Solon and the foundations of democracy

WEEK 5

History of democracy

Democracy is a political system in which all the members of the society have equal access to power. The history of democracy traces back from its origins in ancient world to its re-emergence and rise from the 17th century to the present day.

Antiquity

Pre-historic origins

Although it is tempting to assume that democracy was created in one particular place and time —identified as Ancient Athens about the year 508 BC – evidence suggests that democratic government, in a broad sense, existed in several areas of the world well before the turn of the 5th century.

Within this broad sense it is plausible to assume that democracy in one form or another arises naturally in any well-bounded group, such as a tribe. The scholars name this as tribalism or primitive democracy. The primitive democracy is identified in small communities or villages when the following take place: face-to-face discussion in the village council or a headman whose decisions are supported by village elders or other cooperative modes of government.

Nevertheless, on larger scale sharper contrasts arise when the village and the city are examined as political communities. In urban governments all other forms of rule namely monarchy, tyranny, aristocracy, and oligarchy have flourished.

Ancient origins (summary)

Ancient Sparta

Ancient Greece in its early period was a loose collection of independent city states, called polis or poleis. Many of these poleis were oligarchies. The most prominent Greek oligarchy, and the state with which democratic Athens is most often and most fruitfully compared, was Sparta. Yet Sparta, in its rejection of private wealth as a primary social differentiator, was a peculiar kind of oligarchy, and some scholars note its resemblance with democracy. (For details, see the full entry in Wikipedia.)

The creator of the Spartan system of rule was the legendary lawgiver, Lycurgus. He is associated with the drastic reforms that were instituted in Sparta after the revolt of the helots in the second half of the 7th century BC. In order to prevent another helot revolt, Lycurgus devised the highly militarized communal system that made Sparta unique among the city-states of Greece. All his reforms were directed towards the three Spartan virtues: equality (among citizens), military fitness and austerity. It is also probable that Lycurgus also delineated the powers of the two traditional organs of the Spartan government, the gerousia and the apella.

The Spartan referred to themselves as όμοιοι (Homoioi, men of equal status). This was also reflected on the Spartan public educational system, agoge, where all citizens irrespectively of wealth or status had the same education. This was admired almost universally by contemporaries, from historians such as Herodotus and Xenophon to philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. In addition the Spartan women, unlikely elsewhere, enjoyed "every kind of luxury and intemperance" with elementary rights such as the right to inheritance, property ownership and public education. Overall the Spartans were remarkably free in criticism of their Kings and they were able to depose and exile them.

Athenian Democracy

Athens, is the first recorded and the most important democracy of antiquity. Athens emerged in the 7th century BC, like many other poleis, with a dominating powerful aristocracy. However, this domination lead to exploitation causing significant economic, political, and social problems. These problems, were enhanced early in the sixth century, and as "the many were enslaved to few, the people rose against the notables". After a period of unrest between the rich and the poor, the Athenians of all classes turned to Solon for acting as a mediator between rival factions, and reaching to a generally satisfactory solution of their problems.

Solon and the foundations of democracy

Solon, an Athenian of noble descent but moderate means, was a Lyric poet and later a lawmaker; Plutarch placed him as one of the Seven Sages of the ancient world. Solon divided the Athenians, into four property classes, with different rights and duties for each. All citizens were entitled to attend the Ecclesia (Assembly) and vote. Ecclesia became, in principle, the sovereign body, entitled to pass laws and decrees, elect officials, and hear appeals from the most important decisions of the courts. All but those in the poorest group might serve, a year at a time, on a new Boule of 400, which was to prepare business for Ecclesia. The higher governmental posts, archons (magistrates), were reserved for citizens of the top two income groups. Solon created a mixed timocratic and democratic system of institutions.

Bas-relief of Solon, one of 23 great lawgivers depicted in the chamber of theU.S. House of Representatives.

The reforms of Solon in 594 BC eliminated enslavement of Athenians by Athenians, established rules for legal redress against over-reaching aristocratic archons, and assigned political privileges on the basis of productive wealth rather than noble birth. Some of his reforms failed in the short term, yet he is often credited with having laid the foundations for Athenian democracy.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 723