Plato

[Maureen Anderson]

Hi Carrol:

>
>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