For modern perspectives, was Athens truly a democracy?

Answer 1

It was a different concept. We call it Democracy because people eligible to vote elect their leaders. In Athens those eligible to vote would elected their leaders among themselves, it was regular people who were in charge of government. Plato criticized this idea a lot. He though this was very inefficient, and that there should be a group of people dedicated only to govern. What today we call politicians.

From a modern perspective I would argue that it was truly a democracy because it was common men who held positions in government and they were elected by common men, only that the requirements for eligibility were a bit thougher than today's.

Answer 2

Athens was more democratic than the modern republics !

There, the future of the city was decided by free men, rich and poor. All those men who were fighting at wars had the right to vote every day for everything (political, social, even to decide in a trial as jury). The choice of the people was becoming straight the choice of the state. They didn't had to protest like today.

The Democracy in Athens had no corruption like it has today. We vote once every 4 or 5 years a short list of "representatives" among millions. Most of the politicians that we vote disappoint us.

They didn't let women, foreigners and slaves to vote and that was for the good of the city - state. Women don't fight in battles, how could they have the right to say if the state should go on war ?

Foreigners and slaves also didn't join the Athenian army. Athens was open and hospital to foreigners but Athenians couldn't trust them for something so serious. As about slaves, slavery is not the same at every part of the world and in every time in history, most of them were lucky to be in Athens, even as slaves.

There are many more aspects of Athenian political life that prove that Athens was a real democracy, not a fake like today.

Answer 3

Was Athens A True Democracy

Answer 4

Direct democracy voting for initiatives and referendums by the citizens on important issues started around two thousand five hundred years ago In Athens, the cradle of democracy. About 590 B.C. power was granted to all the propertied classes, thus establishing a limited democracy. About 500 B.C., democracy was extended to the freemen of Athens (women and slaves who made up more than half of the population, and others were excluded). At that time Athens' population was approximately 100,000 (Polopolus).

Answer 5

Athens was the closest to democracy as any civilization has come close to. They had direct representation of their men and everyone had a vote (men, I mean). Although, there are aspects we would not agree with.

Answer 6

From TODAY'S perspective, no it wasn't. From the perspective of what a democracy really IS, then yes it was. There are no true democracies in today's world. For instance, the US is a capitalist republic, NOT a democracy.

Answer 7

Not really. Athens excluded a lot of people who lived in the city from participation in government. You had to be a citizen: male, free, and your father had to be a citizen in order for you to be one. Citizens were wealthy, usually landowners. If you didn't fit those qualifications, you were stuck. Slaves, women, foreigners, and newly-freed slaves were barred from the government.

Answer 8

youthful woman, human beings have written entire books on those matters. you want the fast answer, of route, because your mentality is on the point of Homer Simpson. a million. the historic Greeks loved democracy, yet only for men, only for Greeks, and only for the prosperous. They kept slaves and fully omitted women. 2. convinced, humanism is sturdy.

Answer 9

the slaves and women might not had those rights, but they also didn't put people into positions of power for set number of years and say "okay, you're on your own, good luck and don't screw up!" and let them do what they please.

Answer 10

No.
They had slaves.
And women didn't have right to vote.