A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture (

In the “Protagoras,” Socrates and Protagoras debate why participation in government is open to all citizens, but technical matters, such as health, works of art, and the construction of buildings require qualified individuals. The argument presupposes that integrity and acumen are the necessary virtues that citizens must lean and apply for a properly functioning democracy.

Democracy is designed to concentrate the power of government in the hands of the people and protect against autocracy and oligarchy. It presupposes societies need a modicum of rule, as they cannot function if there is anarchy. In this way, democracy is a virtue, or a mean between two vices. However, democracy has a sliding scale, the metric of which is the citizens who rule it. Citizens ultimately dictate the laws to be agreed upon, codified and enacted. These laws not only govern behavior and maintain order, but also provide citizens with a mechanism to seek relief through the courts should they be aggrieved.

At the inception of Athenian democracy in the 5th Century, there were no professional prosecutors, or lawyers. Complainants seeking justice brought and argued their case against defendants, who would answer the charges themselves. After the case had been argued, the jury immediately voted and made its decision without the modern equivalent of a deliberation. Thus, the ability to argue, and use rhetoric was an important tool for litigants. Similarly, it was important for jurors to understand rhetorical arguments to effectively decide cases they heard. The application of reason, and the ability to apply logical thought extends beyond the courts and also to the formulation of public policy.

To effectively govern and implement policy, citizens partic...

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...se to over arching political leaders and policies that claim to act in the best interest of all, yet are in reality only in place to serve the self interest of a few.

Works Cited

"A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture [Paperback]." Amazon.com: A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture (9780195156812): Sarah B. Pomeroy, Stanley M. Burstein, Walter Donlan, Jennifer Tolbert Roberts: Books. Web. 13 Apr. 2012.

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"The Internet Classics Archive | Protagoras by Plato." The Internet Classics Archive: 441 Searchable Works of Classical Literature. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. .

"Protagoras." SparkNotes. SparkNotes. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. .