compare ancient Greek democracy to that of the United States today?

Answer 1

is your homework due in?

Answer 2

firstly Athens had a democracy for a era of time, not all of historic Greek states were democratic. Secondly, the Athenian democracy changed into certainly a democracy, while right here contained in the U. S. we've a republic. that's that we do not vote on topics ourselves-countless the time- yet we opt for others to vote for us. an massive distinction. Now, the present political advancements contained in the U. S. -something from the 2000 Florida fiasco to the Karl Rove type personalities and the Tom DeLays, Antonin Scalias etc- have presented about an oligarchy that shall we call Corporatocracy, the position the firms have the same entity and sovereinty as human being do. subsequently the death of any democratic beliefs contained in the U. S., that's somewhat no distinct than what surpassed off to the Athenian democracy once the Golden Age of Pericles changed into over : It became to tyrants for preparation and authorities.

Answer 3

Democracy, Greek style, is the rule of the people. The American people get democracy once every two years. On one cycle they elect their political representatives and in the other cycle they elect a President. No matter what he says, once he holds power, the President is hardly guided by democracy. Iraq? Watch democracy at work tonight when Bush increases US Army manpower by 20,000 AGAINST the advice and the wishes of the army, Congress, House of Reps. A true dictator at work trying to change his legacy with the lives of others. And watch Poodle Blair The Liar, who sexed up lies to sell the war in 2002. He is the one reason USA went without UN backing. UK democracy? What do you think! Did David Kelly die in vain? That tub of worms will yet come back and bite Bliar big time! Bliar in Court? There's a thought to snuggle down in bed with.

Answer 4

The only Greeks who had democracy were the citizens of Athens and a few minor areas. Back then Greece was divided into city-states with each city having its own government.

In Greece the democracy was made as simple as possible. First participation was mandatory for all free males over the age of 21. When a quorum call is made soldiers would move through the bars and streets arresting anyone who did not show up. Second votes were only yes or no without any debate, and third a person could be voted into exile.

Votes were made on issues with no debate or discussion. The method of voting was done with black and white pebbles. The voting citizens would be issued two pebbles at the quorum call and then the new law was proposed. The citizens would vote by dropping one pebble in a clay voting jar; black for no white for yes. This was the first secret ballot system to be held on a city level.

Once each year the Athenians could vote to oust someone; normally a political thinker. A vote would be held with a few candidates selected before hand according to nominations and the general mood of the public. Each person, proposed for eviction would be represented by a clay jar. The loser was the person with the most black pebbles in their jar. They were then exiled from Athens.

American Democracy is not direct, but instead is a representative one. Athenian politicians were laymen and great thinkers. Most of our modern politicians are full time officials, devoting all their attention to their job as a representative of the people. The US does not have a vote to exile someone. Most elected politicians were voted into office by a simple majority, but things change at the highest level.

The electoral is an archaic and out moded system of indirect election where the votes are held for states and the winner is the person who collects the most votes in that state. So a win by a simple majority is not enough and can actually be a lost (Bush vs. Gore). If the person wins the key states then they have a better chance of getting elected president. The Electoral College was a stopgap measure created, because the Founding Fathers did not want a king and they did not trust the public to not elect one. President Washington was elected to office 4 times. He decided on his own to retire and set the stage for a peaceful transition of power (one of the few examples of this in the world at the time). Presidential terms of 4 years were determined later, and up until after WW2 a person could run for president as many times as they wanted to. Congress amended the Constitution to prevent anyone from following President Roosevelt’s 3 terms of office. He will forever remain the longest sitting president.

Today our laws have to apply to more than just one city and those laws only used on the city level still have the potential of affecting millions of people. Our legal issues are more complicated and require professionals to understand and write them.

Lobbyists were once unique to the US and they are still the strongest here, that name was coined by President Grant (the president who was famous for allowing corruption).

After the Spartans defeated Athens in a war the ideal of democracy was lost until the English invented it and used it to curtail the power of the King. Our legal system was founded on British Common Law (High Law was reserved for nobles and knights, as in Knights of the Round Table).

Now you have to find sources for this information or I am otherwise fibbing. You also need to find out how the numbers of members of the Electoral College were determined. The smaller states like Rhode Island were worried that the bigger states like Virginia would take over the government. This also led to the major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate. Senators were given six-year terms so they could be considered more independent, but Representatives were only given a two-year term because they had to directly represent the populace.

At first the VP was the second place person in the political election thus insuring that the VP and the President would not be from the same party. Why and when was this changed? You also need to find out about the compromise made with those states having a high number of black slaves. What percentage of blacks were considered people, and when did this change?

I can’t do all your homework for you. Remember Athens had a lot of slaves, most civilizations did until the Dark Ages.

Answer 5

Although American democrasy is based on the ancient Greek style, there the similarity ends the ancient Greek senator was from an elite band of familiys that were never challanged by the comman Greek , and they would never of dreamed about doing so , they were elected by there own kind . only the lower orders were demercraticly voted into office, from there you had to work your way up to the top . although that was possible it very rarely happend

Answer 6

The biggest difference is that Athens had a true democracy: mob rule. 51% of the population could, and regularly did, vote to oppress the other 49%. The US, on the other hand, is a republic. The people, rather than making law themselves, choose representatives to make laws for them. We have a constitution which is intended to limit the authority of the government, and the mob, to protect the rights of the individual citizen from oppression.

Answer 7

Well, Greek democracy was not as pure as people think.

Certain wealthy citizens dominated affairs, much like today. They bought votes, used intimidation, etc. This is because it was impossible to cast a ballot secretly back then.

Only citizens could vote, but most people in the city state were not considered citizens. Women, slaves, poor, immigrants, etc could not vote. You had to own land to be considered a citizen.

Compare that to the US, where any hairy sack of balls can vote.

Answer 8

The usa isnt doing a good job, id say living back into the anceint greeks was a better time then now, the greeks handled everything better with government, they were organizied not like the crappy government we have now in the usa.

Answer 9

I agree with Steve P, what came to my mind was about voting, that only citizens could vote and that ruled out most of the society.

Answer 10

greek democracy is democratic,but usa democracy is pogery domocracy.not democratic,just named.

Answer 11

Don't remember incidents of torture in ancient Greece. I think they killed outright.
Democracy is a dirty word these days: it doesn't exist! Anywhere!