An essential feature of democracy is that the system “favors the many instead of the few,” as Pericles so poignantly stated in his Funeral Oration (30). With both tyranny and oligarchy, the best interest of the masses often takes a back seat to the personal interests of the

The direct nature of democracy in Athens inherently separates it from subsequent democracies. Except for a few cases, Athenians voters did not elect politicians to represent them but directly decided on the laws and policy the city-state would adopt. With direct democracy, the voter is guaranteed that his interests will influence policy making. With representative government, the representative can pledge that he will act in the interest of constituents but is not obligated to. Also, even if he/she does act in the interests of his constituents, the minority opinion will probably not be represented. None such occurs with direct democracy. The voter represents himself and is not influenced by constituents, political party, or re-election. In regard to the success of the system, Josiah Ober in his The Ideological Hegemony of the Masses comments, “Athens is an example of a direct democracy that achieved genuine, long-term, stable methods of decision making by the masses and that was not coopted by the growth of an internal ruling elite” (66). With direct democracy comes effective, uncorrupted representation, which is important in defining the nature of Athenian democracy.

small number in power. The people which need the government most and compose most of the state have little or no profound influence on the system. In the Pseudo-Xenophon excerpt on The Constitution of the Athenians, he concedes that the poor and ordinary should have more power than the nobles because they are those which work to make the city powerful. Though the sweeping reforms of Solon in 600 B.C. did not give the lower class thetes who comprised the majority the right to hold office, they could participate in ecclesia, the Assembly, and have their grievances and suggestions known. Aristotle in his Politics, agrees with this decision, and comments that Solon “gave people only the necessary minimum of power” (41). The thetes are later needed to row for the Athenian naval forces they are given the right to hold office, nearly 100 years following the reforms of Solon. In the mid-5th century, Pericles grants the Boule, or the Council of 500, and the Assembly true political power in Athens which placed power in the hands of the people. While rule by the many came to be, those whom compromised the many deserves

Some topics in this essay:
Funeral Oration, Paul Rahe, Boule Council, Regulations Erythrae, Illiberal Democracy, Specifically Athenian, Hegemony Masses, , Delian League, Aristotle Politics, athenian democracy, ancient athens, direct democracy, nature athenian, equality law, nature athenian democracy, funeral oration, exhibits strengths weaknesses, strengths weaknesses, system essential, reforms solon, political power, weaknesses athenian democracy, direct democracy voter, majority actual inhabitants,