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. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. So that is why I conclude that ancient Athens was indeed not truly. This new city and surrounding area were not dominant or influential. They could veto law proposals or rulings made by the council or assembly (PBS 1). 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. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. Pros And Cons of Ancient Athenian Democracy and Pros and Cons of American Democracy. There are many limitations on democracy as a majority rule. What is the original meaning of democracy? But they were loyal to their city-state. This crossroad marked a change to the government. What were some geographic advantages the ancient Greeks had? 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. This will only lead to a shift to the left of aggregate demand and is it impossible for the people to pay taxes when the living standards is low. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. Sparta advantage. It was easy for the Athenians to see who the people are due to the population number at the time. For example, here in the United states which is a democracy, everyone is allowed to vote and have land. 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.      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. In 594 BCE, Salon, the new leader of Athens, he created a constitution that ended the political control of the wealthy. But those attitudes shifted in the course of the 5th century under the influence of the Persian invasions of Greece in 480479 bce. They were only given a cloak - no shoes or other clothes, and not enough food so they had to steal (to learn survival skills). Although the seed was planted in the 1600s, liberal democracy only properly took form in the 1840s in Canada. Athens was truly democratic because everyone had the equal justice, people were voted into office, and ones social class did not determine what a person could become. 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. if the majority of the citizens didn't like the ideas of a single citizen they were to be banished or killed. 4.Every citizen was included in politics. In Athens, the ruler Draco tried to make many reforms in the city state. Spartan women are better than Athenian women because they have more rights, these rights coclude of being able to marry anyone they wish to. Australia and New Zealand followed not long after as they began to use the secret ballot system to elect political leaders. Government failure. What are the pros and cons of tyranny in ancient Greece? Democracy was rule by citizens only, excluding women, free foreigners (Metics) and slaves. 3 What were the strengths and weaknesses of ancient Greece? Spartas government was said to have a mixture of the major types of government which is oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy. Democracy in Ancient Greece was very direct. What are the disadvantages of Constitution? This means a lot more people got to attend political affairs. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Democracy in ancient Greece served as one of the first forms of self-rule government in the ancient world. The main disadvantage for the Athenians was that around 430 BCE, a plague struck Athens. It is a center for economic, political, financial and culture life in Greece. 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. Greek city-states all were very similar but had differences. 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? 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. This excluded a majority of the population: slaves, freed slaves, children, women and metics (foreign residents in Athens). 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. It is a powerful word. Each city-state had its own form of government and its own army, and even sometimes its own navy. Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. Sparta was focused on their military, discipline, and to have a strong state. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. By the time one enters the third grade they become aware of concept of democracy. Such abundance of water makes Ancient Greece good in fishing and trade. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Who were excluded from Greeces limited democracy? 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. WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Athens Democracy characterized in terms of unlimited political power anymore as it has transformed to a more citizen-friendly government. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. Sparta, on the other hand, was recognized for its military strength. What are the disadvantages of having government? So there are some representatives want to use the direct democracy like some old country such as ancient Greek. Disadvantages: takes more time to make decisions, more costly. 6 What are the pros and cons of democracy in ancient Greece? Although, if we look at the Athens, we see that they had no issues with plentiful land, as they possessed large and populous territory. It does not store any personal data. 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. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? The most common governments in the city-states consisted of monarchies, oligarchies, dictatorships, and sometimes democracies. Press ESC to cancel. Athens was renowned as a center of wisdom and learning. What are the pros and cons of democracy in ancient Greece? What is democracy? This excluded a majority of the population: slaves, freed slaves, children, women and metics (foreign residents in Athens). Oligarchy (disadvantage) Over time, middle/lower classes realized they still had little to no say in government Tyranny (disadvantage), Start studying advantages and disadvantages of government in ancient greece. Its also said that Sparta is the foundation for the governments we now have in the world. 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. Ancient Greece was divided into many different city-state who had their different cultures, the most critical being Athens and Sparta.They adored a broad range of god and goddesses,the most imperative of whom, the Olympians, small thought to live on Mount Olympus. What are some pros and cons of Spartan society? Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. The women had limited rights and privileges, had restricted movement in public, and were very segregated from the men. 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. Athens on the other hand had a democracy as stated in Document 3, an excerpt from Funeral Orations by Pericles a quotes from this excerpt states it is true that our government is a democracy, because its administration is in the hands, not of the few, but of many.. This quote clearly states that the type of government Athens has is a. Use this knowledge to correct the spelling errors below. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. The Spartans changed their society to remove all social distinction and became the greatest soldiers in Greece. The community showed little cohesion as a group. The five most powerful Greek city-states were; Athens, Sparta, Corinth. The Athenians created a new kind of government where the people chose their leaders. To begin with Sparta completely discarded all advanced education. On the other hand, Sparta had an oligarchy. In blues, certain "flattened" notes create the (allusion, illusion) of a human voice. The plague also led to social unrest and lack of unity. Ancient Greece is also known for many things like the birthplace of the first Olympics, beautiful architecture, and famous philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. 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. Democracy is an aspect that can be included in many different governments including, republics, monarchies, and theocracies. 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. Some farmers in archaic and classic Greece werent choosing which crops to plant based on local nutritional needs. 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. Democracy is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state. Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. There was a constant importance of acknowledging all citizens hard work and participation. Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. Unlike the Romans, Athenians had a strict but fair schedule that allowed them to enjoy citizenship equally. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Underline the word or expression in parentheses that best completes each sentence. 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 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. While Athens seems to only have a democracy. Undoubtedly it helped the citizens of Athens to broaden their minds, their cultural awareness and, what was probably most important, to develop. 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 Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. While Athens was a democracy, Sparta was an oligarchy, which means ruled by few powerful and wealthy people. WebThe Democracy of Ancient Greece was used heavily in creating modern American Democracy. These reasons include Pericles rise to power, the different members of government and their powers, and the changes in the idea of a democracy. In addition, it supports the idea that the people can replace their government through peaceful transfers of power rather than violent uprising or revolution. 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. As I will come to. Unfortunately, the government makes the people feel powerless to the point where theyre forced to elect a candidate whos not impotent. This information provided significantly when comparing modern societies to ancient Greece and also in justify as to why democracy was significant to Greece. When women were forced to produce offspring, many of the weak babies were left to die. Athens was more inviting and had many more fun things to do, which is why Athens is a better place to live. Sparta advantage. 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. Sparta lacked in education, they were too harsh on the children in military training, and the Spartans didnt allow traveling. Metic. The Athens was more superior then Sparta. Monarchy (advantage) Middle class realized that they could make changes (leads to democracy) Tyranny (advantage) In ancient Greece, demokratia, otherwise known as democracy can be battered down into demo, and kratia. The Roman Republic was all the more a time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Democracy is the rule of the whole of the people,excluding minors and maniacs only. Athenian citizens in that era were generally expected to have respectful qualities, like openness, a rational mind and belief in their authority, although they did have shortcomings. Some people think that ancient Athens was truly democratic, I think not. + PRO: Though harder to find, more affordable options exist. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Athenian Values. The United States has a representative democracy. One of the most famous civilizations lies between three seas, the Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, and the Ionian Sea. The Athenian democracy was not equitable, and it did not consider slaves and foreigners. Athens offered many activities for all men, women, and children. Two of the most well known and powerful city-states were Sparta and Athens. From the system of creating new laws to the checks and balances that define the American government. Democracy is now prescribed as inseparable from good governance and an antidote to corruption. Athens direct democracy had elected officials including ten generals, magistrates, and others (PBS 1). The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Being the birthplace of democracy gives Ancient Greece a very important reputation. 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. Great economy. The similarities show that the founders of America based the new democratic government on the Ancient Greek democracy that came two millennia earlier. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. Some of the major issues with government are the political lies and schemes it takes to get to the top and remain there. During 750-500 B.C.E, Ancient Greece is a place that is known for some city-states, called poleis. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. One reason why Athens had a greater respect for human rights is that they had a direct democracy, while Sparta had an oligarchy. I do not believe that in the 4th to 5th century BCE ancient Athen were democratic for many reasons. Who were excluded from Greeces limited democracy? The ancient Greeks believed that each city-state had one or two gods keeping a special eye on that city-state. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. How do these two city-states differ? Democracy, a noun that means the society is governed by the people, a system of voting, and majority rules. First, all true democracies limit majority rule in order to protect the rights of minorities. In addition, citizens had the chance to spend time acting as council representatives, which gave them power and direct involvement with decision making. 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. If they did not fulfill their duty they would be fined and sometimes marked with red paint. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. He distinguishes three aspects: democracy as a principle of legitimacy (power not derives, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Democracy, Democracy. They also had five overseers who were elected to do regular every-day operations of Sparta. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Pre-Classical Greece saw a Dorian movement take place after the Trojan war. The government was also corrupted and dominated by the elite of the city-state. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Athens government is a democracy which means all citizens get to take part. The Sea shaped the Greek civilizations as rivers did in the other ancient civilizations. It was easy for the Athenians to see who the people are due to the population number at the time. The assembly met on the hill of the Pnyx to make these important decisions. 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. 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. According to the Athens and Sparta Document Set, a democracy means rule by the people. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. 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. What was the government like in ancient Greece? Now I will tell you that why direct democracy is not work in America. In Athens, the ruler Draco tried to make many reforms in the city state. In ancient Athens only the men were able to vote. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. 6 What is the original meaning of democracy? 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 you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. When asking what is democracy, the answer is never truly defiente. (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. Disadvantages: Limited rainfall. WebThe word democracy or demoskratos in Greek, is a form of government where the (ruling) power is in the hands of the people. First of all, the economy was very strong in Athens. The biggest difference between Athenian democracy and almost all other democracies is that the Athenians had a direct democracy rather than being representative. WebThe Sea shaped the Greek civilizations as rivers did in the other ancient civilizations. The ancient Greeks were the first to create a democracy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Two of the biggest city-states were Athens and Sparta. 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. Socrates did not care for the idea in general, and Aristotle thought it could, within a state, yield new forms of abuse of power. By 508 BCE, Cleisthenes came to power in Athens and creates a democratic constitution of all people. What was the limits of democracy in ancient Greece? Due to the geographical disadvantages of grease The civilization was divided into many city-states instead of having one main government. Athenian democracy also was cumbersome and operated slowly. Democracy (disadvantage) Few people were considered citizens and had a voice in government. The first one is Document A: Pericles and the other one is Document B: The The Athenian Constitution. WebOne of the main advantages of Athenian democracy was that the archon and his eight assistants were elected annually. The most important city-states of Ancient Greece was Sparta and Athens. 4 What are the advantages and disadvantages of having mountains cover ancient Greece? In Ancient Athens, a new system arose that would greatly impact the course of history. The city-state of Athens, 5th century Athens to be precise, is the inventor and first practitioner of democracy. Tyranny (disadvantage) Not a guarantee that the people chosen by lottery would make effective government decisions. 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. Not many dare to explore the flaws or disadvantages. Now, there are a lot of people was worried about the system, because there are too many problems of their government. Spartas government was said to have a mixture of the major types of government which is oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy. Athens owes the first penal and civil law code to Draco. This is because of Athenian cultural achievements, government and social climate. Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics, and societies. Athenians were educated(except girls) but they never knew much about brute force, unlike the Spartans. Tyranny Cons: Cons: Some tyrants were corrupt. Lets look at two of them. Spartan. 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. This horrible plague killed the Athenian leader Pericles along with many other Athenians, which took a huge toll on their morale. The Constitution also represents the value and principles of democracy and republicanism that the United States of American stands by. They became skilled sailors. Athens on the other hand had a democracy as stated in Document 3, an excerpt from Funeral Orations by Pericles a quotes from this excerpt states it is true that our government is a democracy, because its administration is in the hands, not of the few, but of many.. This quote clearly states that the type of government Athens has is a, Athens is superior towards Sparta throughout ancient Greek history. 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. In the 4th to 5th century B.C, Athens was going through a prosperous period and in this period its people made remarkable achievements. What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? Specifically in America, one is taught that they live in a democratic society. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. They are just more carful. They became skilled sailors. 8 Who was not allowed to become a citizen of Greece? During the late Archaic Greek and Classical periods, two particular city-states were in existence with significant similarities as well as differences. City-state is an independent or nearly independent state in which political and cultural activities are concentrated in a single urban center (Legon). These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. They also had a council of five hundred. In Sparta, Boys were taken from parents at age seven and trained in the art of warfare. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. 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. A tyrants son does not usually inherit his fathers power. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Greece was organized into many different city-states. 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. Women had no contributing role in politics. Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. Prior to Athenian democracy, a few people would make decisions for the masses. 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. Their government was Demokratia, and this excluded the women, the children, the metics, and the slaves.