Pocock, J. G. A. Burke and the Ancient Constitution: A Problem in
the History of Ideas.1960.
Stanlis, P. J. Edmund Burke and the Natural Law.Ann Arbor: Uni-
versity of Michigan Press, 1965.
byzantine
In a political system or environment, byzantinerefers
to a great deal of secrecy, intrigue, conspiracy, trickery,
and complexity. Named after the political atmosphere
of the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman, Empire, which
ruled a vast area (from A.D. 330 to 1453) from the city
of Constantinople (now Istanbul). Because of the
complexities and corruption of the Byzantine Empire,
its politics were extremely intricate, devious, and vio-
lent. The governing of many different nationalities
around the Balkans, the frequent invasion from for-
eign armies, and the close ties between the state and
the Eastern Orthodox Church led to mysterious and
difficult politics. Corrupt and violent struggles over
power, often masked by high ideals, complex diplo-
macy, and eccentric personalities, made Western gov-
ernments seem open, logical, and orderly by contrast.
So, when a MODERNregime or government (such as
Stalinist Russia, Maoist China, or the U.S. presidency
of Bill Clinton) is described as byzantine, it means
that the power relationships within it are complex,
intense, and difficult to understand. This difficulty to
comprehend such “byzantine” governments makes it
hard to negotiate with them or change them, so, for
example, Western states found it challenging to nego-
tiate nuclear arms treaties with the Soviet Union for its
byzantine qualities.Further Reading
Angold, Michael. The Byzantine Empire 1025–1204: A Political
History.London: Oxford University Press, 1997.byzantine 43