内容

目次

Part 1 The idea of constitutionalism: overview; confusion of staticismwith stability - nomenclature, need for nomenclature,constitutionalism, corrective constitutionalism preventiveconstitutionalism, curative constitutionalism institutionalarrangements, inherent limitations, mixed, balanced government;assessments. Part 2 Athenian constitutional background: overview; thepassing of Athenian and Greek supremacy - the Peloponnesian War - classwar; assessments. Part 3 Biographical note on Plato: early years -birth and lineage, connections with the White Terror, influence ofSocrates and the Sophists; middle years - Plato in Sicily and Italy,Plato and The Academy; final years - life's work, life's end; problemsand interpretation. Part 4 Plato's ideal political theory - TheRepublic: overview; exposition - imperfect government by fallible menrequires justice, elitism, asceticism, and education, indoctrinationand education for justice and security, balancing and unifying ofclasses, environmentalism, eugenics and religion, cardinal virtues ofthe ideal sate, justice based on hierarchical specialization, women,breeding, and social mobility, doubts of practicality, scepticism,philosophy, and praxis, cycle of forms of government, aristocracyyields of timocracy, timocracy yields to oligarchy, oligarchy yields todemocracy, description of democracy, democracy breeds tyranny, tyrannyworst and kingship best, divine rule; assessments. Part 5 Plato's morerealistic political theory - The Statesman: overview; exposition -scientific and imitative forms of government, inherent humancapabilities, good laws and wise rulers, a heaven-born race and system;assessments. Part 6 Plato's more sophisticated political theory - TheLaws: overview; exposition - peace and happiness preferable to war, thegolden cord between God and humanity and among humanity - reason andlaw intertwined, a multiple governmental contract, ignorance a cause ofruin, natural right to rule, division of powers with checks andbalances, constitutional monarchy advocated, rugged, masculineeducation to produce strong character, rule of law by electedmagistrates conducive to patriotism and unity, danger of too muchfreedom for he multitude, location and composition of colonies, God andthe tyrant legislate together, hierarchical polity and the rule of law,God's will is justice, example and admonition to train the young, threebest forms of the state, limitations of riches and occupation. (Partcontents).