advantages and disadvantages of democracy in ancient greece

Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. It is a center for economic, political, financial and culture life in Greece. Two of the most well known and powerful city-states were Sparta and Athens. This limits the majoritys right to rule. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. City-state is an independent or nearly independent state in which political and cultural activities are concentrated in a single urban center (Legon). One of the biggest weaknesses of Athenian democracy was highlighted by Plato; the masses are sometimes ignorant, and they are likely to be swayed by rhetoric. Due to the fact that Sparta had a very military lifestyle, they were good at raising strong outspoken women in a society where women were kept at home. This is why we give the ebook compilations in contribution to our knowledge of ancient Greece--its politics, philosophy, and literature, from Homer to Plato. 5. The word democracy comes from two Greek words that mean people (demos) and rule (kratos). There was a constant importance of acknowledging all citizens hard work and participation. The government was also corrupted and dominated by the elite of the city-state. 3 What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state model of government in Greece? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Ancient Greece was dominated by small city-states and independent towns, rather than by one all-powerful king, because of its geography. These ideas are infused in various pieces of literature where the idea of democracy leaves a visible mark on society, dividing it into two scales, one being unable to, Never before have there been so many democracies in the world or so many competitive elections conducted at national, subnational and region levels. The term, Democracy, stems from the Greek word demokratia which means rule by the people and it wasnt until around 500 BCE in Athens where the first examples of democracy originated. WebOne of the main advantages of Athenian democracy was that the archon and his eight assistants were elected annually. Athens was a democratic state that was peaceful and where women were open to culture and democracy. This excluded a majority of the population: slaves, freed slaves, children, women and metics (foreign residents in Athens). Athens owes the first penal and civil law code to Draco. This horrible plague killed the Athenian leader Pericles along with many other Athenians, which took a huge toll on their morale. It does not store any personal data. Athenss military prowess allowed them to look down on the other members of the League and treat them as members of an empire instead of equals. The assembly passed laws and made policy decisions (PBS 1). What are the pros and cons of Athenian society? The Constitution also represents the value and principles of democracy and republicanism that the United States of American stands by. Democracy Cons: Cons: Only citizens got to vote. The Greeks never unified, Sparta is a better place to have an exciting or joyful life because you would be isolated by mountains and oceans. Athenian democracy also had one-year term limits. Advantages: meet outside often, healthy outdoor lifestyle, they had good temperature for farming and prospering, very moderate climate. Unfortunately, the government makes the people feel powerless to the point where theyre forced to elect a candidate whos not impotent. Sparta, it appears, had fewer changes to government over time as compared to Athens. The reason I say this is because, in economic terms, reduction in government spending and increasing tax collection at the same time is like hitting someone with two hammers together. Athenian democracy also was cumbersome and operated slowly. But, since foreigners, women, and slaves were not allowed to become citizens, democracy meant equality among those whousually by birthwere entitled to be citizens of a particular place. Pre-Classical Greece saw a Dorian movement take place after the Trojan war. Women had no contributing role in politics. Because Athens (back then it was called Athenai), was where the concept of democratic society was first formed. The Aetolians settled while the Dorians divided into two forces and continued on where one force took over Messenia and the other moved into Laconia and Sparta.      As we look back upon the two significant differences in the governmental systems of Sparta and Athens, there are also many other characteristics that distinguish the differences and similarities of these two city states. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. The biggest difference between Athenian democracy and almost all other democracies is that the Athenians had a direct democracy rather than being representative. The current American democracy may have steamed from Athens, but they do not really have that much in common. Pros And Cons of Ancient Athenian Democracy and Pros and Cons of American Democracy. some might say the Romans were better. To begin with Sparta completely discarded all advanced education. Other contrasting issues included womens rights, social classes, and value of human life. Pros: All citizens got to vote and have their opinion expressed. While this advancement occurred. Cons. Of Democracy In Ancient Greece WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Democracy. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I do not believe that in the 4th to 5th century BCE ancient Athen were democratic for many reasons. This meant that they may not have represented mass opinion, whereas getting all males over the age of 18 involved in politics increased the likelihood of policies representing what people wanted. The similarities show that the founders of America based the new democratic government on the Ancient Greek democracy that came two millennia earlier. 7 What was the disadvantage of democracy in ancient Greece? Athens is more superior than Sparta through, government, economy, and culture. Ancient Greece is often credited with being the birthplace of democracy. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, democracy can simply be defined as the government of the people, but lately it seems as if that definition has become invalid. The reason why Takaki tells us the story of his interaction with the taxi cab driver is because the driver assumed since he was not white, that he was not American. The women had limited rights and privileges, had restricted movement in public, and were very segregated from the men. Unlike the Romans, Athenians had a strict but fair schedule that allowed them to enjoy citizenship equally. However up until 500 BCE, the concept of Democracy was a foreign concept, and the great civilizations of that era were run by monarchs, aristocrats, and religious leaders of sorts. Its also said that Sparta is the foundation for the governments we now have in the world. Each city-state had its own form of government and its own army, and even sometimes its own navy. As we know, this system is a norm to the Western world, in order to preserve personal freedom and make sure that the will of the people is upheld. Possibly could make faster decisions. (Figure 2). The rule of the people is the definition of Democracy. 5 What are the disadvantages of Constitution? Such abundance of water makes Ancient Greece good in fishing and trade. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. Tyranny (disadvantage) Not a guarantee that the people chosen by lottery would make effective government decisions. Even though their government was ran by the people themselves, only the men in the city could vote. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Sparta lacked land area and was forced to seek other land in the fertile plain of Messenia. Some of the strengths of Athenian democracy include making decisions based on the opinions of many rather than a few, giving responsibility to more citizens and making records available for public examination. How did geographic barriers affect Shang and Zhou relations with outside peoples? First of all, the economy was very strong in Athens. Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. This means that the people of the said community can either rule directly or indirectly by electing officials to make decisions for the betterment of the people. Although the competing city-states of Sparta and Athens were individually different as well as governmentally diverse, they both managed to become dominating powers in Ancient Greece. Some of the major issues with government are the political lies and schemes it takes to get to the top and remain there. What are the limitations of a majority rule democracy? Along with the Aetolians, they invaded the Peloponnesus from across the Corinthian Gulf (Halsall, 1999). Democracy (disadvantage) Only the elite or upper class had a role in government, lower class not represented. Socrates did not care for the idea in general, and Aristotle thought it could, within a state, yield new forms of abuse of power. In 508 BCE, the Athenian aristocrat Cleisthenes instituted the first Athenian political democracy. As the Greek playwright, Euripides wrote in his play that, Nothing is worse for a city than a tyrant. (Section 2.2The Rise of Democracy and the Threat of Persia) Cleisthenes knew that, so he gave every. This means they may make stupid decisions that do not benefit society. Athens was full of life and the people living there appreciated all of what others had to offer: arts, music, life, and new cultures. Its population was over five times as great as the other small city-states. 8 What was the government like in ancient Greece? In ancient Athens only the men were able to vote. 4 What are the pros and cons of democracy in ancient Greece? The mountains also make communication from city to city slow. Athens organized a group of Greek city states into the Delian League and eventually lead and dominated all of the city states in the League. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Why is Greece the birthplace of democracy? Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. Demo, meaning the people, and kratia meaning the power or rule. Why was logical and public speaking emphasized more in Athens than any other city-state? Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics, and societies. What does checks and balances refer to quizlet? Due to the geographical disadvantages of grease The civilization was divided into many city-states instead of having one main government. Athens was more inviting and had many more fun things to do, which is why Athens is a better place to live. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Adversely, it is not a social norm to ask yourself why this system is in place, or if it is truly what man hungers for? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Democracy is the idea that the citizens of a country should take an active role in the government of their country and manage it directly or through elected representatives. What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? Democracy, a form of government, allows the people in their own nationality to vote for people in order for them to become representatives as a result to vote on new laws that would affect their own nationality. Sparta was focused on their military, discipline, and to have a strong state. If they did not fulfill their duty they would be fined and sometimes marked with red paint. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. But Athens is more about the people; they are also more secure. In 594 BCE, Salon, the new leader of Athens, he created a constitution that ended the political control of the wealthy. During 750-500 B.C.E, Ancient Greece is a place that is known for some city-states, called poleis. The Constitution represents the value and principles of democracy and republicanism by stressing liberty and inalienable rights as central values, making the people as a whole sovereign, rejecting inherited political power, expecting citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption. Draco organized laws by putting them in a written code, letting everyone know what the laws were and, In historical Europe, many of the countries were ruled by tyrants who dictated the citizens daily lives. One reason why Athens had a greater respect for human rights is that they had a direct democracy, while Sparta had an oligarchy. What are the pros and cons of Athenian society? Sage-Advices Rather than vote for representatives, like we do, each citizen was expected to vote for every law. And also huge people complain about the racism and the guns. Altogether there were over 1500 city-states, but some of these barley qualify because they are so small. In ancient Athens, democracy was about aggregating, aligning and codifying useful knowledge. How does Coyote kill the giant? Democracy is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The period of prosperity in Athens was so short lived because they only had one strong leader, Pericles. Democracy, a form of government, allows the people in their own nationality to vote for people in order for them to become representatives as a result to vote on new laws that would affect their own nationality. The difference in land as well as population perceives a relative historical comparison. What are the disadvantages of having government? Sparta was focused on their military, discipline, and to have a strong state. Its also said that Sparta is the foundation for the governments we now have in the world. Established on September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution established Americas national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed rights for its citizens. To have a powerful and lasting empire with great prosperity you must have a series of strong leaders. Person who pays rent, either in money or crops, to grow crops on another person's land. This caused some to view them with hostility which sparked the conflicts between Athens and Sparta that lead to the Peloponnesian War. One of the most famous civilizations lies between three seas, the Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, and the Ionian Sea. They took politics very seriously and made sure that everyone had a voiced opinion. They became skilled sailors. One of the main advantages of Athenian democracy was that the archon and his eight assistants were elected annually. They took politics very seriously and made sure that everyone had a voiced opinion. + PRO: Though harder to find, more affordable options exist. Athens is the capital and the largest city of Greece. Questions/ Activities: Do reading #1 and answer these questions: * Make a list of the major characteristics/beliefs of the religion of the ancient Greeks. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The city of Athens was named after their special goddess. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. Together it means rule by the people. The community showed little cohesion as a group. What was the limits of democracy in ancient Greece? WebThe Threshold Of Democracy Athens In 403 B C Reacting To The Past When people should go to the ebook stores, search foundation by shop, shelf by shelf, it is really problematic. As I will come to. Since the Spartans were only concerned with being great warriors, the Athenians became the cultural center of Greece during the Hellenic period. There was some farmland for crops, but the Greeks could always count on seafood and waterfowl to eat. Aristotle once said, The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. Athens was established in 3000 BC, while Sparta was respectively established in 431 BC. As I will come to. Athens is said to be the of democracy. Strong land army, protection. One that originates from ancient Greece, at the cradle of civilisation.The word democracy comes from the Greek meaning the people and meaning power or rule. Although the seed was planted in the 1600s, liberal democracy only properly took form in the 1840s in Canada. Sparta and Athens had differences and similarities in the way they governed their city states, in how they established their military forces, how they treated women, their marriage customs and social gatherings. This essay will focus on the reasons of why government is necessary in our society and why Direct Democracy is not fit for modern United States of America, although brought a splendid time for ancient Greece. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The term, Democracy, stems from the Greek word demokratia which means rule by the people and it wasnt until around 500 BCE in Athens where the first examples of democracy originated. Their division led to the widespread of language and culture. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Athens was a superior city state over Sparta. They did have officials to run the government, however. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It also represents the control of an organization or group by the majority of its members. What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? 3 What were the strengths and weaknesses of ancient Greece? They became skilled sailors. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. (Bulliet 99) From 1000 B.C.E to 30 B.C.E, Ancient Greeces view on individualism changed the political system Greece had, over time changed the way individuals thought and made important Intellectual changes, and gradually changed the Economic system such as bartering. Athens Lets look at two of them. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. Athenss military prowess allowed them to look down on the other members of the League and treat them as members of an empire instead of equals. Women could own property. A democracy is a form of government that is ruled by the people and controlled by the people. One of the most famous civilizations lies between three seas, the Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, and the Ionian Sea. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. They became skilled sailors. I do not believe that in the 4th to 5th century BCE ancient Athen were democratic for many reasons. Some of the strengths of Athenian democracy include making decisions based on the opinions of many rather than a few, giving responsibility to more citizens and making records available for public examination. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Being the birthplace of democracy gives Ancient Greece a very important reputation. There was a constant importance of acknowledging all citizens hard work and participation. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. Now, there are a lot of people was worried about the system, because there are too many problems of their government. In Athen, Schools taught reading, writing, and mathematics, music, poetry, sport, and gymnastics. Apart from many smaller changes, it was mainly based on the opportunity for all citizens over 20 to take part in governing the country. Athens was a small city compared to Rome that honored and protected citizenship. Athens direct democracy had elected officials including ten generals, magistrates, and others (PBS 1). Due to the geographical disadvantages of grease The civilization was divided into many city-states instead of having one main government. Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. Use this knowledge to correct the spelling errors below. Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. Democracy is a form of government in which power lies with the people. Who was not allowed to become a citizen of Greece? While Athens is widely regarded as the first historical example of a democratic system, some scholars believe that the Roman Empires republic system was more democratic than that of the Greek. In Ancient Athens, a new system arose that would greatly impact the course of history. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Specifically in America, one is taught that they live in a democratic society. A a majority of one race or religion or political opinion is not allowed to suppress the rights of other groups. Limits of Greek Democracy Socrates (469-399 BCE) and Aristotle (384-322 BCE), two of the most influential of the ancient Greek philosophers, were suspicious of the idea of equality. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Athens Advantages And Disadvantages Of Deliberative Democracy This is the great story of Ancient Greece and how individualism changed the view Greece had on certain issues. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. The Athens was more superior then Sparta. When you look at the literal definition of democracy in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, there is a decently large explanation. Athens was renowned as a center of wisdom and learning. Children were tortured to become strongerand all men would be fighting and stealing things just to survive. ipl.org 8 Who was not allowed to become a citizen of Greece? Some people believe they were more democratic than us today, but I think they were never a true democratic government. One of the many states of Greece, ancient Athens, was indeed not truly democratic as a result of not even using the essentials of democracy that is used today, Thus, by our standards, it was oligarchy, not democracy.(Document D), therefore ancient Athens was not using democracy as their form of government, they were using oligarchy,another form of government in which a small group of people has power and control, as their form of government instead of democracy. if the majority of the citizens didn't like the ideas of a single citizen they were to be banished or killed. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Press ESC to cancel. Weaknesses include the voters ability to make poor decisions and be swayed by rhetoric and short office terms that made implementing policies difficult. Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Both Athens and Sparta had a similar government system. Government failure is a term to describe how government intervention can cause its own problems. Hard work and equality is what makes a nation outstanding. advantages and disadvantages of government in ancient 4 What are the advantages and disadvantages of having mountains cover ancient Greece? Athens strengths included its large size, large trireme navy, wealth, and democratic government. cons of Athenian style Democracy In Document 2, an excerpt from The Spartan Constitution by Aristotle theres a quote that states they praise Lacedaemon because it is made up of oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy.. This quote tells exactly what type of government Sparta had. Most would find it easier to find more similarities among these two groups of mighty people. Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. 4 What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? WebI think Athens had a better government because they created a democracy. Apart from many smaller changes, it was mainly based on the opportunity for all citizens over 20 to take part in governing the country. The biggest advantage of democracy in polis was the general possibility of taking part in public life for all free citizens. HomeBrowse. In the year 507 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a system of political reforms that he called demokratia, or rule by the people. The Athenians established a direct democracy where the people voted directly on the matter at hand. (Ancient Greek Democracy, History.com) The Romans then created their own type of democracy, where the citizens elected leaders to represent the peoples opinion. (Crabill, Ancient Rome) While neither the Athenian nor the Roman democracies were perfect by any means, they both, Whats more, Democracy was rising in Athens. Sparta was cruel, disgusting, and uninviting each day would be a struggle to survive. In Sparta, Boys were taken from parents at age seven and trained in the art of warfare. Still, the city-states of ancient Greece had many things in common. The answers given may be; a society where everyone votes, or by dictionary definition a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of the state; typically through elected representation. However when analyzing the etymology of the word democracy we come to find out that demos means the people and kratia means rule or power in greek. In a democracy all of the people are able to vote, and have a choice on who runs their city. In Athens all men are on an equality which means Not of the few but of the many (doc 3 pericles). These factors empowered Sparta and led to the development of an authoritative and potent state. The ancient civilization of Greece contained many different city-states; two of these city-states were Sparta and Athens. 1031 Words5 Pages. Self- Government/Democracy: "Rule by the people." Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. 6 What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state form of government? Tyranny Cons: Cons: Some tyrants were corrupt. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The purpose of this essay is to prove that ancient Greece wasnt truly democratic. Overall, ancient Athens was indeed not truly democratic as a result of the government having male citizens have authority, being an oligarchy government instead of a democratic government, and voting not accessible to women, free foreigners(Metics), and slaves except for male citizens. The first reason is because Our constitution favors many instead of the few, this is also why it's called a democracy. However up until 500 BCE, the concept of Democracy was a foreign concept, and the great civilizations of that era were run by monarchs, aristocrats, and religious leaders of sorts. Disadvantages: Limited rainfall. Pros: Many Tyrants ruled well and helped poor families by cancelling the debts of poor farmers. The god in charge of Athens was Athena, goddess of wisdom. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. In all fairness I believe Athens had the better system of government. (Section 2.3) 2 As the culture center of Greek, Athens had many advantages during the Gold Age. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. When looking at this definition and trying to decide whether the Athenian democratic system was truly democratic, one would have to go with the answer no. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Greece - 709 Words | Bartleby According to the State of the World Atlas, 44% of the worlds population live in a stable democracy. They became skilled sailors. Democracy in Ancient Greece was very direct. Sparta is far better than Athens on the grounds that their armed force was strong and defensive. First, all true democracies limit majority rule in order to protect the rights of minorities. The idea of liberalism first began in the 1600s with John Locke as he believed that the people should be allowed to remove the government currently ruling when they have misused their power for ulterior motives. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 2 What were the limitations of the ancient Greeks? WebThe word democracy or demoskratos in Greek, is a form of government where the (ruling) power is in the hands of the people. Geographical formations including mountains, seas, and islands formed natural barriers between the Greek city-states and forced the Greeks to settle along the coast.

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