Greek Polis Document Analysis

The Greek polis in a multitude of ways started the idea of the Greek citizenship. The polis was a complex hierarchy, put around the idea of citizenship to build a society greater than every civilization that lived. However the governmental functions were reserved to a small group nevertheless the equation of the polis with the entire citizen body distinguishes itself from other societies. We are made aware of the fact that one of the singular traits of the polis was that of citizenry and not being subjects. If by any chance the citizens became subjects then that community would cease to be a polis ( pgs 66-68 ).

The Athenians democracy was the pride and jewel of their nation. It created confidence, security, and patriotism, however, it also created an arrogant mindset which eventually leads to the downfall of their nation. Pericles states that the Athenian government was unorthodox because it was a government of the whole people rather than a minority (Thucydides 1). In addition, all Athenian citizens had the right to be apart of the government and administer justice. However,

Moreover, the political activities in Greek were recommendable for it treated individuals in a way that they had right to choose their leaders through the introduction of “demokratia” which means rule by people. Therefore, through using of the democratic governance most areas adopted their political culture,

The Athenian government was a direct democracy, meaning the citizens of the city-state take absolute control over any vote. This was the plan for the government to control their people since the citizens

When evaluating the government of ancient Athens, some might say that it was a democracy, however, it can be better described as an oligarchy: a form of government in which a small group of people has the power and control (Doc. D by Mogens Herman Hansen). A democracy takes all the citizens’ opinions and thoughts into account, unlike an oligarchy that only takes the male citizens’ opinions and thoughts into account. Thus, Athens is more similar to an oligarchy than a democracy. The people of Athens also decide as a whole what the best government for their city-state was, as opposed to a democracy where the people elect representatives to make decisions for them and their city-state. Athens could be seen as not a true democracy because of the lack of basic democratic rules and methods such as what they define democracy as, who is able to vote, and how they vote.

Paragraph 2: Topic Sentence: Athens had a strong government to run the polis, for that reason people consider it being a golden age. Evidence Analysis #1: Athens is extremely well known for having a democracy as a government. They tried to treat all citizens equal no matter what your job was. They gave people right to vote for events that they wanted an opinion in (Doc C). It made people feel as if they had a say in their daily lives.

Government was a form of order among both the Athenian Democracy and the Roman Republic. It lead to a simple unification as a whole, causing their separate civilizations to prosper. It allowed the citizens to become a part of leadership that wasn’t so enforced from the beginning of civilization. Through agreements as a society joined together, they established firm laws and developed different systems that each reaped their own benefits. Each had similar yet contrasting outcomes through organization and development, leading to a new perspective for both governments. However, despite the fact both had exceptional ideas of government, the Athenian Democracy stands out as more prominent because they gave quality citizenships, they gave the opportunity for common men to participate in affairs, and they strictly enforced

Written by the American School of Classical studies, this source is reliable as it gives detailed information about the artefacts that have been discovered in Athens including foundations of the New Bouleuterion and tools Ancient Athenians used in order to write laws and records the source included pictures of these historical artefacts. In addition, the source is provided by the American school of classical studies, the school access to research facilities and archaeological sites this then means that this source has access to primary source and reliable secondary sources therefore the reliability is enhanced. The source was useful in giving me understanding in the geographical location and structures used in the practices carried out by the democratic government in Ancient Athens. Whilst the information did give me insight into the structures involved in the democratic system, it was not used in my essay as it did not provide any information that can prove my thesis, therefore meaning the

There were many forms of government in Ancient Greece. The ones that will be discussed in the following paragraphs are monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy.

With so little fertile land and fresh water, it was impossible to support a large, demanding population as a centralized government would. Therefore the Greeks gave their loyalty to local, small communities. Decentralization allowed Greek city-states to experiment with unique forms of government. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, believed that there were four forms of government existed in Greece, for example, monarchy, democracy, oligarchy and lastly tyranny. Athens was widely known for inventing the idea, democracy.

Oligarchy was the other form of government used in the polis. Oligarchy means “the rule of a few” (McKay et al, Western Society, 70). Only citizens who met a minimum property requirement were able to participate in the government. Most Greeks preferred oligarchy over democracy since it was more politically stable.

Government is a form of political structure that rules over a group of specific people and while stability is important, in most societies government is fluid in its form and changes over time. As different forms of government take power, typically the laws will favor one demographic over another. While the Athenian democracy favored the masses, oligarchic sympathizers like Pseudo-Xenophon, displayed their discontent with it. In his negative critique of Athenian democracy titled “The Constitution of the Athenians,” Pseudo-Xenophon supports the oligarchic system over the democratic one, yet still maintains a respect for the Athenian’s democracy as he comments on its longevity and stability. His commentary contrasts with the funeral oration that Pericles gave during a public funeral, where Pericles praises the strength of the Athenian democracy and its perseverance regardless of a plethora dead during the Persian Wars. Despite the differences, both as Pseudo-Xenophon and Pericles appeal to the political ideals of their audience while at the same time maintaining their own political beliefs.

A question that could have been asked is; should sovereignty lie in the rule of law, the constitution, or the citizens? Not agreeing on definitive answers to these questions, the government in ancient Greece, took remarkably various structures and, across distinctive city-states and over numerous years, political power could rest in the hands of one individual. What we know of the political systems of ancient Greece originates from a significant amount of sources. When discussing Athens, it is quite possible to identify a mostly complete history. Only an incomplete image of the systems in most city-states and many details of how the political apparatus actually functioned are missing.

In ancient Greek, there were several forms of government practiced at one point to the other, but some of them could not survive within the system because of the calibre of people involved at that time. A form of government could be any system recognised by the people and which stands as a guide or rule to protect and prosper a state or nation.

one essential conviction, expressed in the word democracy itself: that power should be in the hands of the people. Although democracy today has been slightly inefficient in this idea, with the wealthy, elite class challenging this right, “it nevertheless claims for itself a fundamental validity that no other kind of society shares….” To completely understand the structure of democracy, one must return to the roots of the practice itself, and examine the origins in ancient Greece, the expansion in the Roman Empire, and how these practices combined make what we recognize as today’s democratic government.