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The institutional and economic foundations of regional proto-federations

Author

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  • Emmanouil Marios Lazaros Economou
  • Nicholas Kyriazis
  • Theodore Metaxas

Abstract

In the present paper we analyse for the first time as far as we know, the ancient Greek regional proto-federations, of free-democratic city-states. We examine their political institutions and policies, like common defense and external policy, military organization, representative federal bodies like popular assemblies, parliament, generals as military and political commanders, federal finance ministers etc., as well as their economic institutions and policies: Common currency, federal budget and federal revenues. We address in more detail as a case study the Aetolian Federation (Greek: Sympolitiae). Lastly, we compare this particular proto-federation with some of today's federal states and the European Union (EU) and conclude that in some respects the proto-federation was more advanced than the EU, and thus can serve as a benchmark in addressing current European issues. Our main findings indicate that the Aetolian league, in accordance to its regional neighbor, the Achaean League had managed to establish a variety of institutions and mechanisms of governance that secured a satisfactory level of 'balanced' development to its city-state members under a Pareto efficiency perspective. The Aetolian League also achieved an ideal balance between direct and indirect (representative) democracy, an issue that is of major importance for the further EU integration. To achieve this, it established a system of a cumulative sum referendum process which we nominate, 'the Aetolian and Achaean cumulative model of governance'. We argue that this model could offer reliable and stable solutions even in modern EU decision-making processes, when complex issues are difficult to reach in common outcomes. It seems that the Aetolian Confederation had also managed to achieve a perfect combination of a strong institutionalized central government under a democratic profile and attitude. In addition, we argue that the system of monetary policy that comprised by the parallel usage of both local and federal coins that used by the city-state members of the Aetolian Confederation, might be a prodigal example of how to surpass the negative effects of today's eurocrisis. Finally, we argue that the military organization of the League, could offer some ideas of how to create a would-be Federal Pan-European Armed Forces under the aegis of the EU.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanouil Marios Lazaros Economou & Nicholas Kyriazis & Theodore Metaxas, 2013. "The institutional and economic foundations of regional proto-federations," ERSA conference papers ersa13p739, European Regional Science Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa13p739
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    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. Carl Hampus Lyttkens, 1997. "A Rational-Actor Perspective on the Origin of Liturgies in Ancient Greece," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 153(3), pages 462-462, September.
    3. George Halkos & Nickolas Kyriazis, 2006. "Is tax competition harmful and is the EU an optimal tax area?," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 163-177, April.
    4. Nicholas Kyriazis & Theodore Metaxas, 2011. "Path dependence, change and the emergence of the first joint-stock companies," Business History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(3), pages 363-374.
    5. Keith Hartley, 2003. "The future of European defence policy: An economic perspective," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 107-115.
    6. 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.
    7. Hartley, Keith, 2007. "The Arms Industry, Procurement and Industrial Policies," Handbook of Defense Economics, in: Keith Hartley & Todd Sandler (ed.), Handbook of Defense Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 33, pages 1139-1176, Elsevier.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lyttkens, Carl Hampus & Gerding, Henrik, 2015. "Understanding the Politics of Perikles Around 450 BC. The Benefits of an Economic Perspective," Working Papers 2015:13, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    2. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas, 2015. "The Greek democratic federations and the European Union’s integration," MPRA Paper 62988, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Georgiou, Militiades N. & Kyriazis, Nicholas & Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros, 2015. "Political Stability and Democratic Governance. A Panel Data Analysis," MPRA Paper 62978, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas, 2015. "The Aetolians, the Europeans and the Pakistanis: Lessons for modern federations," MPRA Paper 62974, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas, 2019. "Boeotians, Achaeans and Europeans. Can we learn from the ancient Greek federal experience?," MPRA Paper 91442, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros & Kyriazis, Nicholas & Metaxas, Theodore, 2015. "The Themistocles Naval Decree of 483/2 BCE and the Greek Referendum of 2015: A comparative analysis of choice set under direct democracy procedures," MPRA Paper 76421, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Militiades N. Georgiou & Nicholas Kyriazis & Emmanouil M. L. Economou, 2015. "Democracy, Political Stability and Economic performance. A Panel Data Analysis," Journal of Risk & Control, Risk Market Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 1-18.
    8. Kyriazis, Nicholas & Economou, Emmanouel/Marios/Lazaros, 2016. "The Memornada trap and almost fall of the Greek economy," MPRA Paper 76404, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Emmanouil M. L. Economou & Nicholas C. Kyriazis & Theodore Metaxas, 2017. "Ancient Athenians, Californians and Modern Greeks: A Comparative Analysis of Choice Set Under Direct Democracy Procedures," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 47-65, April.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Emmanouil Marios L. Economou & Nicholas Kyriazis, 2016. "The emergence and the development of the Achaean federation: lessons and institutional proposals for modern societies," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 93-112, June.
    13. 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:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • N93 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • R50 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - General

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