Democracy And Athenian Democracy

1. INTRODUCTION

Democracy is generally viewed as a Western ideal conceived in the time of enlightenment and augmented by capitalism and its advancement of individual rights. Its foundations are equality, liberty, social justice and restricted government. Democracy is a legislature by the individuals; or an administration in which the incomparable force is vested in the individuals and practiced by them straightforwardly or in a roundabout way through a system of representation generally including intermittently held free elections. Democracy, as a concept originated in Ancient Greece when at around 800 BC, Plato indicated that the city state of Athens should hand over power to the people, for they had neither the inclination nor the training to run their lives. From the 5th century BC, Athenian Democracy gave citizens equal rights to participate in decision making and to hold public office based on the ideal of equality among citizens. Democracy in Greece was first introduced in Athens by Cleisthenes. The Greek city states were ruled by an rich, influential elite group of men many before democracy became popular. This Oligarchy limited the power to very few people. Democracy was a government structured to serve the people. All white, male citizens had the right to vote under a democratic democracy. As a society it benefited the majority, which comprised of the middle and lower classes. They received a voice, giving them power. The upper class, aristocrats, lost power through such a democratic process; they no longer received power solely because of their social standing.

Two centuries prior to Athenian democracy, there were republics in and around the foothills of northern India, set up by Aryan tribes of the plains which re...

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...riters have bent over backwards to divorce Indian republican experience from the history of democracy. The contrast drawn is not backed up by any real argument, and makes one wonder about the how the author defines “republicanism”, “democracy”, “freedom”. Once that prejudice is overcome, Indian republicanism gains a strong claim on the attention of historians, especially those with an interest in comparative or world history. It is particularly noteworthy that, throughout the period between 500 B.C. and 400 A.D., we find republics in practically anywhere in India and that these republics are relatively well documented. The republics of India were very likely more extensive and populous than the poleis of the Greeks. One can't help wondering about how in numerous different parts of Eurasia republican and democratic states may have co-existed with the royal dynasties.