Government in Ancient Greece
University of the People
HIST 1421
“Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives” (Reagan, n.d.). In order for Greece to have order and civility, there needed to be certain officials that held power to make these city-states safe, and make proper decisions that benefitted them. Five of the major forms of government that once played a part in ancient Greece were Tyranny, Oligarchy, Democracy, Monarchy, and Aristocracy. Many associate the example of Queen Elizabeth when they hear the word “Monarchy”. Simply put, Monarchy is where royalty rules. Once promoted by Rome and Hellenistic kings, Monarchy was established by the London Conference of 1832, and is still used today (“Monarchy”, n.d.). Rule in a monarchy is hereditary, meaning you have to be of royal bloodline and fall next in line to rule. Finally in 1974, Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis abolished Monarchy in Ancient Greece once and for all (“Monarchy”, n.d.). As the most popular, Democracy means “The People Rule”. Citizens used “drawing of lots”, or Sortition (“Athenian Democracy”, n.d.). This was used to appoint political officials, and became a common staple practice in Democracy (“Sortition”, n.d.). When the Athenian democracy was failing, and …show more content…
Like Oligarchy, Tyranny was run by one ruler, usually of noble birth, and believed in oppression and obedience as a way of getting what they want from their people. However, Tyranny did not always have a negative label. In Ancient Greece, it originally meant “ an authoritarian sovereign without reference to character” (“Tyranny”, n.d.). The negativity came when the son of Peisistratus was murdered. Preferred by Athenians over kings or Aristocracy, Tyranny was avoided by Sparta. This was because Sparta needed to have unity against the Helots, and Tyranny usually meant support from the poor (The British Museum,
University of the People
HIST 1421
“Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives” (Reagan, n.d.). In order for Greece to have order and civility, there needed to be certain officials that held power to make these city-states safe, and make proper decisions that benefitted them. Five of the major forms of government that once played a part in ancient Greece were Tyranny, Oligarchy, Democracy, Monarchy, and Aristocracy. Many associate the example of Queen Elizabeth when they hear the word “Monarchy”. Simply put, Monarchy is where royalty rules. Once promoted by Rome and Hellenistic kings, Monarchy was established by the London Conference of 1832, and is still used today (“Monarchy”, n.d.). Rule in a monarchy is hereditary, meaning you have to be of royal bloodline and fall next in line to rule. Finally in 1974, Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis abolished Monarchy in Ancient Greece once and for all (“Monarchy”, n.d.). As the most popular, Democracy means “The People Rule”. Citizens used “drawing of lots”, or Sortition (“Athenian Democracy”, n.d.). This was used to appoint political officials, and became a common staple practice in Democracy (“Sortition”, n.d.). When the Athenian democracy was failing, and …show more content…
Like Oligarchy, Tyranny was run by one ruler, usually of noble birth, and believed in oppression and obedience as a way of getting what they want from their people. However, Tyranny did not always have a negative label. In Ancient Greece, it originally meant “ an authoritarian sovereign without reference to character” (“Tyranny”, n.d.). The negativity came when the son of Peisistratus was murdered. Preferred by Athenians over kings or Aristocracy, Tyranny was avoided by Sparta. This was because Sparta needed to have unity against the Helots, and Tyranny usually meant support from the poor (The British Museum,