WAYS AND MEANS

Plan gospodarske obnove i razvoja Atene Ksenofont temelji na uvažavanju osnovnih interesa triju glavnih klasa atenskog pučanstva, tj. građana, stranaca i robova. Dominantan položaj građanskog staleža mogao se održati jedino zastupljenošću građana u državi i državnim monopolom u odnosu prema poduzetnim strancima. Da bi se potakla unutarnja i vanjska trgovina te novčarski poslovi, trebalo je dati garanciju sigurnosti i strancima. On to čini prijedlogom da se poboljša status stranaca, da se uvede posebna zaštita njihovih prava (odbor za zaštitu stranaca) i da se istaknutim strancima osiguraju posebne počasti. Imajući pred sobom problem osiromašenja građana, Ksenofont predlaže da se uvede porez i da se oformi poseban financijski fond iz kojeg bi se isplaćivale dnevne naknade za uzdržavanje. Predlaže da se fond proširi kao dioničko društvo pod upravom države koje bi prikupljalo slobodna sredstva i investiralo u razne oblike kapitalnih objekata koje bi onda država davala u zakup domaćim i stranim poduzetnicima ili bogatim ljudima. Ksenofont predlaže da se iz tog “kapitalnog fonda” financira gradnja kuća i hotela, lučkih i drugih pogodnosti za trgovce i posjetitelje, izgradnja trgovačkih brodova u državnom vlasništvu za iznajmljivanje privatnim brodarima i kupovina robova koji bi se također iznajmljivali privatnim poduzetnicima. Posebna pozornost posvećuje se mogućnostima unapređenja i proširenja rudnika srebra u Laurionu, iz kojih bi država mogla osigurati velike prihode. Za realizaciju svoga plana Ksenofont pretpostavlja održavanje mira, jer se u miru mogu uštedjeti velika sredstva koja bi inače progutao rat, a osim toga smanjuju se rizici i povećava povjerenje. Time bi Atena pridonijela održanju mira u Grčkoj i povećanju svoje sigurnosti. On posebno inzistira na čvrstoj vezi između gospodarskog razvitka i održanja mira, što je i zbiljska osnovica moći države.Xenophon founds his plan of economic renewal and development of Athens on the recognition of basic interests of the three principal classes of Athenian population, namely citizens, strangers and slaves. The predominant position of the citizens’ class could be upheld only by representation of citizens in the state and by state monopoly with regard to enterprising strangers. In order to give a boost to internal and external trade and fiscal transactions, strangers also had to be guaranteed safety. Thus Xenophon advances an improvement of the strangers’ status, the enactment of special protection of their rights (board for the protection of strangers), and the awarding of special commendations to prominent strangers. Faced with the problem of the citizens’ impoverishment, Xenophon suggests the introduction of tax and the establishment of a special financial fund, which would provide for daily sustenance wages. He also suggests the expansion of the fund into a state-governed joint stock company, which would collect free assets, invest in various forms of capital objects, and the state would lease them to domestic and foreign entrepreneurs and wealthy people. Furthermore, Xenophon proposes that the “capital fund” be used for financing construction of houses and hotels, port- and other facilities for merchants and visitors, building of state-owned merchant ships for rent to private shipowners, and the purchase of slaves, which would also be rented to private entrepreneurs. Special attention is dedicated to the possibilities of improving and expanding the silver-mines in Laurion, which could ensure great income to the state. According to Xenophon, a prerequisite for the realisation of his plan is preservation of peace, for in peacetime large resources can be saved which would otherwise be swallowed by war, risks are reduced, and trust increased. In this way Athens would contribute to the preservation of peace in Greece and enhance its own security. He particularly insists on a close connection between economic development and peace preservation, which is the true foundation of a state’s power