01: A Democracy of Slaveowners

"Humanity is divided into two: the masters and the slaves; or, if one prefers it, the Greeks and the Barbarians--those who have the right to command; and those who are born to obey." Aristotle
I read Chapter One of my book, How to Dismantle an Empire. I describe the origins of democracy in ancient Greece as a shrewd move by the archons to quell rebellion. Greek democracy was a pretty word laid over systemic violence. When debt and slavery had reached a boiling point and commoners threatened to unite, this was a concession that divided farmers against the landless, soldiers against the colonized, and citizens against the enslaved.

Third Paradigm on Substack: https://thirdparadigm.substack.com/
How to Dismantle an Empire: https://www.amazon.com/How-Dismantle-Empire-2020-Vision/dp/173334760