Ancient Greek Democracy Essay

The term “democracy” first appeared in 5th Century Athens and comes from the root word demos, meaning “common people”, and kratos, meaning “strength”- the strength of the common people. Democracy is meant to weaken the power of absolute rulers and extend the decision-making process to the people. Ancient Greece experienced the first form of democracy and it wasn’t until the mid 17th century when the system made a revival. The revival began in the early United States, France, and Britain, and had a slow, continual rise throughout the 18th and 19th century. The biggest threat to democracy is communism, and the rise in Eastern Europe and Asia causes countries, such as Russia and China, to turn to a more authoritarian rule. Currently, 123 countries …show more content…
Parliamentarians, true to their name, wanted a parliamentarian system whereas the Royalists wanted the monarch to remain in power. The war ended with the execution of Charles I and the replacement of the monarch with a short-lived Commonwealth of England, then the Protectorate Oliver Cromwell. The English parliament was established and set the precedent that the monarch must refer to the parliament before governing. It wasn’t until the Glorious Revolution in 1688 that Parliament became the legal ruling power. England implemented several other legislations pertaining to individual rights, such as the English Bill of Rights, that set certain basic rights and inspired the Americans. The most notable legislation for voting rights were the Great Reform Acts of 1832, 1867, and 1884. These acts introduced a wide-range of change to the Parliament and extended voting rights to a larger population. Although limited, England was one of the first to become …show more content…
This system, derived from Karl Marx, advocates class war and a society in which the government owns all private property and controls the market in the name of equality. Communism directly conflicts with the ideals of democracy. Countries that adopt communism tend to be more authoritarian and have lower quality of life within the country, creating more opportunities for conflict. The tension between democratic United States and communist Soviet Union started at the end of WWII, and growing distrust between the countries grew into what we know now as the Cold War. This extreme distrust continued until 1989, the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Although the Cold War may have ended, the struggle between democratic and communist countries continues to this