Abstract
The article considers the problem of despotism in the management practice of the Ancient Egyptian economic system. The author puts forward the suggestion that the Ancient Egyptian disciplinary sanctions in general were not excessively cruel, the activities of offi cials was limited by cultural and institutional systems and was under social control.
There is no doubt that the leaders of Egyptcould not do without negative sanctions in the management of economic complex. Punishment took a great part in the management of motivation and formation of workers’ conformism. But the Egyptian rulers constantly took care of the development of rules limiting spontaneity of condemnation and determined a long way to co-ordinatethe disciplinary measures at different levels of the bureaucratic pyramid. In addition, legislators of the Nile state rarely established the need for the death penalty - a measure, widespread in other countries of the ancient world. On the basis of the available data it can be judged that this frightening instrument was rarely aimed at preventing even the most serious economic crimes, such as “improper” use of God’shouse property.
The Ancient Egyptian system of economic management had no clear evidence of other trait, closely associated with the concept of despotism- arbitrariness perpetrated by the rulers and dignitaries. Today there is no doubt that the authorities of ancient Egypt had to carry out their activities in framework of social and cultural constraints.
Keywords
Ancient Egypt, administration, disciplinary sanctions, despotism, economic system
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