Exercises on Athenian Democracy

How did Athenian political institutions work before the establishment of the democratic regime?

Establish some of the historical transformations that destabilized the Eupatrid-controlled regime in Athens.

Rate and explain the three principles that define the organization of Athenian democracy.

Did Athenian democracy guarantee participation to each and every resident of that city? Justify your answer.

(IFP/2009) Ancient Athenian democracy (from the 5th and 4th centuries BC) has some characteristics that make it different from modern democracies, even though they are inspired by it to form themselves. The following assertions are characteristic of Athenian democracy, referring to the period mentioned above:

I. In Athenian democracy, not everyone is a citizen. Women, children, slaves and foreigners are excluded from citizenship.

II. It is a representative democracy, like modern ones. A citizen? Wiser? It is chosen to represent the people, thus guaranteeing the power of one over the others.

III. It is a direct or participatory democracy, not a representative democracy, like modern ones. In Athenian democracy, citizens participate directly in discussions and decision-making by voting.

IV. Athenian democracy does not exclude from politics the idea of ​​competence or technocracy:in politics some are wiser and more competent than others (ordinary citizens), the former having to exercise power over the latter.

Mark the correct alternative.
a) Statements III and IV are correct.
b) Statements I and III are correct.
c) Statements I, II and IV are correct.
br /> d) Only statement I is correct.
e) Statements II, III and IV are correct.

Before living under the democratic regime, the Athenians had their political institutions controlled by the Eupatrids. Through a long historical process, the Eupatrids, recognized for the issue of land tenure, decided the most important political issues in Athens.

After the First Diaspora, Athens took advantage of its privileged geographical position to establish commercial relations with other city-states in the Greek world. As time passed, merchants and artisans became increasingly rich and important in the Athenian economy. It was from there that the aristocratic regime of the Eupatrids began to be questioned in favor of a government that would open doors to the participation of other social groups.

Athenian democracy is founded on the principles of isonomy, isegory and isocracy. Isonomy is the principle that all citizens have the same rights and duties before the law. Isocracy holds that all these citizens have the same opportunity to occupy available political positions in government. The principle of isegoria guarantees that all citizens have the opportunity to be heard in the assemblies.

Not. Only men born in Athens, over 18 years of age, who could have the right to participate in the discussions and votes that dealt with the political issues of the city. In this way, women and foreigners, who made up a significant portion of the population, ended up being left out of the debates that decided the fate of that place.

Letter B. Athenian democracy was marked by the exclusion of the vast majority of the population, since only men, born in Athens, over eighteen years of age could have a voice in the political arena. Furthermore, we see that in this type of democracy, citizens directly decided to establish laws, not electing representatives who would take such action in their place.