The Idea of World Citizenship in Greek & Roman Antiquity

Socrates and Plato were forefathers to the concept of "the world citizen."

Required reading for many college students choosing to study philosophy, ethics or political science, Martha Nussbaum's essay "The Idea of World Citizenship in Greek and Roman Antiquity" introduces the concept of a "world citizenship" based mostly on Stoic philosophy. A school of thought that flourished during this time, Stoicism advanced the notion that as a world citizen, man has an obligation to not only show loyalty to his city but also to play an active role in world affairs.

The Origin

Although much deliberation and debate by the likes of Plato and Aristotle regarding the idea of cross-cultural politics and cosmopolitan identity occurred, according to Nussbaum, neither of these philosophers actually coined the term "citizen of the world."

The Philosophy

The term "citizen of the world" is attributed to Diogenes of Sinope the Cynic, whom Plato described as "a Socrates gone mad." Diogenes lived in exile and provoked people through his behavior in an effort to force them to question their prejudices. Diogenes promoted the idea that "the only real community is one that embraces the entire world"---hence, a citizen of the world.

The Essay

First published as part of her book "Cultivating Humanity: A Classical Defense of Reform in Liberal Education," compilation texts such as "The Norton Reader" now provides the essay along with topical writings by various authors.

References

• Google Books: Cultivating Humanity-A Classical Defense of Reform in Liberal Education, Ch. 2
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Cosmopolitanism
• Simon Fraser University: Stoicism

Resources

• New York Times Magazine: Who Needs Philosophy-A Profile of Martha Nussbaum
• W.W. Norton and Company, Inc.: The Norton Reader-An Anthology of Nonfiction
• The New York Times Online: A Classical Education-Back to the Future