Mitford on the formation of control systems in Athens and Sparta before the Peloponnesian war

Moscow Region State University, 10A, Radio str, 105005, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: yasnitsky@bk.ru

Abstract

The paper, historiographical by its nature, aims at examining the existing assessments of William Mitford's work and clarifying his interpretations of the particularities of the formation of political systems in Athens and Sparta before the start of the Peloponnesian War. The paper concludes that W. Mitford’s interpretations of the causes and characteristics of the formation of political systems and his description of the domestic political situation in Athens and Sparta are based on taking into account the objective, and above all, the material interests of various social strata of the population. An analysis of the work of W. Mitford revealed no distortions, arbitrary interpretation or preferences when choosing the text of ancient authors used by W. Mitford as sources. The main conclusion is that it was the democratic system of government founded by Solon, being itself a consequence of inequality of ownership that predetermined further upheavals and the expansion of the political struggle, while in Sparta the involvement in the political struggle decreased during the wars. Revision of assessments of interpretations and ideas of W. Mitford suggests the need to clarify the features of English historiography of the Enlightenment.