Garrett 대 희 “Dae Hee” Edmark 

Aug. 27, 2023, 9:35AM 

United States of Athens

PROFESSOR IONET CATALIN POPESCU PHD: What do you think is the message Thucydides is attempting to portray in the Melian Dialgoue regarding the role of ethics in international relations? Do you agree more with the Athenian or the Melian leaders? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

GARRETT 대 희 “DAE HEE” EDMARK: I perceived that the message that the Author was trying to document was an interaction between arrogance and pride. An Athenian representative in the reading stated, "This is no fair fight, with honour on one side and shame on the other. It is rather a question of saving your lives and not resisting those who are far too strong for you" Athens has the power to do unspeakable things to the people & island of Melos and they see the island as an asset that they would like as a part of their empire. I felt hopeful for the Melians, but I think even they knew they would be conquered. It draws many similarities to how foreign affairs are carried out. The country with more power to exert typically wins. As the Athenians in the reading stated, "...and we know that you or anybody else with the same power as ours would be acting in precisely the same way." I agree with the Athenians, but I empathize with the Melian leaders; however, had the Melians & the Athenians swapped positions I believe the same situation would have happened vice-versa. Thucydides’ Melian Dialogue paints a picture of how an unequal power divides between two states can incredibly limit the options of the lower-powered state while the higher-powered state can do anything it pleases without accountability or the need for providing justification. Charles Tilly's 1993 article, "National Self-Determination is a problem for all of us" serves as a great compliment to the Melian dialogue. The paper outlines how states are built on the preparation for war. In essence, the best equipped most powerful state will be the king of the pond. In this scenario, Athens had more resources, a larger navy, higher-quality weapons, their soldiers were better trained, their state had more available forms of income and the nation itself was wealthier. Athens offered the Melians mercy in exchange for their allegiance, the Melians declined and chose to go to war. Athens then killed every man on the island of Melos and took every woman and child prisoner. I empathize with the Melians but understand that colonization was an option for the Melians, but they chose to go to war and lost to a significantly more powerful state. It serves as a great example of the longstanding concept of power and how an excerpt from the Peloponnesian war can still be applicable to foreign issues today regarding sovereignty.