Senecan Dark Money: Connecting the Politics of Wealth in Neronian Rome and Today Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

Super PACs have spent billions of dollars to dominate the political playing field by supporting candidates. However, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by groups that go completely unaccounted for: these groups are called  501(c)s ("dark money" groups). In this thesis, I use Seneca's De Beneficiis and the wider political and historical context of Neronian Rome as a new lens to investigate the impact of 501(c) groups on modern American politics. Through a comparative analysis, I look at how wealth-power dynamics and a sense of opacity built through the usage of personae and the development of "political masking" are on display in both Neronian Rome and contemporary America. The relationship between beneficium and officium finds a resurgence in the modern political sphere, and, when placed within the environment created by dark money, makes it impossible for voters to understand the "true" version of the politicians they vote for.

Table of Contents

1) Chapter One

2) Chapter Two

3) Conclusion

4) Works Cited

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Classics
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Classical Studies Philosophy
Mot-clé	Senecan Philosophy Neronian Rome Dark Money
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Campbell, Celia, Emory University
Committee Members	Master, Emily, Emory University Owen, Judd, Emory University

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