Open Access
American Research Journal of History and Culture
ISSN (Online): 2379-2914
DOI: 10.46568/arjhc
The Role of Slavery in Athenian Democracy: An Economic Perspective
Abstract
Classical Athens is strongly associated with two phenomena: democracy, and slavery. The interaction between these two
institutions, seemingly at odds when evaluated by modern standards, reveals a complex web of philosophical, social, and
economic relationships. The question of whether or not Athenian democracy was predicated on slavery as an institution
has been the subject of scholarly debate for centuries, and no strict answer has been reached. However, the inherent
economic requirements of Athenian democracy allow for a more focused study of how slavery functioned in relation to
political and social governance. This paper explores a variety of ancient sources and modern scholarship to demonstrate
that slavery played a number of vital roles to the functioning of the Athenian economy, directly and indirectly supporting
‘democratic’ systems. In doing so, this paper highlights the complexities in interpreting ancient sources alongside population and economic projections, as well as navigating the symbiosis of fiscal and chattel policies.
