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Social Contract, Public Choice And Fiscal Repercussions In The Athenian Democracy

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  • Nicholas KYRIAZIS

    (University of Thessaly, Department of Economic Studies, Greece)

  • Emmanouil ECONOMOU

    (University of Thessaly, Department of Economic Studies, Greece)

Abstract

In the present essay, by utilizing game theory we present a model of choice by actors to explain how change comes about. Then by using ancient and modern sources of literature, we analyze the theory of the social contract as a historical phenomenon that first appeared during the classical period of Athens (510-323 BC.). Then we utilize our findings to explain how public choice was practiced under a direct democracy regime in ancient Athens, by focusing on two historical cases: Eubulus and Lycurgus fiscal policy programs in the second half of the 4th century. We found that these policies can be explained as an implementation of a social contract, through which the Athenian citizens were taking decisions based on rational choice according to a wider economic prospective.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas KYRIAZIS & Emmanouil ECONOMOU, 2013. "Social Contract, Public Choice And Fiscal Repercussions In The Athenian Democracy," Theoretical and Practical Research in the Economic Fields, ASERS Publishing, vol. 4(1), pages 61-76.
    • Handle: RePEc:srs:jtpref:v:4:y:2013:i:1:p:61-76
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicholas Kyriazis, 2009. "Financing the Athenian state: public choice in the age of Demosthenes," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 109-127, April.
    2. Papazarkadas, Nikolaos, 2011. "Sacred and Public Land in Ancient Athens," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199694006.
    3. Kyriazis, Nicholas K. & Karayiannis, Anastassios D., 2011. "Democracy, Institutional Changes and Economic Development: The Case of Ancient Athens," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 61-91.
    4. Weingast, Barry R., 1997. "The Political Foundations of Democracy and the Rule of the Law," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 91(2), pages 245-263, June.
    5. Nicholas Kyriazis, 2007. "Democracy and institutional change," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1-2), pages 65-82.
    6. Nicholas Kyriazis & Emmanouil Economou, 2015. "Macroculture, sports and democracy in classical Greece," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 431-455, December.
    7. George Halkos & Nickolas Kyriazis, 2005. "A Naval Revolution and Institutional Change: The Case of the United Provinces," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 41-68, January.
    8. George Halkos & Nickolas Kyriazis, 2010. "The Athenian economy in the age of Demosthenes: path dependence and change," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 255-277, June.
    9. Nicholas Kyriazis & Michel Zouboulakis, 2004. "Democracy, Sea Power and Institutional Change: An Economic Analysis of the Athenian Naval Law," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 117-132, January.
    10. North, Douglass C, 1978. "Structure and Performance: The Task of Economic History," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 16(3), pages 963-978, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kyriazis, Nicholas & Metaxas, Theodore, 2013. "The emergence of democracy: a behavioural perspective," MPRA Paper 47146, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Kyriazis, Nicholas & Paparrigopoulos, Xenophon & Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros, 2013. "The Glue of Democracy: Economics, Warfare and Values in Classical Greece," MPRA Paper 45117, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas & Zachilas, Loukas, 2016. "Interpreting sociopolitical change by using Chaos Theory: A lesson from Sparta and Athens," MPRA Paper 76117, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Federica Carugati & Josiah Ober & Barry R. Weingast, 2019. "Is development uniquely modern? Ancient Athens on the doorstep," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 181(1), pages 29-47, October.
    5. Economou Emmanouil M.L. & Kyriazis Nicholas C., 2016. "Choosing Peace Instead of War. A Lesson from Athenian Democracy," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 22(2), pages 191-212, April.
    6. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas & Metaxas, Theodore, 2014. "Warfare at sea and profit: Corsairs, institutions and partnership companies," MPRA Paper 58985, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas, 2015. "Athenian fiscal expansionary policy and peace versus war strategy," MPRA Paper 62987, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • B15 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary
    • H44 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Goods: Mixed Markets
    • N43 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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