Reviewers+Of+Lycurgus's+Sparta

Still remembered in the world today, classic Sparta is well known for its association with militarism and its social tendency towards collectivism. When thinking of Sparta one generally thinks of strict rules and a strong militarily-minded people. Lycurgus is the mythical character given the name of “lawgiver” of Sparta. Lycurgus’s laws for Sparta cover economy, family, government, and education-all of which can be incorporated into an ideal world.

To become Lycurcus’s ideal world, Sparta would first have to undergo three economic changes. The first change Lycurgus made was in relation to property. He took all of the land in Sparta and first divided the province into thirty thousand lots. Each lot was capable of producing enough food for a man and his wife. After seeing the beneficial results of this plan, Lycurgus says “All Laconia looks like a family estate newly divided among many brothers.” Thus, Sparta was changed into a community where every man had an equal amount of property. This led to a more equal, unified society.

The transformation of currency was the second, and probably the most important, change in the economy. Lycurgus removed all gold and silver money from circulation and replaced it with iron money. The new iron currency was made so large and so heavy that it was difficult to move. Money could not be easily stolen. Officials saw a great decrease in crime. Another important change affected craftsmen. When money was virtually removed from Spartan society, the people of Sparta could no longer buy the “superfluous arts.” Therefore, craftsmen began to make only “objects of constant and necessary use.”

The third and possibly most controversial economic? change was the introduction of the “institution of common messes.” Everyone ate in the same location no matter what his or her social or economic status. Eventually, this brought the entire community into an equal status socially and economically. There was no longer the opportunity to become superior economically; therefore there was no longer the possibility for different social classes. These small steps went a long way toward developing a society of equality.

Many of Lycurgus’s ideas concerned family matters. When it came to women, Lycurgus believed that their purpose was to have many strong Spartan boys. He wrote about making the women exercise and perform many of the same physical activities that boys participated in so “that the fruit of their wombs might have vigorous root in vigorous bodies and come to better maturity.” He also believed that vigorous exercise would help in child birth and make it less painful. In his own words he meant to “[free women] them from softness and delicacy.” Spartan women were raised and trained for one thing--to have more Spartan men. Lygurgus's customs for marriage are odd and unheard of. Lycurgus wanted to have a couple initially meet secretly until they had learned “self-restraint and moderation.” Also it was not uncommon for a man or woman to have a child with someone who was not a spouse for breeding purposes. After birth a child was not raised by its family but taken to a place called Lesche and examined to determine whether or not it was suitable to be a Spartan. For family matters, Lycurgus believed it was best to take a more practical point of view.

Lycurgus took a collective point of view for his ideal government. He didn’t want any of his laws to be written because he wanted each and every man to be a lawgiver. He wanted the government to be more of a need-based system that catered to the people. Senators were those who held a position on the top most council. He wanted “the best and wisest of the good and wise” to be elected after a senator’s death. The senators elected new senators by placing the candidates in closed rooms and choosing the competitor for whom the people screamed the loudest. In the matter of law, Lycurgus believed it was for both? the people and the senators to make decisions in his equal society.

Education was very important to Lycurgus. He wrote that it was “the greatest and noblest task of the law-giver.” Importance was not placed on reading and writing but on the ability and willingness to “obey commands well, endure hardships, and conquer in battle.” The boys were raised in a military setting which remained their lifestyle for their entire lives. Oddly enough the boys were trained in the art of music and poetry to honor those who had died bravely and honorably in battle. The training the Spartans endured “lasted into the years of full maturity.” Men were not allowed to do what they wanted but belonged to the state and were subject to its orders and expectations. Their intense and vigorous lifestyle called for a considerable amount of leisure time.

Lycurgus’s ideal world was an extreme version of military collectivism. He had strict rules concerning economy, family, government, and education. The only idea I would implement into my ideal world would be in the economy. The aspect I liked most about his ideal economy was that everyone had an equal amount of wealth; therefore there was no need for luxury. All of his other ideas about family, government, and education, I believe, are too government controlled. I think that the people should have more rights and input into their own society.

Posted by Offred (Malone)