Articolo in rivista

FERRI E (2016). LA GRECITÀ, LE ORIGINI DELL’OCCIDENTE E LA CITTADINANZA DEMOCRATICA. MATERIALI PER UNA STORIA DELLA CULTURA GIURIDICA, vol. 2, p. 285-313, ISSN: 1120-9607

 

Enrico Ferri, The Hellenikon, the origins of the West, and democratic citizenship

Reflecting on some recent books, the author carries out a critical analysis of some aspects related to three main issues, namely (1) the distinctive features of Greek identity, (2) the relation they bear to the birth of the West, and (3) what character­izes a community of citizens within a democracy and on what elements their citi­zenship is based. The author proposes a critical study of the idea of citizenship in the context of «race», based on ethnic «purity», and analyses different types of citi­zenship and the ways in which it was allocated, by birth or by «merit», both to in­dividuals and communities in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. He also examines how people could be deprived of their citizenship. Thus, certain features of the political, social and economic dynamics of citizenship come to light, all of which are related to the historical background and political necessities of ancient Athens.

Keywords: hellenikon, democracy, the West, citizenship, ethnic community