Yale University Professor Donald Kagan, a leading scholar in classics and western civilization, extolled the virtues of Periclean democracy last night and suggested the West could learn many lessons from that era.
Kagan, a professor of classics, history and western civilization at Yale, delivered a speech titled "Why the West is Best" to about 100 people in Carpenter Hall.
Kagan called Pericles the greatest general and political figure in ancient Athens, saying he "helped a society discover what its destiny was, and helped shape that destiny."
Kagan noted Athens, thanks in large part to the contributions of Pericles, was the first recorded constitutional democracy.
Pericles' career offers an example of how a fragile democracy can be brought to maturity, Kagan said. When Pericles came to power, Athenian democracy had been established but was still in its formative stages. Pericles helped democracy flourish to become a foundation of ancient Athens.
"The most extraordinary gift Pericles had was a vision, which saw in Athens the opportunity to create the greatest political community ever known," Kagan said.
Kagan said people were inspired by Pericles because his vision exalted the individual within the political community. According to his vision, Athens was a place where citizens could achieve a greatness they could not reach on their own.
In the modern world, Kagan said, democracy is more or less taken for granted, but he warned "it is one of the most delicate, fragile flowers of human existence."
Kagan said even in ancient Athens, democracy only persevered for about two centuries. "Only in ancient Athens -- and in the United States so far -- has democracy lasted more than 200 years," he said.
In addition, Kagan noted the world has gone through some incredible changes in the past six years.
He classified the new emerging world democracies as very fragile. Few of these emerging governments can rely upon a democratic tradition, and many are confronting ethnic divisions threatening to destroy the unity a free state should have.
According to Kagan, successful democracies must possess three characteristics -- good democratic institutions, citizens who understand the principles of democracy or at least have developed character consistent with a democratic way of life, and a high quality of leadership.
The fragile emerging democracies "must see that democracy alone protects the dignity and autonomy of each individual," Kagan said.
He stressed that new democracies need leaders of the Periclean mold, leaders who assert the purpose of democracy is to elevate society to higher levels.
The lecture was sponsored by the Ernest Martin Hopkins Institute and the Dartmouth Speakers Union.
