The word "democracy" is translated as "the power of the people." In the concept of the modern world under a democratic system, all people have equal rights. Equal before the law are man and woman, politician and janitor, rich and poor, foreigner and native of the state.
In ancient times, when the slave system was inherent in the whole world, ordinary people dreamed of equality. Then the concept of "democracy" was of a slightly different nature. Athenian democracy under Pericles came closest to the modern concept of this term. The century of his reign, the Age of Pericles, is named after him.
Pericles
Pericles was born into a noble family. His mother Agarista came from one of the most famous clans in Athens - the Alkmeonides, and his father, Xanthippus, commander of the Athenian fleet, during the Greco-Persian war won the battles at Cape Mikal.
Pericles was a healthy and strong child, but it was difficult to call him handsome because of the disproportionately large head . Therefore, all artists and sculptors depicted the ruler exclusively in a helmet. And in comedies, in view of this shortcoming, he was given the nickname "Onion-headed".
Since Pericles belonged to a noble family, he was well educated and had eminent mentors.
Excellent upbringing and education played an important role in the life of Pericles. He was a good speaker and always knew how to win over people. Another characteristic difference between the leader of the Athenian demos was the ability to remain calm in any situation. A story is known when one of the disgruntled citizens followed Pericles, sprinkling insults, to the house, but the wise ruler not only did not punish the offender, but also ordered his servant to lead the insolent to his home.
How Pericles became the leader of Athenian democracy
Pericles began his career with military campaigns. He avoided political activity because he was afraid to be expelled because of his external similarity with the tyrant Pisistart who had ruled earlier. Political opponents, trying in every possible way to minimize its influence, often drew people's attention to the similarity of voice and the way Pericles spoke with the tyrant.
Due to the fact that at that time there were no worthy politicians in Athens (someone died, but most were expelled), Pericles was nevertheless elected to high posts. Athenian democracy under Pericles also influenced the personal life of the leader, he had to abandon communication with aristocratic relatives and meetings with famous friends.
Despite the large number of enemies from the aristocratic party, Pericles adhered to a democratic system until the end of his reign.
Management policy of Athens in the era of Pericles
Democracy under Pericles, the pros and cons, which you can see by reading this article to the end, is still not at all the kind in which people are used to seeing it today.
However, with the advent of Pericles, the citizens of Athens gained significantly more rights. The main step in the direction of democracy was the abolition of the Areopagus veto and the transfer of his rights to the People's Assembly. Now ordinary citizens of all classes, by drawing lots and voting, having gathered, make all the important decisions. Archons are only executive bodies.
The National Assembly includes all the citizens of Athens, with the exception of only peasants who refuse to leave their inheritance in order to participate in political activities.
Consider the main signs of Athenian democracy under Pericles, noted by Aristotle.
Election of Officers
Officials are elected annually by the people at a general meeting. Tips, which should include all fils, are chosen by drawing lots. Each fila nominates fifty candidates, one of the fils is still appointed in the same way by Pritan. The Pritans choose the place where the meeting of the meeting will take place, prepare a list of issues that are considered daily at the council meeting, and the Prtans choose the people who will be responsible for the war and defense of the country. The head of the Princes is also determined by drawing lots, the chosen one has access to the treasury, all state documents and the press.
Altogether, the Pritans appoint four meetings, at the main meeting the legality of the selected authorities is checked, the protection and food economy of the country are discussed. The second deals with petitions and lawsuits. The third and fourth national meetings are needed to consider the remaining aspects of the country's life.
The councils approve archons and other politicians elected by the People's Assembly.
Athenian democracy under Pericles, lawsuits
The judiciary is also accessible to the common people, who are constantly present at the heliast tribunal.
Speaking about how slave-owning democracy developed under Pericles, it should be noted that power, even in such a narrow direction as the tribunal, was divided between a large number of people.
Absolutely any citizen of Athens had the right to blame an unscrupulous politician, and he appeared before a people's tribunal. After considering such a case, if the allegations are confirmed, the statesman should be removed from his post and possibly even expelled, and his property sold at auction.
Archons were chosen from the ranks of the people, they were addressed with domestic complaints (for example, maltreatment of children without parents) and with complaints about statesmen. With the help of a draw, nine archons selected a judge.
Particularly serious crimes, such as murders, grievous bodily harm, etc., were considered in Areopagus, where, as mentioned above, some citizens constantly sat, which significantly reduced the ability of defendants to bribe judges.
The basis of Athenian democracy under Pericles is the distribution of control over each area of the state mechanism among as many citizens as possible.
Social policy in the era of Pericles
Despite his belonging to the nobility, Pericles tried in every way to facilitate the life of the common people. By introducing a law according to which it was allowed to take part in political activities and occupy high positions not only from rich families, but also to middle and poor citizens, the leader of the Athenian demos understood that, constantly caring for their financial condition, ordinary people would not be able to honestly and rationally participate in government. Therefore, citizens holding positions in the political sphere, it was decided to give payments from the state treasury.
Athenian democracy under Pericles also meant social payments to cripples and orphans. Poor citizens received payments to buy tickets to the theater, which played a significant role in shaping the mentality of the people.
Providing the Athenians with land and work
The wise head of the Athenian demos understood that the well-being of the people needed to be improved not only by social financial assistance, but also by providing jobs for free residents of Athens. Pericles annually put forward large-scale projects of buildings and other works, giving places to various artisans. Thanks to this approach, Athens has become a cultural center, famous for its unbelievably beautiful buildings.
Sixty thiers were outfitted annually, any Athenian could enlist in their crews and receive pay during the service.
In order to expand the borders of Attica, it was decided to create cleric villages on the territory of the states of the Athenian Union, where any citizen of Athens could get a piece of land for cultivation.
Like any other system, democracy under Pericles had its pros and cons.
Among the shortcomings of his reign, historians say that only those inhabitants of Athens were considered citizens, both of whose parents had Athenian citizenship.
And of course, it is worth noting that women did not have the right to participate in the political life of the country.
Slave democracy under Pericles (briefly)
Speaking about the democracy of that time, it would be unfair to ignore the issue of slavery in Athens.
Half of the four hundred thousandth population of Athens was slaves. More often than not, captives became prisoners who did not have the opportunity to make a ransom for themselves. The status of a slave was inherited, so a child born to a slave was doomed to repeat the fate of his parents.
The signs of democracy under Pericles are visible even in the sphere of slavery. The owners were forbidden to abuse their slaves. The slave had to be fed and dressed no worse than the poor Athenian. They were allowed to participate in various religious holidays, and a guarantee was provided against the rudeness of judges and politicians. In case of abuse, slaves were granted asylum.
All the dirty, domestic and difficult work was done by slaves. With the permission of the owners of slaves, the state hired for the construction of buildings. The slave was obliged to give his salary to the owner.
The hard work of the prisoners in the mines suggested the Athenian slave-owning democracy under Pericles, the history of these unfortunates rarely had a happy ending.
Under Pericles, debt slavery was abolished, so that a father could sell his daughters into slavery only if they were convicted of a dissolute life.
The end of the reign of Pericles
Pericles was chosen as a strategist for fifteen years.
Despite the fact that Athenian democracy had a positive impact on the state under Pericles, the events of that period related to the war with Sparta greatly undermined the authority of a permanent strategist. And the people, forgetting about the benefits that he brought to the state, after a series of military setbacks and the plague epidemic in Athens accused Pericles of all the setbacks and thefts and sentenced him to a large fine. Soon Pericles fell ill with the plague and died.