Week 4: Daily #4

Question: Was Athens really a 'democracy'?

         

I do think that Athens was a true democracy because all of the decisions that were faced in this great city were in the hands of the people. Many tyrants began rule in Athens, but after they did a bad job leading the city, a democracy was born. Many great Athenian leaders like Pericles and Clisthenes used this type of government to their advantage. They succeeded with different war strategies and different methods to use in war all made by the people. Clisthenes first established the democracy in the late sixth century. He wanted the people’s beliefs and opinions to be an influence in the decisions that Athens eventually made. Clisthenes was also known as “the father of Athenian democracy.” With the implementing of a democracy, Athens was now under the rule of the people and leaders like Clisthenes depended on peoples’ choices to lead them to victory. The democracy led Athens to become the rulers of the Eastern Mediterranean world. When the new democracy was tested in the War at Marathon in 490 B.C., it held up. The different tactics and ideas from the people helped Athens defeat the Persians in a tested battle. This democracy in Athens was real and it is what the people did that helped Athens become an empire to remember. People even voted on what laws should go into effect for the city and voted on who should lead their city. A democracy allowed people to form councils so ordinary people could share their own ideas that would help Athens in different aspects like war and protection. Athens ran with this type of government and it worked for many decades until Athens fell later in the late fifth century. So I think Athens was a democracy and this is what the great leaders of Athens depended on to lead them in the direction of success and dominance.