A Research Of Social Welfare In Athens In Classical Times

This research uses Finley Model to investigate the performance and reasons of social welfare in Athens in the classical times,the core idea of this model is an embedded economy,that is,social activities control economic activities,status is one of the main driving power of“embedded” economy.The paper attempts to use this theory to establish a new perspective of observation,through the analysis of political activities,cultural tradition and religious consciousness on the impact of economic activities,and then have a further understanding of the social welfare in Athens.The introduction part of this paper will summarize the research status of scholars at domestic and abroad on Athenian social welfare and Finley Model.Domestic scholar’s research on Athenian social welfare focuses on the aspects of subsidies and salaries,and there is little discussion on Finley Model,I have yet to find an article that uses Finley Model to interpret Athenian social welfare.Foreign scholar’s research on social welfare in Athens is embodied in the aspects of system history and economic history,social welfare is often an integral part of these studies,foreign scholars have more abundant researches on Finley Model than those in China.However,as it has nothing to do with the topic of this paper,I put these materials in footnotes for readers’ reference.Chapter one first sorts out Finley’s academic pedigree and theoretical model.Finley was taught by Karl Polanyi and was deeply influenced by Max Weber’s academic thoughts,the Finley Model has been continuously discussed and revised by many scholars,and these contents need to be summarized in this chapter,and the definition of the Finley Model used in this article should be clarified based on the research of senior scholars.Chapter two first clarifies the concept of “social welfare”,and secondly,uses“embedded” economic theory to summarize the social welfare shown by all parties in society in the face of the impact of economic activities,starting from this theory,we analyze the factors affecting economic activities in Athens’ food market,democratic politics,gift economic traditions and religious activities,the essence of the “embedded” economy is that the standards followed by economic activities are not within economic activities,but in social activities.Chapter three examines the social standards adopted in economic activities,including the strong power of democratic politics over economic activities,the collective unconscious influence of isonomia concepts and gift economic traditions on the Athenian,and the influence of status and honor on irrational economic life.These social standards curb the need for the rationality of modern economic activities,and make it clear that the “embedded”economy does not mean that the economy determines welfare,but that the standards of economic activities affect social welfare.