Diverse Voices Are Key to a Healthy Democracy, Holy Cross Professor Writes in The Washington Post

Controversy is raging in the U.S. over what to do about growing economic inequality, prompting controversial solutions, such as the "wealth tax" proposals of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren.

In a commentary for The Washington Post, Thomas Martin, professor and Jeremiah W. O'Connor chair of classics at the College of the Holy Cross, argues that the U.S. isn't the first democracy to debate whether the common good requires sharing of wealth.

In the piece, Martin draws a parallel with the first ever large-scale democracy of ancient Athens, via "Congresswomen," a comedy written by the Greek playwright Aristophanes. The play involves a scenario where the women of Athens assume control of the government and where sharing wealth would rescue Athenian society.

"The past so outrageously yet so desperately portrayed in ‘Congresswomen’ seems not past at all, said Martin. "Neither is the fundamental message underlying that ancient fantasy: Listening to those who haven’t previously been listened to is one good way to begin figuring out how to make things better for everyone, a process that somehow needs to include sharing for the common good, as Aristophanes's congresswomen insisted."

Professor Martin specializes in the ancient history of democracy, its roots in Athens, and how it compares with modern American democracy. He teaches courses on the Athenian democracy, Hellenism and the Roman Empire.

To read the full article, go to WashingtonPost.com.