What did Athens earn in peacetime?

Athens peacetime income comes from trade taxes and trade-related surcharges. It imposes 2% commodity tax on goods entering and leaving Piraeus, 2% commodity trade tax on Attica, port tax or transit tax, and taxes on foreigners, slaves and prostitutes. It also collects rents from state property, including 4% of the rent of the Laurion silver mine, as well as fines imposed by the court and confiscated property.

In peacetime, income is enough to spend, so citizens don't have to pay taxes at all in peacetime. In 355 BC, Xenophon suggested the Athens authorities to increase their income and improve their financial situation, and put forward the same method: attract more foreigners, businessmen and captains, build more state-owned warehouses, buy three slaves for each citizen, that is, 6,543,800+2,000 slaves, and let them rent these slaves to mines for larger-scale mining.

He correctly pointed out that as long as Athens can keep the peace, it can provide enough subsidies for its poor citizens. Rebuild its docks, walls and temples and accumulate reserves. Great changes have taken place in wartime. The first three categories should be handed over to eisphora for military service; The richest citizens have to pay a lot of money to be captains of the three oars and cavalry, and they have to pay taxes in advance.

At the same time, the war destroyed commercial trade and drove away foreigners, so the tax revenue dropped sharply. Isocratus wrote in 355 BC: "Athens is now regarded as the road of fear by businessmen, foreigners and tourists. In peacetime, these people scramble to squeeze into Athens." Because Athens consumed fiscal reserves like a candle burning at both ends in wartime, it consumed as fast as it accumulated in peacetime.

Citizens employed as daily servants can earn wages by paddling in the fleet without paying any taxes in peacetime and wartime, so there is no loss in money in participating in the war. If the empire is restored, they can also be military immigrants and upgrade to the level of heavy infantry. Because this layer is in the majority in democratic politics, they are very belligerent in deciding national affairs and always want to turn the Athens League into the Athens Empire.

In 4 15 BC, "most people and soldiers hoped to get state subsidies immediately and seized the right to enjoy them forever." In 393 BC, aristophanes mentioned that the atmosphere in Athens was like a new adventure. "Let's put the fleet out! (shouted an orator); The poor voted for it, and the rich and farmers voted against it. " In 355 BC, Xenophon summed up the people's attitude towards the Second Athens League as "aggression", which was due to the poverty of most people.

The opposition of interests between the rich and the poor also influenced and changed the spirit of Athens Constitution and its implementation. Respect for law, especially unwritten law, has been weakened because people are determined to realize their wishes through order rather than law. The accusation of "grapheparunomon" was originally intended to protect the existing laws, but now it is invalid because of abuse. It is said that aristophanes was charged with this crime 75 times, but all failed. The accusation of "eisangelia" was originally intended to protect the country in the absence of judicial means. Abuse of this accusation has become so common, even ridiculous, that someone rewarded a singer with more money than his legal tax payment, and was also accused of "treason". These two kinds of complaints are heard directly by the people at the People's Congress.

Some time before 355 BC, a new litigation procedure was implemented to protect legal precedent. 100 1 jurors are drawn from the trial court to form a special group, which is appointed by the National People's Congress as nomothetae, to review all existing laws at any time and make corresponding amendments according to their judgments. This once again shows that the people have become the source of law and judges.

The administrative power is gradually weakened. The Committee has lost the right to execute and judge "treason" and the right to disqualify candidates for administrative officials according to its investigation. On these issues, the people's congress or the jury court has the final decision. The power of the Committee to guide diplomatic negotiations and manage finances was also transferred to the people's congress. People are extremely suspicious of senior administrative officials, many of whom were executed, exiled or fined by jury courts.

The people have no pity for them. Caliste Ras was convicted of "treason" for "not giving the best advice to the people". He escaped in 36 1 year BC, but was executed when he came back to pray for the protection of the altar of the Twelve Gods around 355 BC. In 356 BC, Evy Clardy was also accused of "treason". He was acquitted by threatening to take the mercenary to court, and Timothy was fined heavily? 100 tarant. Political prominence is very dangerous for any senior CEO, even for a board member. Everyone acquiesces that the people will never make mistakes, that is, all its measures and policies are correct. If there are mistakes and failures, the responsibility falls on the executors.

Aristotle wrote: "man is the master in all aspects;" All administrative management acts in accordance with the resolutions of the people's congresses and the judgments of the courts. The people are the masters of the country in the people's congresses and courts. " In such a government directly managed by the people, political leaders are extremely important. In the past, Pericles was a general, a financier and an orator, but his successors were rarely knowledgeable and versatile. General is becoming a specialized industry. If they are unpopular or unpopular at home, they will go overseas to be mercenary leaders. Financiers are also proficient in their own business, but at that time, the significance of financial management in governing the country became more and more significant. Some of them are also capable speakers.

The speaker specializes in the skills of how to make people accept their views in people's congresses and courts. Among them, the most shameless are the political wise, who are good at turning hostilities into friendship and can sell their tricks to any master. They are often employed by mercenary leaders, foreign authorities, contractors and cavalry commanders. Even those who are interested in winning the title of political leader must cater to the wishes of the people before they can have any influence. It is not easy to impeach an orator unless he holds an administrative position, even if the policies he advocates are extremely harmful. Therefore, those who are responsible for failure will always be those who carry out policies and bear administrative responsibilities.

A character in aristophanes's plays once said the following words to the God of Wealth: "To be honest, only you are the key to success or failure; Even in war, only the side you stand beside them can win the battle. " With money, there are mercenaries, and even Sparta, not to mention all other city-States, use mercenaries to support their civic strength and enrich their ranks in wartime. Athens is a big customer who employs them, with about 7000 people? 8000 mercenaries often serve them, and this alone cost 1000 talant in the allied war.

The heavy infantry of Athenian citizens only want to serve nearby, and their discipline and training are not as good as mercenaries. Although the cavalry is still composed of Athenian citizens equipped at their own expense, it costs the country 40 talents every year. Yugoslav capital fortifications, fleets, docks, arsenals and ordnance cost a lot. New ships may be built every year.

In addition, wages and subsidies issued by the state have also increased. At the beginning of the 4th century BC, everyone who attended the People's Congress got an Apor, while in the second half of the 4th century BC, ordinary conferences got 6 APORs and main conferences got 9 APORs. Jurors who have been paid by the state for a long time are now paid more than in the past (because they spend more time on jury work), and each administrative official also receives a small allowance. No wonder the closure of jury courts in 355 BC and 348 BC was considered as a sign of financial exhaustion.

The Athens Constitution promulgated in 403 BC also made some amendments. Around 378 BC? In the first 377 years, nine chairmen (proedroi) were elected by lot, one for each tribe (except for the tribe that has representatives to participate in the presidium), and their duties were to preside over the meetings of the people's congresses and councils; Maybe in 366 BC? In the first 365 years, a secretary of the Presidium (grammateus) was elected by lot every year to assist the monthly election of the "Secretary of the Council". These new posts are obviously designed to improve administrative efficiency.

The most important innovation is in the financial field. Among them, a tax payment team is established, which is mainly used to collect specially donated assets, and then it is also used to share the construction cost of the three-paddle boat; The other is the establishment of the Naval Commissioner's College. Before 354 BC, the equivalent management organ of finance and finance was the parliament, and only later did the Commissioner of "to theorikon" have the power to supervise the financial expenditure of various departments. Distributing cash enables the poorest citizens to participate in and perform city-state festivals, which is a subsidy to the poor since the 5th century BC and an important measure to help people tide over the difficulties in the 4th century BC.

Around 358 BC, the Holy Fund was established, which is a special fund that can often provide cash, and then the Fund Commissioner was appointed. These members are elected by the people for a term of four years to coincide with the Pan-Athena Festival held every four years. This official position can be regarded as an exception to the practice of drawing lots for an annual term in democratic politics. Their extraordinary power also enabled them to "control almost all the city-state administrative agencies" soon.

In 354 BC, the chief commissioner of the Holy Fund was Aubruce, a capable politician who put forward a peace proposal in 355 BC. He and his successor carried out a far-sighted financial policy. Its main pillar is a possible period of office (354 BC? The law passed in the first 350 years stipulates that all the annual income surplus must be turned over to the sacred fund.

This law makes poor citizens feel that maintaining peace should be considered from the perspective of economic interests; Because if Athens starts a war, the surplus will not be handed over to the sacred fund and become a military fund (stratiotikon). In most cases, this measure is a shrewd and good strategy. The people are no longer as sharply divided as they were in the period of sharp opposition between the rich and the poor on peace and war. Every department can make financial savings. Combat readiness can be carried out with military appropriations designated by the National People's Congress.

This law is only a restriction on war. However, this mechanism is not easy to cancel. Because to do this, it is necessary to appoint a special inspector at the suggestion of the National People's Congress to review or amend this law, just like any law on record. However, there are also dangers. If there really is a war, this measure may cause too much concern for the interests of peace, but it will become an obstacle.

During this period, the democratic politics in Athens was severely criticized by those who preferred a moderate or even undemocratic constitution, and regarded it as an example of "extreme democracy". The successors of Thucydides and aristophanes are Plato, Xenophon, Theodore and Aristotle. They criticized the people's congress or the jury court, which was confused by imperialist fantasies and dominated by speakers. However, Athena still retains many excellent qualities. It gives citizens political, speech, education, legal and professional freedom.

It supports the poor and maintains their self-esteem. It treats foreigners and slaves humanely in daily life, and they can attend the worship ceremonies of many families and polis and get legal protection. It ranks first in culture, commerce and capital. There are still many moderate compromise factors in the implementation of its constitution. Committee members and jurors are over thirty. In normal times, most of them come from the heavy infantry class, because the official salary is not enough to attract many employees, and the vast majority of participants in the National People's Congress are still citizens with permanent property and leisure. Only in times of economic hardship, poor people make up the vast majority of jurors.

Only at the critical moment of discussion, the richest class attended the meeting and made up the control resolution. The combination of experience handed down from generation to generation and strict procedural rules made the Athenians an example for other countries to govern their country in the fourth century BC.