[jim.haslam]

Dr J and/or Kevin,

Your lectures ignited an interest in Ancient Greece (simply mentioning Marathon). After a recent trip there with Charles Freeman’s book ‘The Greek Achievement’ I came across one long interesting paragraph:

“Germany was not the only country to enshrine the study of ancient Greece within its school curriculum. It was part of a general European movement, which spread also to the US. There were good reasons for this. The 19th century saw the old landed hierarchies threatened by new economic forces (industrialization and international trade) and social and political change. The study of Greek was difficult and required dedication and so it was an ideal subject for those who wished to preserve high standards in education. It had the advantage of having no useful function (vs science, math, language) so it served the purposes of continuing the isolation of an upper class, whose members did not have to earn a living, from the rest of community who did…” “The Greeks provided…via Plato’s Republic…a model for a leisured ruling class…”

Truth? Comments? Thoughts?

My own personal thoughts, as a recovering statist from 12 years of rote learning, now suffering from the allegory of the cave, is that it’s an intimidating but fascinating subject that I only now tackle in my 30’s.

Thanks, Jim

[Jason Jewell]

This is the kind of analysis I would expect from Thorstein Veblen or any Marx-inspired writer who wants to make everything about social class. It completely ignores the possibility that the moderns might have recognized anything true or worthwhile in the Greek tradition deserving of study or preservation. Yes, the Greek tradition includes some things that would encourage an aristocratic order, but there’s lots else as well.

[jim.haslam]

We’ll received. Did like the book though. After his 1st chapter opinions it becomes objective and positive.

Why are most, if not all, historians Marxist or extremely liberal? Is it just that central planning is easier to cover, study, research?

I just read Charles Mann’s 1491 and it’s premise says native Indians were more numerous, older, and civilized than previously thought. I think b/c of no written record to study. And a Norte Chico Peruvian archeologist in the book asked the question “where does government come from?” Saying it’s an invention in really only 2 places on earth, there and Mesopotamia. Everywhere else it’s been inherited or borrowed.

Thx, Jim

[Jason Jewell]

Jim, on the question of the political proclivities of academics, I’d recommend Murray Rothbard’s discussions of Court Intellectuals. For example:

“It is evident that the State needs the intellectuals; it is not so evident why intellectuals need the State. Put simply, we may state that the intellectual’s livelihood in the free market is never too secure; for the intellectual must depend on the values and choices of the masses of his fellow men, and it is precisely characteristic of the masses that they are generally uninterested in intellectual matters. The State, on the other hand, is willing to offer the intellectuals a secure and permanent berth in the State apparatus; and thus a secure income and the panoply of prestige. For the intellectuals will be handsomely rewarded for the important function they perform for the State rulers, of which group they now become a part.”

For more in this vein, see “The Anatomy of the State”: http://mises.org/easaran/chap3.asp

I have not read “1491” and am reluctant to venture too many observations on the merits of theses that rely primarily on nuanced interpretation of archeological data, since that sort of falls outside the historian’s area of expertise.

[jim.haslam]

I had read that Rothbard piece before, just read again, think I heard Tom Woods say reading Rothbard is like getting punched in the face. I think Rothbard wrote that boxing would be safer without the gloves. That is the way he writes.

But I live in a Houston. Founded on swamp land in 1836. By 1838 some Yankee has moved down, elected mayor, and has publicly executed 2 (trying to protect property they mistakenly killed an upper member of society) before hundreds who probably voted for him. I now think of government as the avenue for the weak (minded) to feel like they are in control and parasitic elite will satisfy that market (of fear).

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