yiling, Shen Dongyu, and Tang Jialong, balancing the editing of original texts with academic translation.

版权信息
汉译世界学术名著丛书（分科本）出版说明
中译本序
英译者序言
一政制（The Politeiai）
二 “雅典政制”抄本
三版本
四原文
五原料
六写成的年代
内容纲要
第一编公元前403年前雅典政制史
第二编当前的宪法
亚里士多德的雅典政制
赫剌克勒得斯作品摘要的篇首部分
（抄本由此开始）
专有名词（地名、人名）索引
译后记

FAQ

What is the relationship between this book and Aristotle's Politics?

The Constitution of the Athenians is one of the empirical foundations of the Politics. The theories Aristotle sets out in the Politics—such as the classification and comparative analysis of constitutions—rest to a large extent on the systematic investigation of the constitutions of various city-states, including Athens. Reading the two together gives a more complete grasp of his system of thought.

Will non-specialist readers find this book difficult?

The book involves a great many ancient Greek personal names, place names, official titles, and legal terms, so there is indeed a barrier on first reading. But the translation is usually equipped with annotations and indexes of names and places; read patiently and treat it as a deep historical exploration. Focus on the main line of institutional evolution and do not try to memorize every detail.

What does this book reveal for understanding modern politics?

The Athenian constitution displays the practical form of direct democracy and the challenges it faced, such as the definition of citizenship, the use of sortition and election, and the tension between elites and the masses. These classical issues still recur in variations in modern representative democracy; reading this book helps us step outside the present and examine the nature and logic of institutional evolution over the long term.

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About the author

Aristotle Author · Ancient Greek

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher, scientist, and educator, a student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great. He founded the Lyceum and the Peripatetic school, laid the foundations of formal logic, and conducted research spanning metaphysics, ethics, politics, biology, and many other fields. Regarded as an encyclopedic scholar, he profoundly shaped the Western intellectual tradition. The library holds seven of his works, including a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics, the Constitution of Athens, Politics, and History of Animals, as well as illustrated editions of the Organon and Metaphysics. These works cross philosophy, politics, and science, and are well suited to a systematic study of his thought.