How Successful Was Athenian Democracy

Athenian democracy was successful in many ways. For example, it provided for the people. Democracy effectively provided goods for the masses and met their needs. In addition, Athens owed much of its power to its navy, which was largely serviced by the poor thetes. The democratic system rewarded the poor laborers for their service to Athens. Athenian democracy was also successful in that it was generally very stable. Of all the democracies in ancient Greece, Athens’ was the most radical. Nonetheless, it was also the most stable and the most long-lived. Furthermore, as a democratic state, Athens became the most powerful state in Greece. Athens was an incredibly strong military power. For example, Athens successfully defended against Persian …show more content…
The Peloponnesian War had devastating effects on Athens. As land was destroyed and trade was compromised, the economy suffered. Athens’ military suffered great losses. Athens became politically unstable and there was great social unrest. In addition, only worsening Athens’ luck, in 430 BCE, a terrible virus spread throughout Athens. Thanks to recent DNA evidence, historians now know this disease to have been typhoid fever. Because the Athenians had no remedy, an estimated one third of the population of Athens died. Athenian democracy was unable to recover from the devastating blow it received from the war and disease. Radical democracy began to grow less popular. In 411 BCE, there was a revolution establishing an oligarchy of 400, but after a few months, it fell and was replaced by democracy. After Athens’ defeat in the Peloponnesian War, Sparta established in Athens an oligarchy of 30. The oligarchy was highly unpopular, even to the point that it was nicknamed “the 30 Tyrants”. The oligarchy of 30 held power for little over a year, after which democracy was restored quickly. After the oligarchy of 30 fell, Athenian democracy remained for 80 years, but it never returned to the stability it had enjoyed during the Golden Age of Athens. After the fall of the oligarchy of 30, Athenians were insecure and fearful. People began to value themselves and their own security over that of the community as a whole. People began to question the validity and power of the Greek gods and goddesses, resulting in a clash between the old traditions and the new beliefs. Athens was internally weak. Furthermore, Athens’ mistakes had a devastating effect on its reputation. Ultimately, in 322 BCE, unable to maintain its own freedom, Athens was absorbed into Phillip II’s Macedonia. As stated by Bruce Thornton, “Could Phillip have been stopped [from conquering Athens]? Such a question is of course