Ancient Greek Tyranny

Tyranny is an ancient form of government, first observed by the Greeks, and a key concept in western political thought. Tyranny also remains today, in the modern world, one of the most serious threats to human happiness and prosperity across the globe. This book radically reappraises tyranny, from the ancient Greeks to the present day. Using comparative data and innovative interdisciplinary methods, Edmund Stewart explains what tyrannies are, how they function and why they are so dangerous. In the process, this study debunks the centuries-old ‘neutral view’ of tyrants as popular usurpers that was first developed by Renaissance Humanists. To understand tyranny, both ancient and modern, we have to return to the Greeks themselves and especially the works of Plato and Aristotle.