1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910789878203321

Autore

Moore Kenneth Royce <1972->

Titolo

Plato, politics, and a practical utopia : social constructivism and civic planning in the "Laws" / Kenneth Royce Moore

Pubbl/distr/stampa

London ; New York, : Continuum, 2012

ISBN

1-4725-4085-9

1-283-38022-6

9786613380227

1-4411-6803-6

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (145 p.)

Disciplina

321/.07

Soggetti

City-states - Greece - History - To 1500

Cities and towns, Ancient - Greece - History

Utopias - Greece - History

Greece Politics and government To 146 B.C

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (pages [123]-129) and index

Nota di contenuto

The development of the polis and its re-development under Plato -- Platonic economics: fleshing the bones of Magnesia -- The Magnesian military, national service, and mythical amazons -- The legal system -- The Magnesian polity: classical democracy recast -- Welcome to the city of Magnesia

1. The Development of the Polis and its Re-Development Under Plato \ 2. Platonic Economics: Fleshing the Bones of Magnesia \ 3. The Magnesian Military, National Service and Mythical Amazons \ 4. The Magnesian Polity: Classical Democracy Recast \ Notes \ Bibliography \ Index

Sommario/riassunto

"Dealing with themes of urban planning, constitutionalism, utopianism and social construction theory, this book analyzes the city of Magnesia, Plato's second-best city-state in the Laws, as if it were an actual ancient city-state. The book details the demographics, economics, military capabilities and polity of Magnesia using (post)modern critical theory and contemporary data on ancient city-states. Examining the key features of the proposed city-state in detail, Kenneth Royce Moore



considers Plato's proposed military as well as his invention of national service, and compares this with known militaries of the era. The author demonstrates that economic growth is not its priority, highly restricted with an aim toward stability rather than expansion. Moore also considers the Magnesian political system in the light of existing polities of the era, concluding that Magnesia will have a strikingly different form of government than any other actual city-state in antiquity, albeit derived in no small part from Athenian, Cretan and Spartan traditions. This book puts "flesh on the bones" of Plato's fictional utopia and reveals how surprisingly practical it could have been."--Bloomsbury Publishing

Dealing with themes of urban planning, constitutionalism, utopianism and social construction theory, this book analyzes the city of Magnesia, Plato's second-best city-state in the Laws, as if it were an actual ancient city-state. The book details the demographics, economics, military capabilities and polity of Magnesia using (post)modern critical theory and contemporary data on ancient city-states.Examining the key features of the proposed city-state in detail, Kenneth Royce Moore considers Plato's proposed military as well as his invention of national service, and compares this with known militaries of the era. The author demonstrates that economic growth is not its priority, highly restricted with an aim toward stability rather than expansion. Moore also considers the Magnesian political system in the light of existing polities of the era, concluding that Magnesia will have a strikingly different form of government than any other actual city-state in antiquity, albeit derived in no small part from Athenian, Cretan and Spartan traditions. This book puts "flesh on the bones" of Plato's fictional utopia and reveals how surprisingly practical it could have been.