Different Forms Of Government In Ancient Greece
In Ancient Greece, different forms of government existed throughout the 1500+ city-states (similar to communities). Athens, for example, one of the most known city-states in Ancient times was the birthplace of democracy and was that way for nearly 200 years prior to the age and rule of Alexander The Great. In the following paragraphs, we will contrast and compare the different forms of government and rule that took place during that period.
We will start with the differences of each one.
Monarchy - Sparta, having a citizen assembly made up of men that served one-year terms and others that served lifetime terms was not a true or absolute monarchy but did have a two king system. The more popular monarchies that existed in ancient Greece …show more content…
It differs from democracy or other assembly groups, in that it reserves the power for those privileged class, which throughout history meant that you were born into it. (Aristocracy)
Democracy, like that the United States was founded upon, usually is associated with Athens, but they were not the only city-state to establish such political system. In Athens, with this establishment rules were, “any male citizen 18 years or over could speak and vote in the assembly usually with a simple show of hands” (Cartwright, 2013). This gave power to the people, for the people, and by the people to have their voices heard, not by a minor group of people but by people as a whole.
Tyranny, a word that we are too familiar with throughout history with examples such as Hitler, Kim dynasty in North Korea, Mao in China, and many others. This form of government usually refers to one ruler who took power from the state in an unconstitutional manner, many times by killing the ruler who preceded them (Cartwright, 2013). Two such example in ancient Greece was Syracuse in Sicily or
We will start with the differences of each one.
Monarchy - Sparta, having a citizen assembly made up of men that served one-year terms and others that served lifetime terms was not a true or absolute monarchy but did have a two king system. The more popular monarchies that existed in ancient Greece …show more content…
It differs from democracy or other assembly groups, in that it reserves the power for those privileged class, which throughout history meant that you were born into it. (Aristocracy)
Democracy, like that the United States was founded upon, usually is associated with Athens, but they were not the only city-state to establish such political system. In Athens, with this establishment rules were, “any male citizen 18 years or over could speak and vote in the assembly usually with a simple show of hands” (Cartwright, 2013). This gave power to the people, for the people, and by the people to have their voices heard, not by a minor group of people but by people as a whole.
Tyranny, a word that we are too familiar with throughout history with examples such as Hitler, Kim dynasty in North Korea, Mao in China, and many others. This form of government usually refers to one ruler who took power from the state in an unconstitutional manner, many times by killing the ruler who preceded them (Cartwright, 2013). Two such example in ancient Greece was Syracuse in Sicily or