Athenian definition of democracy Essay -- essays research papers fc

discourse the Athenian definition of democracy. Is the city accede the only kind of state in which true democracy fag exist? What happens to democracy when it is utilize to a society with a large dispersed population? What argon other examples of democratic societies besides Athens? Compare and contrast Athenian democracy with American democracy. Is the United States a democracy in the genuine sense of the sacred scripture?     The ancient Greek word "demokratia" was ambiguous. It met literally " state power". But who were the mass to whom the power of the long? Was it all the people -all duly qualified citizens? Or only some of the people -- the peck? The Greek word demos could mean either. There is a theory that the word demokratia was claimed by democracys enemies, members of the rich and aristocratic elite who did non like macrocosm outvoted by the common herd, their social and economic inferiors. If this theory is right, democracy must(prenominal) stock certificateally have meant something like "mob rule" or " tyranny of the proletariat".      By the fourth century B.C.E. there were hundreds of Greek democracies. Greece was non a single political entity it was a collection of about 1500 soften poleis or cities scattered around the Mediterranean and black sea shores. The cities that were not democracies were either oligarchies or monarchies (often times called tyrannies). Of the democracies, the oldest, the most stable, the most long-lived, and the most radical, was Athens.     The origin of the Athenian democracy of the fifth and for centuries can be traced back to solon. Solon was a poet and a wise statesmen but not a Democrat. His radical reform package laid the basis on which an aristocrat called Cleisthenes could start democracy. Cleisthenes championed a radical political reform movement which in 508 -507 ushered in the Athenian democratic cons titution. Under this political system Athens successfully resisted the Persian onslaughts that victory in turn encourage the poorest Athenians to demand a greater say in the ruling of their city. In the late 460s a radicalization of power shifted the balance decisively to the poorest sections of society. This was the democratic Athens that laid the run agroundations of western rational and critical thought.  &nb... ...laves and women were excluded today every resident of the United States can qualify for citizenship.BibliographyMartin, Thomas. R. Ancient Greece From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times. mod York & London,Yale University, 2000.McEvedy, Colin. The New Penguin atlas vertebra of Ancient History. London, England, Penguin Books,      1967. - - - The New Penguin Atlas of Medieval History. London, England, Penguin Books, no egress      No publication date. Oliphant, Margaret. The Atlas of the Ancient World., London, Ebury Pre ss, 1992.Scholastic Inc. Scholastic Atlas of the World. U.S.A., Miles Kelly, 2001. Further information about the Greeks and Athens can be found at the following siteshttp//thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/world/greece/greece/html.http//www.stoa.org.demoshttp//www.fordham.edu.halsall/ancient/asbook.htmlhttp//www.newton.mec.edu/oakhill/sixth%20grade.web/resources/geography/geoslide/geopix.htmlhttp//www,culture.gr/http//www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/educational/lesson1.htmlhttp//www.members.home.net/georgefrank/war/athens.htmldemocracyhttp//www.members.home.net/georgefrank/war/sparta.htmlMonarchy