The Greek Golden Age The Shadowy side of democracy Athens dominance of Delian League (Athenian Empire) Democracy and Empire? Radical Democracy Council of Five Hundred Council of Areopagus Benefits: Direct democracy Selective leadership of elites Problems: Ostracism Themistocles Pericles (495-429 BCE) Periclean Athens: Golden Age How did Pericles work to build the prestige and power of Athens? Were Pericles efforts worth the incredible expense? Why or why not? What do edifices and academics reveal about a society? How had Athens become the intellectual center of the world?
The unexamined life Socrates Reason Revolutionary Comparative Democracies Democracy!en vs. Now Definitions Democracy Demos = People Kratia = power Monarchy Mono = one Archos = rule Oligarchy Oligoi = few Archos = rule
democracy (n.) Definitions a. Government by the people; that form of government in which the sovereign power resides in the people as a whole, and is exercised directly by them (as in the small states of antiquity) In mod. use often more vaguely denoting a social state in which all have equal rights, without hereditary or arbitrary differences of rank or privilege. b. A state or community in which the government is vested in the people as a whole. democratic (adj.) Of the nature of, or characterized by, democracy; advocating or upholding democracy (n.) U.S. politics. (With capital D.) Name of the political party originally called Anti-Federal and afterwards Democratic-Republican Definitions mob-rule (n.) rule imposed and enforced by a mob Mob (n.) a disorderly or riotous crowd, a rabble Republic (n., and adj.) Definitions a. A state in which the supreme power rests in the people and their elected representatives or officers, as opposed to one governed by a king or similar ruler; a commonwealth. Now also applied loosely to any state which claims this designation. b. Applied to particular states having this form of constitution
Government Legislative Composition Procedure Responsibilities Executive Limits Oversight Judicial Composition Procedure Emphasis: Responsibilities vs. Rights Ostracism Yearly election Remained citizens and kept property James Madison ( father of the Constitution and 4 th President of the US) Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.
Democracy was the right of the people to choose their own tyrant James Madison 4 th President The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty. Fisher Ames, 1 st US Cong. Rep. from Mass. Between a balanced republic and a democracy, the difference is like that between order and chaos. John Marshall, 4 th Secretary of State, 4 th Chief Justice US Supreme Court "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. -John Adams, 2 nd President of the US That the desires of the majority of the people are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of the history of the world. John Adams We are a Republican Government, for real liberty is never found in despotism or in the extremes of democracy...it has been observed that a pure democracy, if it were practicable, would be the most perfect government. Experience has proved that no position is more false than this. The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated never possessed one good feature of government. Their very character was tyranny; their figure deformity. Alexander Hamilton, 1 st Sec. of Treasury
A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of the other 49%. Thomas Jefferson The experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived. - John Quincy Adams, 6 th President of the US Winston Churchill (man, myth, & legend) The best argument against true democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter. Winston Churchill Also note the definition of the US in the Pledge of Allegiance "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Legislative Powers Athens All male citizens All issues decided by the Assembly Oversight of the rest of government (no checks or balances) Simple majority on all issues Decides responses emergencies of state Athens Executive Powers Very weak in scope and intent Chosen by lottery All members of bureaucracies chosen by lot from citizens at large One year terms Overseen by and a part of the Assembly Refers emergencies of state to assembly Doesn t administer foreign affairs Assembly does Judicial Powers Athens No lawyers or judges Limited procedure Juries large (501-1501) chosen by lot Simple majority decides the case Trial lasts one day
Athens Military Powers Generals elected, one from each tribe Share power rotate overall command daily Directed and overseen by the Assembly How would Athenians view our system of government?