Tyranny, Oligarchy and Democracy

BACKGROUND

Aristotle’s Politics puts forward his view of the political cycle, whereby the governmental structure moves through three forms. Each of these forms has its ‘corrupted’ version which leads to discontent, revolution, and the next stage in the cycle.


Monarchy – rule of the ONE (Monos) (typically Kingship)
Leads to Tyranny

Aristocracy – rule of the GOOD (Aristoi) (typically a land-owning or commercial group)
Leads to Oligarchy

Democracy – rule of the PEOPLE (Demos) (typically an assembly of free-born resident males)
Leads to Mob rule / Reactive democracy / Demagogracy


The city-states of Greece in the fifth and fourth centuries went through a long period of political turmoil which saw several of these states (poleis) dispute the hegemony of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. A series of states gained the lead, only to be torn down by coalitions of their rivals.

Athens, then Sparta, then Thebes, all became the dominant power, and all of them failed to build a lasting empire or system. These states were all subjugated by the Macedonians during the fourth century, and were then brought into the Roman sphere of influence during the third century.

Fascinatingly, this period of struggle saw the different states use the forms of government as a weapon in their national disputes, as well as a method of control. During the long wars between Sparta (traditionally an aristocracy with a dual kingship) and Athens (a radical democracy), the two sides used their political allies to foment unrest and gain control of vital cities, as well as imposing new governmental forms on defeated foes. Ultimately the Peloponnesian war ended when Athens collapsed after the disastrous naval defeat at Aegospotami in 404 BC and Sparta forced an oligarchic government on the Athenians.


GAME DEVELOPMENT

I wanted to use this period to explore a possible game based on these governmental forms in competition, rather than the states themselves. Players would be part of teams representing the three main forms of government, Monarchy, Oligarchy and Democracy, and would compete for control of cities, and the Greek world.

I see each major city having a ‘tray’ into which counters could be placed showing different ‘classes’, which would translate into different effects in different phases of each turn (which would probably represent 5-10 years).

The classes could be:

NOBILITY (land-owners)
Collect agricultural income
Fight as cavalry
MERCHANTS (traders)
Collect trade income
Fight as hoplites
WORKERS (industrial)
Produce trade income
Fight as hoplites OR peltasts OR sailors
FARMERS (agricultural)
Produce agricultural income
Fight as hoplites OR peltasts OR sailors
SLAVES
Can produce either income
Fight as peltasts OR sailors

The phases could be:

POLITICS
• Players make deals
• Players influence class groups
COMMERCE
• Classes generate income
• Buy slaves
• Check if trade disputes lead to war
WAR
• Check if foreign powers intervene/expand
• Hire mercenaries
• Resolve conflicts between cities (class groups provide different combat benefits)
SOCIETY
• Check for population growth
• Check for governmental change
• Collect taxes

Players would have influence cards which they would play on a particular class in a particular city, which would change its commerce, war or society effects. Different cities could also have special modifiers (e.g. Athens could have a bonus to WORKER income due to the strong commercial position of its pottery and its plentiful supply of clay, Sparta could have a combat bonus for its hoplites).

The players would also be part of factions within their teams – i.e. Trade, Land, anti-Persian, pro-Persian etc. This might encourage them to make deals with other teams. One of the notable facts about the Peloponnesian war was Democratic Thebes’s alliance with Sparta against Athens, for example. Players might have secret objectives to make a particular city strong.

The players would have influence cards which could improve a certain output, or cause specific events (such as a growth of FARMERS in one or all cities). These might be based on religious, political or philosophical concepts/events.

Finally at the end of each turn each city will check for a change of government, on the Aristotlean cycle. It should be possible to ‘jump’ stages in extreme situations, or for a war outcome to change the government automatically. The different government forms will produce different taxes, different methods of acting – democracy should require voting – and also different victory points for the teams and players.


KEY CITIES
Athens – commercial powerhouse with a strong democracy and navy
Sparta – military land-owning aristocracy supported by complex helot system.
Thebes – religious, often pro-Persian democracy
Corinth – strong commercial aristocracy
Argos – Sparta’s typically aristocratic rival
Miletus – commercial Ionian city usually under Persian rule
Syracuse – prone to monarchy, but in Sicily
Massalia – deep in the west but commercial successful

There were hundreds of city-states. How many of them are represented, and how the different regional situations are shown will determine the length of the game and the number of suitable players.

KEY ‘FOREIGN’ POWERS
Persia – massive empire – should dominate Ionia and even Aegean islands if no strong Greek power opposes them
Carthage – threatens Sicily
Macedon – should grow in strength
Thessaly – a possible threat or ally
Egypt
Rome