The Rise Of Athenian Democracy

Athens contributed to western humanities in many ways, especially in government. Athens was the first direct democracy in the world. The word democracy signifies the people hold the power. Athens gave its citizens the authority to participate in making laws and policies, but different from the United States for the US believes in a democratically based government that elects a representative to make decisions for the people. “In the democracy of ancient Athens, Athenian citizens exercised political power directly, thus—unlike the United States, where the power rests in the hands of the representatives of people—the citizens of Athens themselves held the authority to make the law and approve state policy” (Fierro36). Athens citizens participated in the making of the laws and policies, but only landowning males over the age of eighteen where consider citizens, women’s did not qualify as …show more content…
Another way the Athens influence the western, Athens initiated the payment for holding public office and the finance of the outgoing magistrates where audit and critically scrutinize, like in the western government the public officers are paid for their work and their books are likewise audited to make sure that the public funds are properly