advantages and disadvantages of democracy in ancient greece

Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. Use this knowledge to correct the spelling errors below. To vote, citizens had to attend the assembly on the day the vote took place. 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. (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. The period of prosperity in Athens was so short lived because they only had one strong leader, Pericles. Who was not allowed to become a citizen of Greece? Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. The Spartan government is made up of kings and elders only. Athens also had much more trading power, and controlled more land than Sparta. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. But those attitudes shifted in the course of the 5th century under the influence of the Persian invasions of Greece in 480479 bce. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. Women were forced to go through training to become strong, to male healthy babies, it was tough. Pros: All citizens got to vote and have their opinion expressed. 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. Oligarchy (advantage) If the leader is strong/effective, the civilization is in good shape. 1031 Words5 Pages. Athens was more inviting and had many more fun things to do, which is why Athens is a better place to live. 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. So there are some representatives want to use the direct democracy like some old country such as ancient Greek. After investigating the given evidence, it can be determined Ancient Athens did not always vote on important matters and only a small majority of the population could vote. Sparta is far better than Athens on the grounds that their armed force was strong and defensive. A a majority of one race or religion or political opinion is not allowed to suppress the rights of other groups. An outstanding statesman and poet called Solon acted in, The name comes from demos-people and kratos-power, so literally power of the people. Specifically in America, one is taught that they live in a democratic society. The word democracy comes from two Greek words that mean people (demos) and rule (kratos). This means a lot more people got to attend political affairs. Overall, I think Athens is better and safer to live in then Sparta. Additionally, the reliability affected by the emotive language being employed in this article as the author utilises this language it demonstrates that bias is present. Geography had an enormous impact on the ancient Greek civilization. Because of this, Athens cannot be considered democratic. Athens was a democratic state that was peaceful and where women were open to culture and democracy. Advantages: protects individual rights, input is taken from many different sources to make a governmental decision, people are the government. Even though their government was ran by the people themselves, only the men in the city could vote. Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. Therefore, they could easily make decisions. 5. Athens offered many activities for all men, women, and children. 6 What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state form of government? They became skilled sailors. Although the seed was planted in the 1600s, liberal democracy only properly took form in the 1840s in Canada. Athens strengths included its large size, large trireme navy, wealth, and democratic government. Democracy is a form of government in which power lies with the people. What are the limitations of a majority rule democracy? One of the earliest known democracies was in Athens, a city-state in southern, ancient Greece. reading #2: "Greek Art." 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. It consists of two short words: demos which means either a citizen in a particular city-state or the lower orders, and kratos which means either rule or power - but these two are not of the same meaning. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. Sparta, it appears, had fewer changes to government over time as compared to Athens. Athenians made it clear that the poor helped build the city 's power and not just the wealthy. Sparta was focused on their military, discipline, and to have a strong state. This crossroad marked a change to the government. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. What was the disadvantage of tyranny in ancient Greece? The history of Ancient Athens dates back to 6,000 years ago. According to the Athens and Sparta Document Set, a democracy means rule by the people. Ancient Athens, had a much more stronger basis than ancient Sparta. Athenians were the most scholarly types while the Spartans were more of the military type. A source that shares this view is the Ted-Ed video this also similarly to historian Paul Cartledge states that Athens was a direct democracy and also that not all of the population had the right to. First of all, the economy was very strong in Athens. 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. Socrates did not care for the idea in general, and Aristotle thought it could, within a state, yield new forms of abuse of power. Be developed in ancient Greece, Direct Democracy helped ancient Greece make tons of achievements in different fields; also laid the fundamental of western political system of modern time. Originally Answered: why is Athens Greece considered the birthplace of democracy? Disadvantages: Limited rainfall. One of the many states of Greece, ancient Athens was indeed not truly democratic as a result of not inclusive, other than male citizens, to gain authority in ancient Athens, Demokratia was ruled by male citizens only, excluding women, free foreigners(Metics) and slaves.(Document D), therefore ruling Athens was only accessible to male citizen since since women, free foreigners(Metics), and slaves were not allowed to rule as a result of not being male citizens. One reason why Athens had a greater respect for human rights is that they had a direct democracy, while Sparta had an oligarchy. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. 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. I do not believe that in the 4th to 5th century BCE ancient Athen were democratic for many reasons. Democracy (disadvantage) Few people were considered citizens and had a voice in government. The rule of the people is the definition of Democracy. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. CON: Much of the citys accommodation is pricey. I believe that ancient Athens was not a true democracy. Having good harbors and water access is good for trade, and trade brings economic stability. 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. 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 Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. You cannot download interactives. It is tough terrain for attackers, and its also tough terrain for the Greeks. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The Constitution also represents the value and principles of democracy and republicanism that the United States of American stands by. The United States has a representative democracy. Greece was organized into many different city-states. The first known democracy in the world was in Athens. The direct democracy of Athens wasnt actually as inclusive and steady as the statement at Pericles 's funeral state, Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people (Doc C). In fact, of the 450,000 citizens of Athens in 430 BC, only about 40,000 people had the power to vote. On the other hand, Sparta had an oligarchy. The countrys valleys, mountainous terrain, and offshore islands encouraged the development of many city-states. This is one reason Ancient Athens was not a democracy. The city-state of Athens, 5th century Athens to be precise, is the inventor and first practitioner of democracy. What did ancient Greece do for democracy? Why was logical and public speaking emphasized more in Athens than any other city-state? When a new law was proposed, all the citizens of Athens had the opportunity to vote on it. 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. Greece is also quite mountainous. There was some farmland for crops, but the Greeks could always count on seafood and waterfowl to eat. With this came many different governments for each city-state causing each city-state to have a different View On their morals. Its also said that Sparta is the foundation for the governments we now have in the world. 4 What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? Oligarchy (disadvantage) Over time, middle/lower classes realized they still had little to no say in government Tyranny (disadvantage) What was the government like in ancient Greece? The concept of leadership was prevalent in the ancient world. What were some geographic advantages the ancient Greeks had? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having mountains cover ancient Greece? The assembly passed laws and made policy decisions (PBS 1). Advantages: small, easy to control, centralized. 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 word democracy is greek, the word demos means people and kratos means power. Such abundance of water makes Ancient Greece good in fishing and trade. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. 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. This information provided significantly when comparing modern societies to ancient Greece and also in justify as to why democracy was significant to Greece. In 594 BCE, Salon, the new leader of Athens, he created a constitution that ended the political control of the wealthy. The Pros And Cons Of Ancient Athenian Democracy. 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. In the period known as classical Greece in the years 800-323 BCE, Greece comprised of small city states (poleis) which were considered and operated as independent small countries. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. For a long time, historians have kept this question in mind while studying laws and methods of the Ancient Athenians. Athens was also referred to as the birthplace of democracy, a government system still in use today! 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. Pros: Many Tyrants ruled well and helped poor families by cancelling the debts of poor farmers. Weaknesses of the Athenian democracy include: The Athenian form of democracy was a contradiction in the sense that it did not allow participation of a large section of the public, namely, women and slaves. By our understanding it was an oligarchy, not democracy. They became skilled sailors. In fact, there were internal struggles and disagreements. 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. The two biggest city-states have always had issues. Athens was a much more superior polis compared to Sparta because the Athenians invented new ideas and creations that supported the people, such as democracy, the Athenians led the Delian League, and Sparta created the Peloponnesian League after the Athenians created their alliance, and the Athenians changed the ways of their government many times to suit the people, and the Spartans did not. Two of the most well known and powerful city-states were Sparta and Athens. Tenant farmer Person who pays rent, either in money or crops, to grow crops on another person's land Metic Foreigner in a Greek city-state, often a merchant or artisan Slavery These two city-states, Sparta and Athens have unique formations of government, histories, goals, as well as societies. The biggest advantage of democracy in polis was the general possibility of taking part in public life for all free citizens. Athens direct democracy had elected officials including ten generals, magistrates, and others (PBS 1). 9 What was the disadvantage of tyranny in ancient Greece? In America today, democracy is something we take pride in. During the Archaic Age, Sparta was solely focused on fighting wars and training their children for these wars. Ancient Greece was comprised of small city-states, of which Sparta and Athens were two. The government was also corrupted and dominated by the elite of the city-state. WebWidely thought of as the birthplace of democracy, Athens is Greece's central hub and has contributed much to the worlds of art, theatre, architecture, philosophy and politics. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics, and societies. 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. Also, the so called Ostrakismos made it possible to ban corrupt politicians from athens. A Spartan's life was centered on the state, because he lived and died to serve the state. Not many dare to explore the flaws or disadvantages. Athens was full of life and the people living there appreciated all of what others had to offer: arts, music, life, and new cultures. They became skilled sailors. 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. Spartas government was said to have a mixture of the major types of government which is oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy. They had two kings who controlled the army and religions of Sparta. WebDemocracy (advantage) Allowed more points of view to make decisions because a small group was in chargenot a single person. The biggest difference between Athenian democracy and almost all other democracies is that the Athenians had a direct democracy rather than being representative. They all spoke the same language and they all believed in the same god. Lets look at two of them. The assembly in Sparta could veto the councils. 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. They were the main city with an area of land around them. Tyranny (disadvantage) Not a guarantee that the people chosen by lottery would make effective government decisions. And they only let men vote which means that only 12% in ancient Athens can vote.In Athens no one had freedom of thought and expression either. Some farmers in archaic and classic Greece werent choosing which crops to plant based on local nutritional needs. Although, if we look at the Athens, we see that they had no issues with plentiful land, as they possessed large and populous territory. This excluded a majority of the population: slaves, freed slaves, children, women and metics (foreign residents in Athens). 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. Sparta advantage. This limits the majoritys right to rule. 4 What are the advantages and disadvantages of having mountains cover ancient Greece? Their division led to the widespread of language and culture. Democracy in ancient Greece served as one of the first forms of self-rule government in the ancient world. 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. He found its concepts to have unique strengths and weaknesses that he believed could be the inspiration for the new government of post-revolution France. 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. Questions/ Activities: Do reading #1 and answer these questions: * Make a list of the major characteristics/beliefs of the religion of the ancient Greeks. Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. Undoubtedly it helped the citizens of Athens to broaden their minds, their cultural awareness and, what was probably most important, to develop. One of the many states of Greece, ancient Athens was indeed not truly democratic as a result of not inclusive, other than male citizens, to gain authority in ancient Athens, Demokratia was ruled by male citizens only, excluding women, free foreigners(Metics) and slaves.(Document D), therefore ruling Athens was only accessible to male citizen since since women, free foreigners(Metics), and slaves were not allowed to rule as a result of not being male citizens. Sparta advantage. 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. It was easy for the Athenians to see who the people are due to the population number at the time. It is a powerful word. 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. The current American democracy may have steamed from Athens, but they do not really have that much in common. Representative democracy is a government in which citizens vote for representatives who create and change laws that govern the people rather than getting to vote directly on the laws themselves. Due to the geographical disadvantages of grease The civilization was divided into many city-states instead of having one main government. While this advancement occurred. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Mountains covered about three-fourths of ancient Greece. Cons. 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. Greece, and especially Athens, is the cradle of democracy in the western civilization. Those 500 citizens had to actively serve in the government for one year. Athens was the warm welcoming city-state in Ancient Greece, most unlike the horrific neighboring city-state, Sparta. Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. It was possible to prolong the rule for the next term but in case of any abnormalities a quick change of government took place. 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. What was one advantage in the Greek world? 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. The Athenian democracy was not equitable, and it did not consider slaves and foreigners. In the 4th to 5th century B.C, Athens was going through a prosperous period and in this period its people made remarkable achievements. Every citizen in Athens is allowed to take part in government, even poor citizens. Their job was to oversee the decisions made by the assembly. Why is that so? Press ESC to cancel. The Greek divine beings were The Athenians created a new kind of government where the people chose their leaders. The advantages of Greeks geography is that they had protection from invaders and some disadvantages were that they had a hard time farming and traveling. Two of the biggest city-states were Athens and Sparta. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. The system and ideas employed by the ancient Greeks had profound influences on how democracy developed, and its impact on the formation of the U.S. government. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. The purpose of this essay is to prove that ancient Greece wasnt truly democratic. But they were loyal to their city-state. 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. Both Athens and Sparta hold historic value for Greece and the world. (Section 2.3) 2 As the culture center of Greek, Athens had many advantages during the Gold Age. This group of people only included white male citizens, meaning that slaves, foreign born residents, women and some men who hadnt obtained citizenship couldnt vote (Doc D). Monarchy (advantage) Middle class realized that they could make changes (leads to democracy) Tyranny (advantage) Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads.