Page 92 - All About History - Issue 186-19

REVIEWS

The books, TV shows and films causing a stir in the history world this month

POWER & THE PEOPLE

Is Athenian democracy more relevant today than ever?

Author Alev Scott and Andronike Makres Publisher Riverrun Price £14.99 Released Out now

n Power & The People: Five Lessons From Makres argue in this book that there are five vital too, and at every turn Scott and Makres are
The Birthplace Of Democracy, Alev Scott and lessons one can take from Athenian democracy at pains to establish the rich and persuasive
Andronike Makres set out to prove that and apply to the modern world. metaphors between that world and our own.
Athenian democracy is more germane today The book is intended to be bitesize and though The authors question whether, in a political
I than perhaps ever before. Indeed, Athens the concepts are often complex, in the hands of climate that seems to be engaged in a populist
a
d
S
cy
c
a
o
a res t ey become highly accessible.
Scott a
a
t
c
o
t
e
b
t
was t e birt place of de ocracy a d Scott a dd Scott a d d a es t ey race to the bottom, the solution to these
as
t
p
o
d
e
a
c
e
From the founding of issues can be found by turning to the past.
Athens and its flourishing
A This is nothing new, the book reminds us, for
golden years to a downfall democracy has been under threat plenty of
that was bloody and times through the centuries and has always
chaotic, this is not only ultimately prevailed, surviving every effort
the story of a civilisation, to crush it. However, democracy is once
but an examination of the
b again under serious threat from sometimes
parallels that unexpected quarters, as it has been
“Though the
the authors throughout the ages.
contend can concepts The five sections of the book
b
be drawn certainly fulfil the intention to
are often
with modern make this a bitesize primer into
democracy, democracy. From an accessible
from Donald complex, in and very readable potted history
Trump to the hands of the concept and its initial form
Brexit. and application, the authors go
In a world of Scott and on to lay out five key lessons that
in which Makres they can be learned from the Athenian
democracy democratic experience, then
become
itself appears conclude by sharing examples of
to be under highly the resurgence of Athenian-style
threat across democracy across the globe, for
the globe, accessible” better or worse, and forecast what
Power & The the future may hold.
P
P Though Power & The People is certainly
People argues that the
only way to recognise not the first work to draw parallels between
those threats and combat early democracy and the modern era, to
them is to go right present its arguments as five digestible lessons
back to the beginning. is a masterstroke. It renders a potentially
b
Only then can we truly intimidating topic instantly readable and
understand that history this accessible book will certainly appeal
offers valuable lessons to a wide range of readers. With forays
from which we can into protest, voter apathy and
learn, and which are as the changing face of political
prescient today as ever. engagement, it will doubtless
The book also serves as strike a chord with many
Relevant
a fascinating chronicle of and its arguments are Accessible
the changing fortunes of compelling, persuasive and Compelling
CC
Athens and democracy more prescient than ever.
A
92