Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis

This chapter examines the role of Greece in the historical development of freedom as a social value. There are four designated periods of interest: palatine centralism, decentralized tribalism, rudimentary state formation and aristocratic resurgence. This period spans time from the fourteenth to the seventh century. The development of freedom as a social value can be traced to five revolutions that occurred in Athens between 7 and 4 B.C.

One of the revolutions is economic. The slaveholder becomes economically dependent on the slave for his own financial well-being. Society's economic infrastructure consists of mining for export and urban crafts, in addition to larger landholder farms. Slaves are needed to make the economy function.

The second revolution is a social revolution. A large slave population exists to serve the aristocracy and non-farm population. The ruling class finds the majority of the population becoming economically...