Athenian Democracy. How would you define democracy? Consider the definition below provided by the...
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Transcript of Athenian Democracy. How would you define democracy? Consider the definition below provided by the...
Athenian Democracy
• How would you define democracy?
• Consider the definition below provided by the Greek Historian Herodotus in the fifth century BCE.
Herodotus, Histories 3.80
Aristotle’s Politics
• Forms of Government• Monarchy (The rule of
one.)• Aristocracy (The rule
of the elite.)• Democracy (The rule
of the people.)
• Corrupted Forms• Tyranny• Oligarchy• Demagoguery or
Anarchy
deme=peoplecratis=power
• Thesis: Athenian democracy was paradoxical in that it was both radically hierarchical and radically egalitarian.
• Hierarchical: It excluded a large segment of the population: women, slaves, foreigners, children (Only adult male citizens, perhaps 10-20% of the population could participate politically.)
• Egalitarian: It was not representative democracy, but direct democracy. All citizens made laws and decisions for the polis, not special legislators. All citizens held political office during their lifetimes.
Athenian Democracy
• I. Political Changes and Reforms to the end of the Sixth Century
• II. The Athenian Constitution (Politeia) in the Fifth Century BCE
• III. Athenian Government in Practice
I. Political Changes and Reforms in Athens to the end of the Sixth Century
• 1. By 700 BCE a ruling aristocracy replaced kings• 2. Solons Reforms (c. 594 BCE)
– All citizens could vote, but not all could hold magisterial offices; ended slavery for debt
• 3. Period of Populist Tyrants (546-510 BCE)• 4. Cleisthenes Reforms (c. 508 BCE)
– All citizens could hold office
II. Athenian Constitution (Politeia)
• 1 Citizenship (18; if both parents citizens)• 2 Citizen Assembly (Ekklesia)
– Met at least once a week; all citizens could attend, speak in, and vote on laws and decisions
• 3 Political and Administrative Offices– Chosen by lottery; term limits of one year, never two
years in a row; same office only twice in one’s life
• 4 Courts – no legal professionals only private citizens
• 5 The Theoretical Purpose: A fragmentation of power (of influential families/clans/individuals)
– The government structure made it difficult for individuals or groups (powerful families) to accumulate power.
– We think of equality in terms of rights. Ancient Athenians also considered citizens functionally equal in the sense of being interchangeable (like hoplites in the phalanx)
III. Athenian Government in Practice
• 1. Compared to Modern Democracies– Why don’t people vote in US elections? Very
low participation in modern US democracy.• 2. Widespread and active participation in ancient
Athens• 3. A Relationship between Equality and Hierarchy?
– Patriarchy– Slavery– Empire
• Did direct democracy exist because of the many forms of hierarchy that supported it (participation possible because of social and political order)?
Patriarchy
• Disparity in marriage age
• Wives had limited public presence
• Prostitutes and Courtesans (hetairai); typically foreign women and slaves– Aspasia (Pericles lover and companion)
• Pederasty among the elites (love of youths/adolescents)
Slavery
• A Slave Society: – Fifth-century Athens perhaps 250,000 with a slave
population of 80,000
• Prisoners of War– Not a racial slavery; those who were reduced to slavery
through war and piracy
• Served in Diverse Occupations– Private slaves: artisans, managers, domestic servants,
secretaries, miners– Public slaves: police, executioners, clerks
Athenian Imperialism
• Athens as the Head of the Delian League– Appropriated the League Treasury– Forced Membership (“allies could not
withdraw)
• Growing Dominance over Other Greek poleis