advantages and disadvantages of democracy in ancient greece

Athenians were the most scholarly types while the Spartans were more of the military type. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But Athens is more about the people; they are also more secure. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. 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. The Greek idea of democracy was different from present-day democracy because, in Athens, all adult citizens were required to take an active part in the government. Greece was organized into many different city-states. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. The ancient Greeks were the first to create a democracy. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. And also huge people complain about the racism and the guns. In Athen, Schools taught reading, writing, and mathematics, music, poetry, sport, and gymnastics. In document A, I found that is truly democratic because your social class is not allowed the interfere with someone 's merit. In Homeric Age, the regime of Athens is citizens can go into politics directly, just like governor who wield the supreme power, this kind of regime called Direct Democracy. Athens was the warm welcoming city-state in Ancient Greece, most unlike the horrific neighboring city-state, Sparta. Two of the biggest city-states were Athens and Sparta. Having good harbors and water access is good for trade, and trade brings economic stability. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Spartas kings ruled until death or forcibly removed from office. Some people believe they were more democratic than us today, but I think they were never a true democratic government. What this means is that all the citizens voted on all the laws. Some people think that ancient Athens was truly democratic, I think not. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The Athens lived by the Sea which was an advantage because they had an excellent trading system. Undoubtedly it helped the citizens of Athens to broaden their minds, their cultural awareness and, what was probably most important, to develop. There was a constant importance of acknowledging all citizens hard work and participation. The weaknesses weighed Sparta down, so here are some of those weaknesses. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Spartan women are better than Athenian women because they have more rights, these rights coclude of being able to marry anyone they wish to. WebOne of the main advantages of Athenian democracy was that the archon and his eight assistants were elected annually. 5. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. They became skilled sailors. The Greek divine beings were This caused some to view them with hostility which sparked the conflicts between Athens and Sparta that lead to the Peloponnesian War. 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. How does Coyote kill the giant? if the majority of the citizens didn't like the ideas of a single citizen they were to be banished or killed. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. 7 What are the limitations of a majority rule democracy? For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. HomeBrowse. 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. Each city-state had its own government. 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. When a new law was proposed, all the citizens of Athens had the opportunity to vote on it. The women had limited rights and privileges, had restricted movement in public, and were very segregated from the men. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. According to Peter Joyce (2005), the democratic government was initiated in the Greek city state of Athens in the fifth century B.C., so as a consequence, the word democracy derived from two Greek words, demos (meaning people) and kratos (meaning power) , which means government by the people. 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. Differences : Advantages And Disadvantages Of Athens And Sparta, Athens and Sparta are the two famous city-states in Ancient Greece. The Role Of Democracy In Ancient Greece. The word democracy has its origins in the Greek language. Possibly could make faster decisions. The different city states had their own ideas on social control and values in their government. 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. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. The Greek idea of democracy was different from present-day democracy because, in Athens, all adult citizens were required to take an active part in the government. If they did not fulfill their duty they would be fined and sometimes marked with red paint. Athens was also referred to as the birthplace of democracy, a government system still in use today! Democracy in Ancient Greece was very direct. What was the disadvantage of tyranny in ancient Greece? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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 city-state of Athens, 5th century Athens to be precise, is the inventor and first practitioner of democracy. 8 Who was not allowed to become a citizen of Greece? They became skilled sailors. Athens original government was a monarchy ruled by one king, however, the king's influence began to diminish with the changing times and soon Athens was under the rule of an oligarchy. It was possible to prolong the rule for the next term but in case of any abnormalities a quick change of government took place. The Constitution also represents the value and principles of democracy and republicanism that the United States of American stands by. While Athens was a democracy, Sparta was an oligarchy, which means ruled by few powerful and wealthy people. WebThe Sea shaped the Greek civilizations as rivers did in the other ancient civilizations. Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics, and societies. 2 What were the limitations of the ancient Greeks? Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. 4 What are the pros and cons of democracy in ancient Greece? For example, if youre poor youre still able to serve the state or be part of the government. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. What were the disadvantages of democracy in ancient Greece? Sparta lacked land area and was forced to seek other land in the fertile plain of Messenia. They also had five overseers who were elected to do regular every-day operations of Sparta. Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics, and societies. Also, the so called Ostrakismos made it possible to ban corrupt politicians from athens. Greek city-states all were very similar but had differences. However, in Athens, girls did not receive an education like the boys in Athen did but, instead, were expected to become housewives. Democracy (disadvantage) Few people were considered citizens and had a voice in government. 6 What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state form of government? So that is why I conclude that ancient Athens was indeed not truly. Members of Spartan offices were also restricted to people who had very high social standing. Democracy is now prescribed as inseparable from good governance and an antidote to corruption. together can be a bad action taken by the government. One of the most famous civilizations lies between three seas, the Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, and the Ionian Sea. Unfortunately, the government makes the people feel powerless to the point where theyre forced to elect a candidate whos not impotent. What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state model of government in Greece? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The goal of a vote was not to decide which special interests could muster the most votes, it was about how to bring together the information and know-how of the citizens to solve public problems. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. They also had a council of five hundred. While it has been stated that Athens is the cradle of democracy, and that it was better than any of the other governments in the world, it was still a work in progress. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. This society came to be known as one of the largest nations in Eurasia. 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. 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. 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. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Athens? In 594 BCE, Salon, the new leader of Athens, he created a constitution that ended the political control of the wealthy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Still, the city-states of ancient Greece had many things in common. Originally Answered: why is Athens Greece considered the birthplace of democracy? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Athens on the contrary, was a city that focused heavily on the arts and was a very relaxed and peaceful city to live in. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. WebGreece's victory ensured the independence and security of the Greek city-states, so that Greece continued to dominate the eastern Mediterranean for centuries, which is known as Gold Age. 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. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. In Athens all men are on an equality which means Not of the few but of the many (doc 3 pericles). Socrates did not care for the idea in general, and Aristotle thought it could, within a state, yield new forms of abuse of power. Athens offered many activities for all men, women, and children. No i don't think Athens was truly democratic because, all the rules of ancient Athens are very unfair with all their rules and rights for all citizens. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Sparta advantage. Athenians elected government officials through lot (Document B). What are the advantages and disadvantages of a government? Unless someone was part of the 1 percent, Athens gave members of society more rights than Sparta. Democracy (disadvantage) Only the elite or upper class had a role in government, lower class not represented. What was the limits of democracy in ancient Greece? It was the oligarchy in Sparta that put a war-like attitude as its first priority and best met the needs of Ancient Greece. This horrible plague killed the Athenian leader Pericles along with many other Athenians, which took a huge toll on their morale. Although, if we look at the Athens, we see that they had no issues with plentiful land, as they possessed large and populous territory. A Spartan's life was centered on the state, because he lived and died to serve the state. 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. Being the birthplace of democracy gives Ancient Greece a very important reputation. Together it means rule by the people. The key aspects of what makes Australia a democracy being the electoral role, Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), referendumsm, the rule of law, Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy, said Benito Mussolini. State of the art architecture. This information provided significantly when comparing modern societies to ancient Greece and also in justify as to why democracy was significant to Greece. They are also carful with who can be a citizen rather then "stingy". For a long time, historians have kept this question in mind while studying laws and methods of the Ancient Athenians. some might say the Romans were better. What does checks and balances refer to quizlet? They became skilled sailors. The five most powerful Greek city-states were; Athens, Sparta, Corinth. It had a place in the way the people of ancient times governed their lives. 1 What were the disadvantages of democracy in ancient Greece? When women were forced to produce offspring, many of the weak babies were left to die. 5 Why is Greece the birthplace of democracy? A Monarchy is a political system ruled by one individual Prior to Athenian democracy, a few people would make decisions for the masses. (Document B): The second reason is that if the court decides that someone has no right to be enrolled as a citizen he becomes. Now a new paper deems it also the proud parent of the worlds first market economy. What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Why is that so? Athenians made it clear that the poor helped build the city 's power and not just the wealthy. Due to the geographical disadvantages of grease The civilization was divided into many city-states instead of having one main government. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. They had two kings who controlled the army and religions of Sparta. Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. Athens Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. WebAdvantages: Greece has mountains which were good for grazing sheep and goats, Greece is next to the Ionian sea on the west, the Mediterranean Sea on the south, and the Aegean sea on the east which enabled the Greeks to fish and to trade with older, more complex cultures, the climate was good for growing deep rooted plants like olives and grapes, so olive oil and What were the limitations of the ancient Greeks? 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. 7 What are some pros and cons of Spartan society? If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Geography had an enormous impact on the ancient Greek civilization. Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. Sparta, on the other hand, was recognized for its military strength. Other contrasting issues included womens rights, social classes, and value of human life. This is one reason Ancient Athens was not a democracy. Which is correct poinsettia or poinsettia? Specifically in America, one is taught that they live in a democratic society. While Athens was a democracy, Sparta was an oligarchy, which means ruled by few powerful and wealthy people. 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. 9 What was the disadvantage of tyranny in ancient Greece? 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. What are the limitations of a majority rule democracy? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Hard work and equality is what makes a nation outstanding. The Athenian democracy, while it did give more power to the people, still left a lot of citizens out. The ancient civilization of greece was different from many of the civilizations in its time. One of the most famous civilizations lies between three seas, the Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, and the Ionian Sea. You cannot download interactives. Sparta also has a great military strength, it is much better than Athens military because the men go to war at the age of 7-30. WebThe word democracy or demoskratos in Greek, is a form of government where the (ruling) power is in the hands of the people. Athens stood out from Sparta as well as the other city-states not only because of its immense population but also because it was the commercial leader of Greece and was home to a great navy. Both Athens and Sparta had a similar government system. The Athenian Democracy remains a novel and captivating analysis in direct majority rules system where the general population don 't choose delegates to vote for their sake yet vote on enactment and official bills in their own privilege. 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. They became skilled sailors. 3 What were the strengths and weaknesses of ancient Greece? Democracy in Athens the government officials are chosen by sweepstakes and worked for 1 year for proposing and enforcing decrees but didnt have much individual power. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Apart from many smaller changes, it was mainly based on the opportunity for all citizens over 20 to take part in governing the country. One reason why Athens had a greater respect for human rights is that they had a direct democracy, while Sparta had an oligarchy. In document A it also states that you get equal justice. And thats the way it should be. 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. As a system to control a state or community, government serves for citizens and put them first. Additionally, the water access provides a stable fishing ground to provide food to people. But those attitudes shifted in the course of the 5th century under the influence of the Persian invasions of Greece in 480479 bce. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Who were excluded from Greeces limited democracy? What are the pros and cons of Athenian society? Such abundance of water makes Ancient Greece good in fishing and trade. While it has been stated that Athens is the cradle of democracy, and that it was better than any of the other governments in the world, it was still a work in progress. The Athenian democracy, while it did give more power to the people, still left a lot of citizens out. Athenians were educated(except girls) but they never knew much about brute force, unlike the Spartans. These factors empowered Sparta and led to the development of an authoritative and potent state. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. WebIn Homeric Age, the regime of Athens is citizens can go into politics directly, just like governor who wield the supreme power, this kind of regime called Direct Democracy.