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  • The Birth of Politics: Eight Greek and Roman Political Ideas and Why They Matter by Melissa Lane
  • Giovanni Giorgini
Melissa Lane. The Birth of Politics: Eight Greek and Roman Political Ideas and Why They Matter. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2015. Pp. x, 382. $26.95. ISBN 978–0-691–16647–6.

Melissa Lane’s examination of the origin of what we are accustomed to call “politics” in the West has many merits that can hardly be fully accounted for in a short review. In a field where there are many competitors, the first merit is the originality of its perspective: Lane has been able to write a book that appeals both to the specialized reader and to neophytes, be they students of politics or classics or amateurs interested in Western civilization. The length (almost 400 pages) and the time range (from Homer to Boethius) of the book make the task difficult, but Lane guides us with a sure hand through the evolution of the concept of “politics” by identifying eight “political ideas” developed by Greek and Roman thinkers that are still valuable as a source of insight nowadays. Through these ideas, and through the vocabulary and institutions that accompany them, Lane lets the original meaning of “politics” emerge so that we may appreciate what we have gained and what we have lost in the long time between the Greeks and today.

Right at the beginning Lane defines politics as “a spectrum of the possibilities of power” (3); historically, that spectrum has ranged from a regime of exploitative domination to the self-government of free and equal citizens. The first idea Lane examines is, very appropriately, that of “justice,” which can already be found in Greek archaic poetry. Lane shows very well how this concept was made to regulate relations between rich and poor, free and slaves, and how Greek authors examined whether its origin was natural or conventional. The second idea is that of “constitution,” which had a wider meaning and indicated the “soul” of a political regime, that is, what gave it its essence. Here Lane examines the emerging theory of political regimes and the ancient debate about the best form of government. Then comes “democracy,” arguably the most successful Greek [End Page 423] political invention. Lane’s subtle analysis emphasizes how its emergence was marked by varied positive and negative connotations. She then explains democracy’s functioning, shows the complex relation that this form of government has with the elites, and concludes with its legacy in Western thought.

Then follows a chapter on “virtue,” where Socrates has pride of place because he transformed virtue into a “standard for ethical and political analysis” (139); in this context Lane offers a nuanced examination of Plato’s main political ideas. “Citizenship” is examined next, and here Aristotle is prominent for his contrast between the political and the theoretical life, whereby the life of the citizen emerges as the most human life but not the best human life (189). It is in this context that Lane examines the Aristotelian notions of human nature (including slaves), human flourishing, and the best regime that is instrumental in achieving real happiness. Next comes “cosmopolitanism,” an idea that had great success after Aristotle, not least because of Stoic philosophy; Lane investigates the varieties of cosmopolitanism and its limits in transforming actual political practice so as to overcome localism.

Lane’s account also smoothly follows a chronological pattern. The next idea to be considered is thus the Roman notion of “republic” and its specificity as it is described especially by Polybius, who popularized the notion of “mixed constitution,” from which the idea of “checks and balances” also descends. The other prominent figure in this chapter is Cicero, whose influence on Roman politics and on subsequent political thought can hardly be overstated. The final idea examined is that of “sovereignty.” Lane is careful to point out that what she wishes to examine is the “evolving set of powers” attributed to the emperors; authors like Seneca and Tacitus figure prominently here, appropriately followed by that remarkable philosopher-emperor figure, Marcus Aurelius. It is when we reach the conclusion that we fully realize how Lane’s...

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