Economic democracy and decision making for public goods
Part of : Αρχείον οικονομικής ιστορίας ; Vol.XIX, No.2, 2007, pages 19-34
Issue:
Pages:
19-34
Author:
Abstract:
The present essay analyses decision making procedures concerning economic issues such as the choice of public goods in the prototype democracy, Ancient Athens of the fourth century B.C. (the “Age of Demosthenes”). It shows how Athenians practised the concept of “economic democracy” as against or as a parallel to political democracy, and the sometimes ingenious solutions adopted for the finance of public goods like defence, education and “social security”. The prototype political democracy was advanced in questions of public administration finance and institutions, on which political democracy was based.The paper concludes with some proposals as to what we could “learn” from the workings of “economic democracy” that is relevant for todays democracies.
Subject:
Subject (LC):
Keywords:
Public choice, Direct Democracy, Finance and Growth, Ancient Athens
Notes:
JEL classification: N00, N01, N03
