Evolution of Democracy and the Athenian Constitution

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Kasem Iqbal

Evolution of Democracy and the Athenian Constitution

Democracy is defined in modern times as government by the people. To put that in perspective and better understand all that democracy entails we must consider its origins. It is surprising indeed that even today tyrannies and dictatorships exist in the world when more than two and a half thousand years ago the ancient Athenians had developed a functional and direct form of democracy. What contributed to this remarkable achievement and how it changed the socio-political scene in Athens is what will be considered in this paper.

The paper will have three sections, each detailing the various stages of political development from the kings of Attica to the time of Pericles when, in its golden age, Athens was at the height of its imperial power.

The historical sources used are "On Democracy and Oligarchy" attributed to Aristotle and Xenophon, "The Rise and Fall of Athens" by Plutarch and "History of the Peloponnesian War" by Thucydides.

1

The first stage in Athenian history was the time of the monarchs of Attica. Most of this period is shrouded in myth and