Like many other modern practices, voting was created by the classical world. Greece and Rome were the first to design the intricate electoral system used today in the United States and other countries. However, the voting in the Greco-Roman era often differed greatly from what it is today.
Voting in ancient Greece
A voting system was established by the mythical Lygurgas, who also wrote the Spartan constitution. Some indicate that leagues in city-states will often vote when making decisions. In Athens, Solon adopted a new constitution in 574 BC. which gave voting rights to members of the aristocracy. Voting was only made more accessible by Cleisthenes' reforms. Most Athenian men had the right to vote in the fifth century BC. They could vote on issues such as electing generals and declaring war.
In addition, Athenians could cast ballots in court cases, and in a notorious case, they executed Socrates. Voting played a significant role in excluding those who were seen as threats to the state. For example, Themistocles, the victor at the Battle of Salmis, was banished by the Athenians. On an ostracon, a piece of pottery, voters would write the name of the person they wanted to banish. There was no secret ballot; all voting took place in public. Remember that many slaves, women and immigrants were banned from voting. Radical democracy is a category that includes the Athens system of government.
Since the voting system had become dirty over time, several offices in Athens were chosen by lottery. Nevertheless, voting became popular as many other Greek republics imitated Greek democracy. Even when the Macedonian dynasty took control of the city-states, it persisted.
Even after their democratic constitutions had been curtailed, the Greek city-states continued to elect scribes. One of the defining characteristics of the aristocracy and a significant privilege was the ability to vote. Municipal elections continued in the Greek world throughout Roman times and only stopped completely with the rise of the Byzantine Empire.
Voting in the Ancient Roman World
Rome was initially a monarchy, but after removing its last king, the Romans created a special type of democracy. A group of legislators and decision-makers who were indirectly elected made up the Senate. But as time went on, the Romans set up several legislatures and assemblies where people could vote. Almost all Roman citizens, including the consuls, were elected. The senatorial elite was able to influence this in a way that protected their interests.
Roman tribes often held elections. Plebians, members of the lower class, were allowed to cast ballots in some assemblies, giving them a vote in governing bodies. Due to property restrictions, the majority of people could not vote. Rome created a very intricate voting system that combined direct and indirect democracy. They also pioneered the secret ballot, which is now recognized as crucial to free and impartial elections.
The elections in ancient Rome were often violent and bloody. Political violence marked Roman elections from about 200 BC. Politicians' gang members intimidated voters and often turned Rome into a battlefield. There were relatively few fuses, and many votes were bought.
Only after Augustus came to power did Roman elections cease to be so brutal. The vote in Rome continued with the election. The Senate voted regularly, but most of these votes were merely ceremonial and were used to confirm the emperors' orders.
At the local level, however, many elite members participated in controversial elections for positions that still had actual authority. Voting became more widespread throughout the empire due to Romanization, and many local governments enjoyed high levels of autonomy. But only the wealthy could vote.
Voting in medieval Venice
Venetian politics developed during the 13th century, and a selection of Great Councils consisted of 40 members. "Approval voting" was used by the Venetians. In this type of election, voters cast one vote for each acceptable candidate and none for each unsuitable candidate. The candidate who received the most favorable votes was declared the winner.
Voting rights
The basis of American history is the extension of rights, especially the freedom to vote. Since 1776, when it was declared that all men were created equal, but that equality only applied to some, the laws governing who has the right to vote have undergone a significant transformation. Then only white men who were at least 21 years old could vote while America was still in its infancy. Our nation's capacity to develop, transform and adapt is one of its strengths. The following is a list of some significant adjustments that have been made since the early years:
Black Suffrage
The amendments of the 13th, 14th and 15th to the US Constitution were adopted in the years following the Civil War. That was in the late 1860s. BLACK RIGHT TO VOTE Slavery was banned, and former slaves were given the right to vote (voting rights) and civil rights. Although African Americans had LEGAL voting rights, several barriers prevented many blacks from exercising that right until the Voting Rights Act of the 1960s.
Direct election of senators
The 17th Amendment established direct democratic election of senators. Senators were appointed before 1913. But, of course, the Electoral College continues to elect the president instead of the general public. For example, George Bush won the Electoral College's vote in the 2000 presidential election despite Al Gore winning the popular vote.
Women's suffrage
In 1920, the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. This change came as a result of "suffragettes" moving internationally. But women have not always done as well globally. Until the 1970s, Switzerland did not allow women to vote, and from 1990 onwards, Kuwait did not allow women to vote. Many nations still do not allow women and citizens to exercise their right to vote.
18 year old voice
In 1971, against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, many American people felt that if a person was old enough to be drafted into the military to serve the nation, then they were certainly old enough to vote. However, with the adoption of the 26th amendment, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18.
Voice systems
Internationally, democracy has been practiced in a number of ways. However, the American system is by no means considered to be the best in the world. Voting systems vary greatly from state to state, even within the United States. Nevertheless, the federal government began to pay more attention to the consistent application of the electoral rules after the 2000 presidential election.
Parliamentary system
Under the U.S. electoral system, lawmakers are elected by a majority or majority within a single geographic district (the one who gets the most votes in that district wins). For senators, the districts are whole states, while for House members they are parts of states. The "first-past-the-post" system is used in this situation.
All legislators are elected from across the country when a parliamentary system is in place. The number of legislative seats a party wins depends on the total number of votes cast for that party. On a list of party candidates, legislators are predetermined. The one at the top of the list for the party with the most votes is the Prime Minister.
As in America, the first-past-the-post election system favors two parties. However, several parties benefit from the parliamentary system since they all have a parliamentary influence if they get enough votes for just one seat. England, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Japan and South Africa are a few examples of nations that have this type of democracy.
Since there is no division of power, this type of government must be more accountable than a president. Voters can more easily determine who is to blame for passivity in this system. The main complaints are the lack of distribution of power and the fact that the head of government can not be elected directly by the population, as in a presidential system. However, research has revealed that during World War II, two thirds of the countries of the Third World switched to parliamentary forms of government.
Instant Settlement Poll
The IRV system is designed to promote third-party involvement in a two-party system. Each voter makes a first, second and third preference. Their voice shifts to their second preference if their first choice fails. Voters in 2000, for example, could have expressed their political preferences more fully by choosing Gore as number two and Nader first, removing the so-called "spoiler effect". IRV systems are used in several foreign countries and many US municipal elections.
Merger Reconciliation
Candidates can run in a single election under different party banners in merger voting. New York State is the most prominent example. Candidates often stand as candidates for the Democrats and the Liberal Party, the Republicans and the Right-To-Life Party, etc. Voters can choose both one person AND a party because each candidate's name is listed once under each party, which encourages third-party engagement. . In states that lack merger voting, there is little negotiation to secure third-party nominations for candidates from major parties.
Voice equipment
Congress approved the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) to address issues that were discussed across the country. As a result, people with the same name as criminals are no longer routinely deleted from voters, and voters now have the opportunity to cast a preliminary ballot if their status is questioned.
Voting and Elections in Ancient India
Elections in India are neither a recent phenomenon nor a modern idea. The Indian way of life has always been based on the idea that choices should be made in cooperation and with the consent of all parties, either at the level of individual families or communities.
Our ancient texts from the Vedic period are full of allusions to the republics and democracies in different regions of ancient India. The inhabitants of the mighty Vaishali ganarajya elected their chiefs, or Ganapatis, thousands of years ago to lead them in both peace and struggle, according to graphic details preserved by ancient historians. They received advice from various wise men and aristocrats, including the current Council of Ministers, while making decisions.
Analysis of the Electoral Commission of India
The Electoral Commission of India noted the following in its report following the first parliamentary elections in independent India in 1951–1952, and traces the history of elections and the development of representative governments in India:
Many regions of ancient India had republican administrative systems. Such governments are often mentioned in Buddhist literature. For example, Kshudrak-Malla Sangha, a republican union that existed even in the fourth century BC, gave Alexander the great fierce opposition. The Greeks have documented several more Republican regimes in India; some of these nations were referred to as "aristocratic republics", while others were seen as "pure democracies".
The republican administration systems of ancient India were inexplicable. However, it is known that in some of them, each adult male member had the right to vote and attend the general meeting, which made all public decisions. However, it became more and more challenging for all residents to gather in one place to discuss government issues as the population grew and the social structure became more complicated. Gradually, this led to the emergence of a representative government. In the history of Hindu politics, there are many references to elections, referendums, voting and ballot papers.
Voting rights
Uncertainty surrounds nature to the right to vote for popular assemblies. All adult men who were not otherwise disqualified appear to have had the right to vote in other states. In contrast, the basis for voting in the aristocratic republics seems to have been a family. Even foreigners can naturalize in order to obtain citizenship and the right to vote.
A voice was referred to as a "chhanda", which is Hindi for "desire". This expressive sentence implies that by casting a vote, a member expressed his free will and preference. An explanation is also given of the procedures for collecting the votes of persons who could not attend the assembly meeting. To vote in the assembly, there used to be multicolored ballot papers called 'shalakas' (needles). When a division was called, these were given out to the members, and the congregation's special officer, known as the "shalaka grahak," collected them (needles). The entire congregation chose to appoint this officer. His responsibility was to cast a vote, either privately or publicly.
Voting in villages
A system of autonomous and almost self-sufficient village communities also developed naturally under every system of government in ancient India, in addition to developing the democratic form of government in sovereign states, as mentioned earlier. Without the obvious features of the referendum and the ballot box, these societies, which persisted through the millennia, were governed by truly democratic principles. Later they became known as village panchayats and played a significant role in the rural community.
Control of local business through assemblies persisted for a very long time, even after the incorporation of the Republican states into empires. Most imperial conquests allowed the conquered governments and societies to maintain their former political and social structures in their unique ways. Popular congregations continued to run the business of the trading companies and villages during the Muslim era.
A major transformation took place when revenues, legal and legal activities were centralized and carried out outside the villages under British rule. Business life in rural communities deteriorated due to this element, and the subsequent downturn in agricultural and industrial economies in rural areas and popular-based organizations will eventually disappear.
the conclusion
The frequency of asking voters to make decisions in matters of public interest, for example by conducting elections to elect representatives who then make politics, is an issue that constitutional writers must consider in any democracy. Although these schemes do not appear to change much over short periods, constitutions have been amended over the last century to allow for shorter terms of office and thus more frequent elections.