Author: AALDERS, G.J.D.,
Title: Die Theorie der gemischten Verfassung im Altertum.
Description: Hakkert, Amsterdam, 1968. 132p. Cloth. Name and date on free endpaper. (Rare). 'From the fifth century to the time of Cicero the mixed constitution plays an important part in political thought (though a much smaller one in political practice). (...) The mixed constitution deserves study and this book is to be welcomed as a useful survey (...). Aalders covers a vast field with clarity and good sense. (...) Where it came from remains uncertain, but his suggestion that it arose in a context of practical politics, coloured by sophistic (and even, he admits, Pythagorean) thinking, is at least plausible (...). The first mixture of political abstractions (...) comes in Plato's 'Menexenus' (238 cd), and from then onwards the concept is common in political discussions. (...) Aalders has some good comments on Polybius' constitutional chapters, and he rightly points out that the mixed constitution is a Procrustes' bed when applied to Rome. But his misunderstanding of the 'anacyclosis' invalidates some of his arguments. Despite [some] irritants this is a book with merits.' (F.W. WALBANK in The Classical Review (New Series), 1969, pp.314-17). Gew/weight: up to 1 Kg.

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