The Complicated History of Democracy

Traditionally, citizens of capital of Greece and the surrounding areas were " assort in four tribal divisions. . .and each of the tribes was divided into three parts, in order that there might be cardinal parts in all. . .and the arrangement of clans was in groups of thirty" (Aristotle, Vol. 20, p. 152). Additionally, those who lived in the countryside of Attica were typically to a greater extent mercenary than those who lived in the city of Athens ( freeman 133). According to Aristotle, Cleisthenes wished to "mix up" the population so that much could participate in city affairs (Aristotle 21.2). Cleisthenes reforms included bypassing the universal phratries, or aristocratic landowner associations, by "creating a t erupt ensemble new set of political units, the demes. . . based on local anesthetic descent groups," or villages (132). Demes were given direct responsibility for local administration and enrollment of citizens at the age of 18. These demes were grouped into big units called trittyes, which were in turn grouped by threes into tribes, making 10 tribes in all over the 3 regions of Attica. These tribes selected, by lot, cubic decimeter members each to attend the council of four hundred, or Boule, which had been founded previously by Solon. Cleisthenes, however, enlarged this council to five hundred and retained its function as supervisor of the business of the Assembly (133). As Freeman points out, in introducing the conservative countryside to democratic self-rule, Cleisthenes was able to over

whizz of the changes brought about by Cleisthenes was the ability of the populace to vote to ostracize someone once a year. At the time, those who were ordinarily voted out tended to be aristocrats who had supported tyrants (Aristotle 22.1-5). Later on, however, this tended to be anyone who appeared as well great or who may have been loadd of "medism" (supporters of the Persians and Medes) (Aristotle 22.6, Freeman 200). Although this law had popular support, as Freeman contends, it could also be used to get rid of unwanted democratic influences. One example is Themistocles, who as founder of the Athenian navy, was closely cerebrate to moving towards more democratic rights.

The navy tended to be where citizens of demoralize income did service, and in that service saw that they had earned the right to be heard more in city affairs making Themistocles a popular leader of the people (Freeman 200). With the Persian Wars, however, the Council of the Areopagus (a broadly aristocratic institution made up of former archons or former judges) had become more powerful and opposed to more democratic reform, especially as set forth by Themistocles (Aristotle 23.1, Freeman 200). Of the ostraka found from this time period (470s and 480s), over clxx show Themistocles' name on them, however, it appears as if they were all scripted in only 14 different hands, pointing to a doable rigged vote. In the end, the Areopagus used false evidence to accuse Themistocles of being "pro-Persian" in order to get him thrown out of the city (Freeman 200).

Aristotle in 23 Volumes, Vol. 20, translated by H. Rackham. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1952. Accessed online marchland 7, 2004 at: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Aristot.+Ath.+Pol.+fragments

come much of their conservative fear of instability (133). He then had men gearing for the state army in their tribes along with men from opposite regions. With the city as their only common bond, this helped
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