All rights reserved. True democrats would elect all officials through voting by the people. Two of the biggest city-states were Athens and Sparta. To have a powerful and lasting empire with great prosperity you must have a series of strong leaders. Ancient Greece was divided into many different city-state who had their different cultures, the most critical being Athens and Sparta.They adored a broad range of god and goddesses,the most imperative of whom, the Olympians, small thought to live on Mount Olympus. What were the advantages and disadvantages of Greece? Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Due to the geographical disadvantages of grease The civilization was divided into many city-states instead of having one main government. Both of these city-states shared similar characteristics such as both would remain the foundation for the Greek political world. One of the earliest known democracies was in Athens, a city-state in southern, ancient Greece. 1031 Words5 Pages. However up until 500 BCE, the concept of Democracy was a foreign concept, and the great civilizations of that era were run by monarchs, aristocrats, and religious leaders of sorts. Their division led to the widespread of language and culture. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. Sparta, it appears, had fewer changes to government over time as compared to Athens. Athens was a small city compared to Rome that honored and protected citizenship. They were only given a cloak - no shoes or other clothes, and not enough food so they had to steal (to learn survival skills). What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. 4.Every citizen was included in politics. Sparta and Athens had differences and similarities in the way they governed their city states, in how they established their military forces, how they treated women, their marriage customs and social gatherings. As we know, this system is a norm to the Western world, in order to preserve personal freedom and make sure that the will of the people is upheld. The secret ballot, First of all, it is important to know the definition of democracy and its aspects. Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Democracy. All city-states differed from each other in some ways but all shared some characteristics too. It may not be able to serve the needs of an emergency situation. It was possible to prolong the rule for the next term but in case of any abnormalities a quick change of government took place. Great economy. Some of the strengths of Athenian democracy include making decisions based on the opinions of many rather than a few, giving responsibility to more citizens and making records available for public examination. Pros: Many Tyrants ruled well and helped poor families by cancelling the debts of poor farmers. Some people believe they were more democratic than us today, but I think they were never a true democratic government. Specifically in America, one is taught that they live in a democratic society. Demo, meaning the people, and kratia meaning the power or rule. Athenians made it clear that the poor helped build the city 's power and not just the wealthy. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. So that is why I conclude that ancient Athens was indeed not truly. Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. 7 What was the disadvantage of democracy in ancient Greece? Elements of more than one of these forms also co-existed, however, and the modern connotations of labels such as these are not necessarily the same as those that prevailed in Ancient Greece. Overall, ancient Athens was indeed not truly democratic as a result of the government having male citizens have authority, being an oligarchy government instead of a democratic government, and voting not accessible to women, free foreigners(Metics), and slaves except for male citizens. What this means is that all the citizens voted on all the laws. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. The Athens lived by the Sea which was an advantage because they had an excellent trading system. What disadvantages did Athens have? Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. Pros And Cons of Ancient Athenian Democracy and Pros and Cons of American Democracy. If they did not fulfill their duty they would be fined and sometimes marked with red paint. Athens on the other hand had a democracy as stated in Document 3, an excerpt from Funeral Orations by Pericles a quotes from this excerpt states it is true that our government is a democracy, because its administration is in the hands, not of the few, but of many.. This quote clearly states that the type of government Athens has is a. The direct democracy of Athens wasnt actually as inclusive and steady as the statement at Pericles 's funeral state, Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people (Doc C). In fact, of the 450,000 citizens of Athens in 430 BC, only about 40,000 people had the power to vote. The constitution favor many people instead of few people. In addition to simply being a peninsula, Greeces coastline has many accessible harbor locations. This means a lot more people got to attend political affairs. A tyrants son does not usually inherit his fathers power. The city-state of Athens, 5th century Athens to be precise, is the inventor and first practitioner of democracy. Democracy in Ancient Greece was very direct. Thus, a key part of democracy is that the people have a voice. 3 What were the strengths and weaknesses of ancient Greece? Ancient Greece is often credited with being the birthplace of democracy. It was easy for the Athenians to see who the people are due to the population number at the time. But those attitudes shifted in the course of the 5th century under the influence of the Persian invasions of Greece in 480479 bce. In America today, democracy is something we take pride in. Absolutism was characterized by the ending of feudal partitioning, consolidation of power with the monarch, rise of state, rise of professional standing armies, professional bureaucracies, the codification of state laws, and the rise of ideologies that justify the absolutist monarchy. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. Ancient Greece is also known for many things like the birthplace of the first Olympics, beautiful architecture, and famous philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Advantages: small, easy to control, centralized. Sparta was cruel, disgusting, and uninviting each day would be a struggle to survive. Oligarchy (advantage) If the leader is strong/effective, the civilization is in good shape. Greece is also quite mountainous. The two biggest city-states have always had issues. Other contrasting issues included womens rights, social classes, and value of human life. Because Athens (back then it was called Athenai), was where the concept of democratic society was first formed. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When asking what is democracy, the answer is never truly defiente. Democracy in ancient Greece served as one of the first forms of self-rule government in the ancient world. Democracy is the idea that the citizens of a country should take an active role in the government of their country and manage it directly or through elected representatives. WebCompare the advantages and disadvantages for settlers of Greece's physical geography. What are the pros and cons of tyranny in ancient Greece? Why was logical and public speaking emphasized more in Athens than any other city-state? Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. Draco organized laws by putting them in a written code, letting everyone know what the laws were and, In historical Europe, many of the countries were ruled by tyrants who dictated the citizens daily lives. The word democracy is greek, the word demos means people and kratos means power. Tenant farmer. Australia and New Zealand followed not long after as they began to use the secret ballot system to elect political leaders. Sparta was focused on their military, discipline, and to have a strong state. By 508 BCE, Cleisthenes came to power in Athens and creates a democratic constitution of all people. Apart from many smaller changes, it was mainly based on the opportunity for all citizens over 20 to take part in governing the country. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Ancient Athens has two documents that discuss democracy. Greek city-states all were very similar but had differences. Their members were elected by the people. In addition, it supports the idea that the people can replace their government through peaceful transfers of power rather than violent uprising or revolution. Democracy is the rule of the whole of the people,excluding minors and maniacs only. It is a center for economic, political, financial and culture life in Greece. In Document 2, an excerpt from The Spartan Constitution by Aristotle theres a quote that states they praise Lacedaemon because it is made up of oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy.. This quote tells exactly what type of government Sparta had. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". What are the advantages and disadvantages of Athens? Socrates did not care for the idea in general, and Aristotle thought it could, within a state, yield new forms of abuse of power. Due to the fact that Sparta had a very military lifestyle, they were good at raising strong outspoken women in a society where women were kept at home. Rather than vote for representatives, like we do, each citizen was expected to vote for every law. Apart from many smaller changes, it was mainly based on the opportunity for all citizens over 20 to take part in governing the country. Democracy is a form of government in which power lies with the people. Oligarchy (disadvantage) Over time, middle/lower classes realized they still had little to no say in government Tyranny (disadvantage) What was the government like in ancient Greece? This completely contradicts the all-inclusive concept of direct democracy that the Athenian government preached so frequently. While this advancement occurred. According to Peter Joyce (2005), the democratic government was initiated in the Greek city state of Athens in the fifth century B.C., so as a consequence, the word democracy derived from two Greek words, demos (meaning people) and kratos (meaning power) , which means government by the people. some might say the Romans were better. What are the disadvantages of Constitution? In document A it also states that you get equal justice. And thats the way it should be. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. While it has been stated that Athens is the cradle of democracy, and that it was better than any of the other governments in the world, it was still a work in progress. The Athenian democracy, while it did give more power to the people, still left a lot of citizens out. WebWidely thought of as the birthplace of democracy, Athens is Greece's central hub and has contributed much to the worlds of art, theatre, architecture, philosophy and politics. Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. While both Athenian and Roman form of democracy was a major step away from autocratic rule, but they both had their drawbacks. Even though their government was ran by the people themselves, only the men in the city could vote. The Athenians valued their political freedom and free thought. These mountains and oceans would make Sparta would be in a condition of prosperity and comfort. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. 5 What are the disadvantages of Constitution? Both Athens and Sparta hold historic value for Greece and the world. One that originates from ancient Greece, at the cradle of civilisation.The word democracy comes from the Greek meaning the people and meaning power or rule. What was one advantage in the Greek world? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Women, children, and slaves were not considered citizens and therefore could not vote. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Athens was a small city compared to Rome that honored and protected citizenship. Women could own property. But there are some differences between these two power houses. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. if the majority of the citizens didn't like the ideas of a single citizen they were to be banished or killed. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". They all spoke the same language and they all believed in the same god. The five most powerful Greek city-states were; Athens, Sparta, Corinth. By our understanding it was an oligarchy, not democracy. In ancient Athens only the men were able to vote. 8 What are the advantages and disadvantages of ancient Greece? Now, there are a lot of people was worried about the system, because there are too many problems of their government. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This will only lead to a shift to the left of aggregate demand and is it impossible for the people to pay taxes when the living standards is low. Sparta lacked land area and was forced to seek other land in the fertile plain of Messenia. The ancient civilization of Greece contained many different city-states; two of these city-states were Sparta and Athens. This new city and surrounding area were not dominant or influential. Pros: All citizens got to vote and have their opinion expressed. Both Athens and Sparta had a similar government system. Many people were disenfranchised. The Athenians created a new kind of government where the people chose their leaders. Athens was the largest polis in Greece. Their job was to oversee the decisions made by the assembly. WebIn Homeric Age, the regime of Athens is citizens can go into politics directly, just like governor who wield the supreme power, this kind of regime called Direct Democracy. The different city states had their own ideas on social control and values in their government. This group of people only included white male citizens, meaning that slaves, foreign born residents, women and some men who hadnt obtained citizenship couldnt vote (Doc D). 3 What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state model of government in Greece? Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. The first inhabitants of Attica (the wider area of Athens), of who we are aware, lived during the Neolithic Period (6,000-2,800 BC). For a long time, historians have kept this question in mind while studying laws and methods of the Ancient Athenians. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. Athens was also referred to as the birthplace of democracy, a government system still in use today! Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. WebThe advantages of Greeks geography is that they had protection from invaders and some disadvantages were that they had a hard time farming and traveling. Greece was organized into many different city-states. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. If they did not fulfill their duty they would be fined and sometimes marked with red paint. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. (Document B): The second reason is that if the court decides that someone has no right to be enrolled as a citizen he becomes. Also, the so called Ostrakismos made it possible to ban corrupt politicians from athens. They could veto law proposals or rulings made by the council or assembly (PBS 1). Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. A a majority of one race or religion or political opinion is not allowed to suppress the rights of other groups. The ancient civilization of greece was different from many of the civilizations in its time. Times change and with it human desires, but not many people challenge it or seem to think outside the box. Tyranny (disadvantage) Not a guarantee that the people chosen by lottery would make effective government decisions. Person who pays rent, either in money or crops, to grow crops on another person's land. The assembly in Sparta could veto the councils. Use this knowledge to correct the spelling errors below. The biggest difference between Athenian democracy and almost all other democracies is that the Athenians had a direct democracy rather than being representative. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Tyranny Cons: Cons: Some tyrants were corrupt. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This horrible plague killed the Athenian leader Pericles along with many other Athenians, which took a huge toll on their morale. Sparta is far better than Athens on the grounds that their armed force was strong and defensive. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. The answers given may be; a society where everyone votes, or by dictionary definition a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of the state; typically through elected representation. However when analyzing the etymology of the word democracy we come to find out that demos means the people and kratia means rule or power in greek. She or he will best know the preferred format. What are the pros and cons of democracy in ancient Greece? As stated in the article The Problem with Democracy Today, contrary to other political institutions who holds the power is not clearly stated if the regime is a, Liberal Democracy is a democratic system of government in which individual rights and freedoms are officially recognized and protected, and the exercise of political power is limited by the rule of law. What is democracy? The direct democracy of Athens wasnt actually as inclusive and steady as the statement at Pericles 's funeral state, Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people (Doc C). In fact, of the 450,000 citizens of Athens in 430 BC, only about 40,000 people had the power to vote. The concepts of limiting individualism, encouraging positive associations, and moderating the tyranny of the majority that Tocqueville observed during his trip in America helped maintain the new democratic republic built after the revolution. No i don't think Athens was truly democratic because, all the rules of ancient Athens are very unfair with all their rules and rights for all citizens. Having good harbors and water access is good for trade, and trade brings economic stability. These two city-states, Sparta and Athens have unique formations of government, histories, goals, as well as societies. WebThe common man, woman and children were considered subjects, who had no say in how the land was governed or any of the policies that were implemented. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. However, they choose the candidates based on the (1)facades they create, which causes the people to become (2)distorted by their seemingly noble intentions. What was the disadvantage of tyranny in ancient Greece? One of the many states of Greece, ancient Athens, was indeed not truly democratic as a result of not even using the essentials of democracy that is used today, Thus, by our standards, it was oligarchy, not democracy.(Document D), therefore ancient Athens was not using democracy as their form of government, they were using oligarchy,another form of government in which a small group of people has power and control, as their form of government instead of democracy. Due to the fact that Sparta had a very military lifestyle, they were good at raising strong outspoken women in a society where women were kept at home. The assembly passed laws and made policy decisions (PBS 1). One of the main advantages of Athenian democracy was that the archon and his eight assistants were elected annually. One of the biggest weaknesses of Athenian democracy was highlighted by Plato; the masses are sometimes ignorant, and they are likely to be swayed by rhetoric. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. WebThe ancient civilization of greece was different from many of the civilizations in its time. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. To have a powerful and lasting empire with great prosperity you must have a series of strong leaders. Spartas government was said to have a mixture of the major types of government which is oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. What does checks and balances refer to quizlet? What are the advantages of the ancient Greek system? Together it means rule by the people. The. Unlike the Romans, Athenians had a strict but fair schedule that allowed them to enjoy citizenship equally. Athens government is a democracy which means all citizens get to take part. How do these two city-states differ? The key aspects of what makes Australia a democracy being the electoral role, Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), referendumsm, the rule of law, Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy, said Benito Mussolini. While Athens is widely regarded as the first historical example of a democratic system, some scholars believe that the Roman Empires republic system was more democratic than that of the Greek. The most important city-states of Ancient Greece was Sparta and Athens. The Athens was more superior then Sparta. The Greeks never unified, Sparta is a better place to have an exciting or joyful life because you would be isolated by mountains and oceans. Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics, and societies. Disadvantages: takes more time to make decisions, more costly. Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. Spartas kings ruled until death or forcibly removed from office. The Athenian democracy, while it did give more power to the people, still left a lot of citizens out. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens.