Pro et contra of Athenian democracy. Review of the monograph: Монева Стела. Атинската демокрация – епизоди от историята. Велико Търново: Университетско издательство “Св. Св. Кирил и Методий”, 2018. 150 p.

Abstract

Active discussions about Athenian democracy were already conducted by ancient authors in the past, and they still continue to arise among modern classical researchers1. In this regard, the publication of the monograph by the Bulgarian researcher Stela Moneva is of considerable interest, especially since the author offers a truly original view of the advantages and disadvantages of the democratic system of the Athenian state. In the introduction, the researcher emphasizes that she seeks to reflect an objective view of this political system, «без тя да се очерня или идеализира, доколкото идеалът за историка винаги се състои в това да представи историческата истина» (i.e. “without denigrating and not idealizing it, since the ideal for the historian is always the reflection of historical truth”).