Democracy Then and Now
Democracy Then and Now
By
Nicole Johnson
Drawing the political parallels between the Athenians and American democracy couldn’t be more complexed. One of the contemporary definitions of democracy todays is as follows. “Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives; Rule by the majority” Interestingly enough the Athenians were closer to a true democracy more so than America has ever been. America has always labeled as this great democracy, however America is, and has always been a Constitutional Republic.
The Athenian democracy was exclusive; therefore women, slaves, children, and resident aliens who did not have citizenship could obtain the right to vote. I like to think of a democracy as; “For the People by the People,” whereas in America I look at it as “We the People,” or “One Republic Under God”. If there were so many people that didn’t have a right to have an influence on the government then how could this be a democracy?
During this time (approx. 550 BC) alienation of political power was seemingly foolish to the Greek people. Elections were held through a lottery and only the people that were personally selected such as their military leaders (like Pericles) and other high ranking officers where given the rights to make definitive decisions. The distinctions between the citizens and non-citizens were clearly made. The Greeks were profoundly concerned with differences among individuals, between humans, and males and females, between free people and slaves, men who owned their own property and the men who did not, and Greeks and non-Greeks. In todays, modern America we fight for those inequalities to become extinct in society through lobbing and protesting for just treatment and civil rights.
The legal system was problematic in ancient Athens because individuals often represented themselves in court rather than getting a lawyer representation to adequately argue with the
By
Nicole Johnson
Drawing the political parallels between the Athenians and American democracy couldn’t be more complexed. One of the contemporary definitions of democracy todays is as follows. “Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives; Rule by the majority” Interestingly enough the Athenians were closer to a true democracy more so than America has ever been. America has always labeled as this great democracy, however America is, and has always been a Constitutional Republic.
The Athenian democracy was exclusive; therefore women, slaves, children, and resident aliens who did not have citizenship could obtain the right to vote. I like to think of a democracy as; “For the People by the People,” whereas in America I look at it as “We the People,” or “One Republic Under God”. If there were so many people that didn’t have a right to have an influence on the government then how could this be a democracy?
During this time (approx. 550 BC) alienation of political power was seemingly foolish to the Greek people. Elections were held through a lottery and only the people that were personally selected such as their military leaders (like Pericles) and other high ranking officers where given the rights to make definitive decisions. The distinctions between the citizens and non-citizens were clearly made. The Greeks were profoundly concerned with differences among individuals, between humans, and males and females, between free people and slaves, men who owned their own property and the men who did not, and Greeks and non-Greeks. In todays, modern America we fight for those inequalities to become extinct in society through lobbing and protesting for just treatment and civil rights.
The legal system was problematic in ancient Athens because individuals often represented themselves in court rather than getting a lawyer representation to adequately argue with the