The Honey and the Hemlock: Democracy & Paranoia in Ancient Athens & Modern America

by Eli Sagan

Book Overview

Examining Athenian democracy as an object lesson for democracy in general, and invoking Freud as his guide in this task, Eli Sagan explores the startling contradictions in the society of Athens: its... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465030580
• ISBN13: 9780465030583
• Release Date: November 1991
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

brilliant exploration of the difficulties of democratic culture

This book may be the single most profound meditation on what it takes to launch and sustain a democratic society. Overcoming the (often defensive) drive to dominate (rule or be ruled) has proven an immensely difficult task for ruling elites and the populations over whom they rule. The few times a culture has succeeded in attempting this exceptionally difficult task, their vulnerability has rendered them highly susceptible to a paranoia that ends up self-destructive. In both conceptually abstract and historically concrete terms, Sagan has given us an extremely valuable way to think about a topic of central importance to our time. Richard Landes, Boston University