Athens vs. Melos: The Inevitable Corruption of Government
A greedy empire vs a defiant island amidst the chaos and strife of the Peloponnesian War.
Around 425 BC, after an attempted attack years before, Athens requested a tax from the island of Melos in exchange for their freedom. The Melians refused and were consequently invaded. Why did the Athenians wish so badly to control invade a land that had done them no wrong and was neutral? Why did they annex Melos, a tiny island with only a few thousand inhabitants, when it posed no threat whatsoever to the vast Athenian Empire?
The answers to these questions are simple. The Athenian Empire and its massive armies and navies had won battle after battle against their enemies and were expanding across Greece at an alarmingly fast rate. Because of this, any city, tribe or country that slowed the advance of the mighty empire must be overcome, whether or not it be just. The enemies of the Athenians, The Spartans and their allies, had been defeated time and again to the point where they were considered less of a threat to Athens then a small land that refused to be annexed. It is not surprising that a government that was a direct democracy would believe it was natural for the stronger land to rule the weak, since in a direct democracy the mob always rules. The Athenian leaders worry less about the actual war they are winning and focus on an island that defies them with its freedom.
Government exists for two main reasons: To defend the rights of the people and to manage the military in times of war. However, when the wrong people are placed in power, or people in power have it for too long, they become obsessed with retaining and expanding that power. They forget that to govern should mean to serve, and instead use their positions to their advantage. We see this with the Athenians at Melos. They flat out say that they would rather lose their empire to their foes than be removed from power.
“The end of our empire, if end it should, does not frighten us: a rival empire like Sparta, even if Sparta was our real antagonist, is not so terrible to the vanquished as subjects who by themselves attack and overpower their rulers.” -Athenians
This is absolutely not the majority of Athenians speaking. The Athenian people would more likely wish for times of peace and unity, when their sons were not constantly overseas, fighting wars that only the oligarchy of Athenian leaders wanted. During the Peloponnesian war, the Athenian statesman Pericles shames the people of Athens and encourages them to keep fighting, at home and abroad. He claims that if they do not fight, they do not deserve the great city their fathers built them. Therefore, the Athenians who demand the capitulation of Melos are not the people. Rather, they are a small group of elites working together to stay in control of a large empire that was in control of much of the known world.
Pericles speaks to the people of Athens.
This reflects the eventual corruption of government. No matter how intricate or well-crafted a system is, self-centered politicians will always find a way in, just as self-centered people will always be in every good institution. Once a system no longer cares for the needs and rights of the people it claims to serve, it must be purged and reformed. The Athenian oligarchy seems to not even focus on the Lacedaemonians they are warring against. Instead, they seek to quickly and quietly overcome the harmless island of Melos, because it supposedly had military value to their navy. Yet there is another reason they desire to conquer Melos. The Athenians seem to be certain of victory against the Spartans and seem to not care if they lose their empire anyways, so they turn to those who they consider their real enemy: The free.
Tyrants hate freedom. Throughout history, tyrants have oppressed liberty. In Soviet Russia, free speech, and Christianity were outlawed. In Nazi Germany, free speech and many religions were also banned. In Communist China, land ownership and virtually any other right is repressed. Any who resisted these regimes were dealt with severely. When people are free, they cannot be controlled or cowed into submission. Corrupt governments know this, and are ever creeping towards the people’s freedoms, subtracting them slowly one by one until they have complete control. This is why the leaders of Athens consider the Melians their chief foe: They are free. They owe allegiance to no one. They are friendly with Sparta, but they are not allied to them, nor do they pay allegiance to them.
The Athenians promise what they are doing is not for their own gains alone, but also for the good of Melos.
“For the preservation of your country; as we would fain exercise that empire over you without trouble, and see you preserved for the good of us both.” -Athenians.
Athens claimed weakly to be interested in the preservation of Melos, as well as needing the island for their own military devices. However, they seem to have somewhat savored defeating a free state.
“As we think, at any rate, it is expedient — we speak as we are obliged, since you enjoin us to let right alone and talk only of interest — that you should not destroy what is our common protection, the privilege of being allowed in danger to invoke what is fair and right, and even to profit by arguments not strictly valid if they can be got to pass current.” -Melians.
The implications of the Athenian’s statements are clear. They believe that it is natural that, when necessary for the overall good of the larger country, the larger country has the right to invade a free land and infringe upon the rights of the native citizens. This is similar to the situation with Antigone and Creon, morality vs state. Is it right for government to change traditional values to fit their needs? Who must we be loyal to? The ever-changing state, constantly, always seeking more power, or our freedoms, our families, our morals that define who we are. The family and community are the foundations of society. They have existed before government and shall continue to flourish after all governments fall. This conflict between the looming state and a close community also highlights some of the major issues with direct democracy, such as the fact that the largest group of voters always wins, and the small voter has no voice.
While the Athenian government retained its mindset of might makes right, they eventually ceased caring about the good of their people and more for the power they were stockpiling. This is why elected representatives are important, they give voice to everyone in the nation. What is more disturbing to me about the Athenians in power is that they are willing to throw away the great empire that thousands of young men died for, simply to keep their power over Athens. Their disregard for the lives of their own countrymen is just as sickening as their disregard for freedom.
The Melian dialogue proves the point that powerful governments with the upper hand will not only do unjust deeds for their personal gains but will also go out of their ways to defeat those who oppose them with their liberty. Government is a useful tool for preventing anarchy and chaos, but when the governors forget that their purpose is to serve, and infringe upon God-given rights such as freedom, they must be replaced. As the economist Ludwig von Mises put it, “There is no more dangerous menace to civilization than a government of incompetent, corrupt, or vile men.”