Divided power and deliberation : decision-making procedures in the Greek City-States (434-150 B.C.)
This thesis examines the institutional design and the procedures regulating the decree-making in the poleis of the Classical and Hellenistic periods. The main contention of this thesis is that Greek decree-making is to be conceived as the result of a multi-layered system of interaction and delegation of deliberative authority among different institutions: councils, officials, assemblies and lawcourts. My thesis argues, therefore, that decree-making procedures were specifically designed to implement the concept of 'divided power', a value shared by both democracies and non-democratic regimes, and to shape the collective behaviour of the citizens when acting as decision-makers within the institutions. By adopting models from the political sciences, my thesis bridges the gap between institutional approaches to political decision-making and more recent approaches that have stressed the role of values and ideology as key factors to understand ancient Greek politics. Chapter 1 lays out the methodology of the thesis informed by the New Historical Institutionalism. Chapter 2 analyses the practice of delegation of power from the Athenian Assembly to the Athenian Council in order to enact additional measures. The careful
Esu, Alberto
divided power ; Greek institutions ; rule of law ; Ancient Greek politics ; New Institutionalism ; decision-making ; Greek law
Divided power and deliberation : decision-making procedures in the Greek City-States (434-150 B.C.). This thesis examines the institutional design and the procedures regulating the decree-making in the poleis of the Classical and Hellenistic periods. The main contention of this thesis is that Greek decree-making is to be conceived as the result of a multi-layered system of interaction and delegation of deliberative authority among different institutions: councils, officials, assemblies and lawcourts. My thesis argues, therefore, that decree-making procedures were specifically designed to implement the concept of 'divided power', a value shared by both democracies and non-democratic regimes, and to shape the collective behaviour of the citizens when acting as decision-makers within the institutions. By adopting models from the political sciences, my thesis bridges the gap between institutional approaches to political decision-making and more recent approaches that have stressed the role of values and ideology as key factors to understand ancient Greek politics. Chapter 1 lays out the methodology of the thesis informed by the New Historical Institutionalism. Chapter 2 analyses the practice of delegation of power from the Athenian Assembly to the Athenian Council in order to enact additional measures. The careful
divided power deliberation decision_making procedure greek city states examines institutional design procedure regulate decree making poleis classical_hellenistic period main_contention greek decree making conceive multi_layered system interaction delegation deliberative authority among different institution council official assembly argues therefore decree making procedure specifically_design implement concept divided power value share democracy non democratic regime shape collective behaviour citizen act decision makers within institution adopt model political science bridge_gap institutional approach political_decision making recent approach stress role value ideology key_factor ancient_greek politics lay inform new historical analysis practice delegation power athenian assembly athenian council order enact additional measure careful