Scribd
Upload
10 views27 pages

Democracy

Democracy is a governing system where people elect representatives to govern on their behalf, characterized by social equality and tolerance. The document discusses the evolution of democracy from ancient Greece, highlighting the transition from direct to representative democracy, and the contributions of key figures like Solon and Cleisthenes in Athens. It also outlines the strengths and weaknesses of modern democracy, emphasizing its role as both a system of government and an ideology.

Uploaded by

82nbrmvtmm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
10 views27 pages

Democracy

Democracy is a governing system where people elect representatives to govern on their behalf, characterized by social equality and tolerance. The document discusses the evolution of democracy from ancient Greece, highlighting the transition from direct to representative democracy, and the contributions of key figures like Solon and Cleisthenes in Athens. It also outlines the strengths and weaknesses of modern democracy, emphasizing its role as both a system of government and an ideology.

Uploaded by

82nbrmvtmm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 27

DEMOCRACY

What is Democracy?

Democracy is a system of governing a country.

The people govern themselves indirectly through their


representatives whom they elect.

Such a society is characterized by social equality and


tolerance.

In Malta we have this type of government.


Types of Democracy

The type of government we have in Malta is called


Representative Democracy.

The first type of Democracy was called Direct Democracy.

The first democracies were Direct Democracies and were


formed in Greece thousands of years ago.
Direct Democracy in Greece and how it came
about.

Greece is made of many small plains and valleys


surrounded by high mountains.

The geography of Greece encouraged the formation of


small states called polis.

Polis were independent city states.

A city state usually consisted in an agricultural territory and


a walled town centre.
Noble families and Assemblies

Initially each city state was dominated by a few noble


families.

Each city state had an individual identity re-enforced by


religious ties, legal decisions and political decisions.

Decisions were made either by the noble families or during


assemblies of all citizens.
Effects of these changes

• New laws were introduced.

• The power of the nobles began to be restricted.

• New changes in the way the city states were governed.

In some city states the nobles were replaced by a tyrant


and in others by an oligarchy.
The three factors that began undermining
aristocratic dominance

• Re-introduction of literacy in Greece. The laws began


to be displayed in public. ( C.750 BC)

• Many new city states were established around the


Agean, Adriatic and Black Sea. (c. 750-600 BC) These
had new laws and fresh distribution of land.

• Introduction of the Hoplite armour and tactics. (c. 490


BC).
Important definitions

A tyrant which is a term of Greek origin meant an


authoritarian sovereign who ruled without regard to the law
and for his own advantage without regard to his subjects
sometimes going to extremes and using cruel tactics.

An oligarchy is a form of government in which the power is


in the hands of a few people.
The city state of Sparta
Sparta obtained control over the southern Peloponnese.
The defeated people became state serfs also referred to as
helots.

When a major revolt occurred with the help of an organized


Spartan hoplite army Sparta obtained more political rights
and more land.

But socially the Spartans became a tightly regimented and


authoritarian state.
The city state of Athens
First steps of Democracy were taken by Solon (638-559
BC) who made new laws to bridge the unrest between the
rich and the poor.

The peasants became owners of their land and were


divided according to their wealth.

Citizens were encouraged to participate in the Assembly


and the legal process.
Council of Five Hundred
In 507BC Cleisthenes created more democratic means of
decision making with the formation of the new Council of
Five Hundred.

He divided the Athenian society in ten tribes each electing


50 representatives (hence 500).

Only males over 18 years of age could be representatives.

The representatives changed regularly.


Ostracism

Also introduced by Cleisthenes, ostracism was a form of


control over anyone who dared to create trouble.

The Athenians would vote for a politician to be banished


from the city for ten years.

This was one way of resolving disputes and preventing the


uprising of a tyrant.
Popular Juries

Popular juries were set up after the Persian wars.

These heard all the law suits except homicide.

The most important development was that office holders’


behaviour began to be scrutinized.

This is one of the first examples of a check/balance


mechanism.
Pericles – the demagogue.
Pericles led Athenian society
from 495-425BC.

He was a statesman and


helped to develop Athenian
policies during his 35 year
reign.

He was a demagogue which


means that he was a leader
who wins support by
appealing to people’s feelings
and prejudices rather than by
reasoning.
The basic model of Democracy
The ancient Athenian city state is often viewed as the basic
model of democracy.

It was the most democratic system of those times but had


many limitations by modern standards.

Besides its positive elements it had negative ones, just as


modern democracies do.

There is no perfect democracy and as a system it is always


evolving.
The limitations of Athenian democracy

The inferior status of women.

The reliance on slavery.

Unequal sharing of power among male citizens.


These were the main classes in Athenian society:

• The economic elite who owned land and money, sponsored


the navy which was the backbone of Ahtenian power and
employed the common citizen.

• The hoplites, who had been liberated from slavery by Solon


and formed the well-armed infantry.

• The common citizens.

• The rural slaves who were an economic necessity.

• The rowers.
Leisure and culture in Athens

• In Athens one sees the first cultural activities with orators,


playwrights, scriptwriters orgainizing theatrical
productions, debates and poetry recitations.

• Leisure was for the privileged at first but gradually even


other classes began to participate when given the
opportunity.
Politics, culture and the economy

• In Athens a delicate balance was being reached with the


first steps in democracy between the political, the cultural
and the economic scenarios.

• Democratic participation began to become a way of life.

• These changes began to be seen in other parts of Greece


and later other countries in the west.
MODERN DEMOCRACY
• Direct Democracy when a referendum is carried
out. In Malta we recently had two of these.
Regarding divorce and bird hunting.

• Representative Democracy when representatives


of the people are elected by those entitled to vote
to govern the country.
In a Modern Democracy the people give responsibilities to
their government when they elect it.

The greater the growth and development of a country the


greater the responsibilities given to its government.

This results in a more complex government.


Roles of a government

Helps provide security.

Regulates the organizations in a country eg. business,


labour, etc

Provides services eg. education, health services etc

HOWEVER DEMOCRACY IS NOT JUST A SYSTEM OF


GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO AN IDEOLOGY
The main characteristics of Democracy
Majority rule

Minority rights

Individual importance

The equality of man

A free society

A healthy exchange of ideas

A tolerance of different ideas


The strengths of Democracy

Gives the individual the opportunity to reach his full


potential.

Provides greater security and personal satisfaction.

Provides for the peaceful change of the law.


Weaknesses of a Democracy

Many citizens remain passive and may not have the


opportunity to participate in the democratic process or may
not wish to do so.

Since many individuals are involved in the decision


processes these may be slow in coming

Once an election is over the citizen’s rights may seem to be


forfeited.

You might also like