This paper will compare and contrast some of the forms of government that were found in the various city states across ancient Greece, including tyranny, monarchy, oligarchy, aristocracy and democracy. An attempt has been made to sort these forms of government according to how harsh they were on the population in general but like ice cream, each of these forms comes in different flavors (Me, 2016). Some tyrannies could have been more liberal than some oligarchies, some monarchies could have been more oppressive than some tyrannies, etc. The final order is at best a generalization.
By general rule, Tyranny seems to be considered the more oppressive of the governmental forms. A tyranny is formed when the power of rule is acquired power illegally, …show more content…
Aristocracies are placed lower on the list of harshness than oligarchies because their power was more diluted. The oligarchs were very small groups, the aristocracy was an entire ruling social class. This dilution reduces their individual and collective control over the populace, so more has to be given to “the people” to retain their fealty. The aristocracy had to extend certain rights (mainly property rights) to the farmers and other working class people, guaranteeing that they would enjoy the fruits of their labor. By doing this they ceded a certain measure of influence to the lower classes (Fleck & Hanssen, 2006).
Democracy is last on the list as it is the least oppressive or harsh of the forms of government examined here. In a democracy the greatest number of people were permitted a meaningful voice in public affairs. People in positions of greater public power or influence were selected by their peers. Often these elevated positions were rotational or had specific time limitations placed upon them. The wide dilution of power and the limitations placed on persons in positions of power were checks to those whose ambition lied apart from the good of the
By general rule, Tyranny seems to be considered the more oppressive of the governmental forms. A tyranny is formed when the power of rule is acquired power illegally, …show more content…
Aristocracies are placed lower on the list of harshness than oligarchies because their power was more diluted. The oligarchs were very small groups, the aristocracy was an entire ruling social class. This dilution reduces their individual and collective control over the populace, so more has to be given to “the people” to retain their fealty. The aristocracy had to extend certain rights (mainly property rights) to the farmers and other working class people, guaranteeing that they would enjoy the fruits of their labor. By doing this they ceded a certain measure of influence to the lower classes (Fleck & Hanssen, 2006).
Democracy is last on the list as it is the least oppressive or harsh of the forms of government examined here. In a democracy the greatest number of people were permitted a meaningful voice in public affairs. People in positions of greater public power or influence were selected by their peers. Often these elevated positions were rotational or had specific time limitations placed upon them. The wide dilution of power and the limitations placed on persons in positions of power were checks to those whose ambition lied apart from the good of the