Transcript Athenian Democratic Reformers

Athenian Democratic Reformers
Athenian Democratic Reformers
• Democracy - Demos (“people”) + kratein (“to rule”)
• Developed through various reforms
• The Greek Reformers & Philosophers:
– 4th century B.C.E. in Athens, great thinkers appeared.
– Used logic and reason to investigate the nature of the
universe, human society, and morality.
– The Greeks’ respect for human intelligence and power of
reason allowed the ideas of Democracy to flourish.
– Human ability to reason simply means that humans can
question and analyze the world around them to come up
with the best decision out of a variety of possibilities.
– Without faith that humans can reason, democracy can
not function.
Draco
Draco
• 621 B.E.C. - Athenian noble elected to lead Athenian
Assembly
• 1st in series of reformers that helped transform Athens
from an aristocracy (government of the rich) to a
democracy…took almost 200 years!
• Credited with putting down first written laws of
Athens (prior – only verbal, making it difficult for all
citizens to know what they could and could not do)
– Severe (modern English term draconian meaning
“severe” or “harsh”)
– Written “in blood, not ink”
– Written laws meant that judges could not show
favoritism or make up laws
Solon
Solon
• 594 B.C.E. – 2nd reformer that helped transform Athens
from an aristocracy to a democracy
• Rewrote Draco’s laws
• Helped the poor
– All male citizens had right to vote
– Established new, more representative assembly of
citizens to make political decisions. Had 400
members chosen by lot (Lottery)
– Ended debt enslavement
– Canceled land mortgages
– Limited amount of land a person could own
• In the US, which laws or policies benefit the poor?
Clisthenes
Clisthenes
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508 B.C.E. – Determined to establish a democracy
Enlarged Athenian Assembly created by Solon
Removed aristocrats from leadership positions
Created Council of 500 to represent the different classes
– Created and administered laws after they were approved by
Assembly
Officials were elected
Executive power
– Ten generals called strategi (singular strategus)
– Elected for one year
Citizenship granted to some freedmen (former slaves) and to
some immigrants
Ostracism
– Names written on ostrakon once a year
– Most votes = ten years of exile
Pericles
461 B.C.E. - Pericles came into power
following the Persian Wars and continued to
develop democracy in Athens.
• Strengthened Greek democracy by
increasing the number of paid public
officials and by paying jurors.
• This enabled poorer citizens to participate
in government.
• Through greater citizen participation,
Athens evolved into a direct democracy.
• This is a form of government in which
citizens rule and make laws directly rather
than through representatives.
• The Acropolis, the center of political and
religious life for Athenians…which we will
tour later, and other buildings were either
built or influenced by Pericles.
• Oh…and he had a mistress…Aspasia
Effects of Reformers
The result of the tyrants and reformers was the creation of
the most democratic government in world history. All
officials were chosen by lottery; the revised assembly had
full and final authority of the making and execution of laws;
juries were comprised of all citizens who chose to take part
in the trials.
By the middle of the 5th century B.C., Athens had developed
into a direct democracy.
citizens were males, 18 years old, fathers had to be
citizens
legislative branch passes laws
executive branch carries out laws
judicial branch conducts trials with paid jurors