What did the Ancient Athenians mean by 'demokratia'?
What did the Ancient Athenians mean by 'demokratia'?The politics and ideas of ancient Athens have always played a key role in forming our idea of democracy. In this essay I will look to examine what the Athenians meant by 'demokratia' and will look to determine the true democratic nature of ancient Athens. I will attempt to do this by examining various aspects of ancient Greek life, by looking at the institutions of the time and the ways in which democracy took place, by examining the inclusion and exclusion of those people who were part of the decision making process and finally by observing the role of ancient Greek culture and norms in their politics. This will hopefully give us a clearer indication as to what the ancient Athenians meant by 'demokratia'.The Greek democracies did not spring up over night, but slowly evolved in response to a series of crisis. The city state which produced the first, most complete form of democracy was Athens. Athenian government took place by means of a set of institutions. The Ecclesia, or Assembly, was the most important institution and was considered the basis of democracy in ancient Athens. Every citizen had the right to attend the assembly. The assembly met over forty times
Citizenship and involvement in political activity were fundamental rights held in the highest esteem. Many of today's theorists criticize the undemocratic nature of slavery and the exclusion of so many inhabitants from the political process. Approximately six thousand citizens were needed for the assembly to be valid. It is important to note however that many of the ancient Greek philosophers were strong critics of Athenian democracy. Consensus was the ideal, but often decisions were determined by a formal vote after speeches had been made for and against the motion. In order to enable and enhance the running of the Assembly, there existed a council of five hundred, within which there was a committee of fifty. a year, which included normal and extraordinary sessions, which the council could call if considered necessary. Citizens in Athens were both the rulers and the ruled. Women had no political rights although if they married a citizen, they too would become a citizen. Ancient Greek culture drew a distinct line between the political community of citizens and society as a whole. Slaves also had no political rights and they were at the bottom of the social ladder. He believed that democracy 'treats all men as equals whether they are equal or not and that this equality is the hallmark of democracy's regrettable characteristics'. Large juries of several hundred citizens were selected by lot on a rota basis from a panel of jurors. (Finley M,I 1996) Rather Athenian liberty meant freedom to participate in political life and freedom from political oppression. The remainder of the population consisted of metics or resident foreigners.
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