>
>Perhaps more later. Heres a passage from Wood's _Democracy against
>Capitalism_ that I typed out for a post on the Milton list, in a
>discussion there of Plato and the Sophists.
I'm jumping threads here (re "anti-imperialism of fools" and the characterization of the Greek merchant class as the main promoters of democracy), but offhand do you know Ellen Wood's take on the role of merchants in antiquity?
I only know her stuff on European feudalism and the origins of Capitalism. Based on her analysis there I'd guess she'd be the last person to see Greek society, or the role of Greek merchants, as analogous or predecessor to capitalism/capitalists. So if I'm wrong I'd love to hear about it.
BTW, I hear her brilliant and lucid little book, _Origins of Capitalism_ - highly recommend to all - is about to come out in an updated, expanded version.
Maureen