politics

Politics (according to Oakeshott)

The activity of attending to the general arrangements of a set of people whom chance or choice has brought together.

Politics as a means of distribution

The structure and process that determines who gets what.

Rule by 1

Monarchy / tyranny.

Rule by few

Aristocracy / oligarchy.

Rule by many (or all)

Democracy / ochlocracy.

Cleisthenes' reforms

Redivided all Athenians into 10 tribes based on territory instead of birth.

Council of 500

Decided what issues the assembly would vote on.

Ostracism

An Athenian citizen could be forced to leave Attica for a decade for any random reason.

Ostrakon

Voting for any Athenian to be put into exile.

Athenian assembly

Elected military generals and passed laws, reserved only for adult male citizens.

Pericles

Elected general every year from 443 to 429 BCE.

Plato's description of democracy

A disorder which dispenses a sort of 'equality' to equal and unequal alike.

Aristotle's view on legislation

Democracy leads to instability due to the rapid passing and overturning of laws.

Patronage

A system of asymmetrical and reciprocal relationships where a more powerful party provides for a weaker party in exchange for votes.

Cursus honorum

Sequence of offices in the Roman Republic.

Quaestor

A Roman official who is typically 30 years old, with 20 per year appointed.

Praetor

A Roman judge, generally 39 years of age, with 8 per year appointed.

Comitia centuriata

A Roman assembly that handles elections and some legislation.

Optimates

Conservative faction favoring Senate authority and ancestral customs.

Populares

Faction that supports land reform and property redistribution.

Commentariolum petitionis

"A Brief Guide to Electioneering" attributed to Quintus Tullius Cicero.

Contio

A pre-assembly forum where issues are discussed before formal proposals.

Lex Gabinia

Legislation instituting secret ballots for elections.

Lex Papiria

Legislation instituting secret ballots for legislative measures.