athenian democracy critiqued

the old oligarch does not approve of democracy because …

"it allows the worst people to be better off than the good."

old oligarch quote on the demos sacrificing good government for their freedom (1)

the demos "don't want a good government" because they "would quickly fall into slavery" if a wealthy elite ran were in charge.

according to the old oligarch, how does democracy allow for the abuse of the wealthy?

• in athens, they are forced to pay for public festivals and still mocked in plays.

• in subject poleis, the demos, unfairly, target aristocrats by bringing vexatious charges against" them and forcing them to sail to athens for trial.

quotes to dispute the old oligarch (2)

• "they do not allow the common people to be ridiculed in comedy," unlike the rich, who regularly have fun poked at them.

• the old oligarch complains that you can't hit slaves anymore because the common people - that is, those in charge - would get mistaken for slaves.

old oligarch quote on the inefficiency of democracy (1)

"the city just isn't able to deal with everyone who asks, no matter how gold and silver you give them."

old oligarch quote on the lack of accountability in a democracy (1)

a man who isn't one of the people yet prefers to live in a democracy must have "realised that it's easier to do evil and go unnoticed in a democracy" because accountability is less enforceable - later he complains that magistrates have to be scrutinised every year.

why might plato be predisposed to hate democracy?

plato's teacher, socrates, had been killed in 399 BC following a trial in which he was accused of having corrupted the young.

plato quote on the qualities of a philosopher king?

men who "hate lies and love truth," are "self-disciplined," "fair and kind."

plato on the demos (3)

• the demos are "a bit hard of hearing and short sighted."

• likened to a caged beast

• "have you ever heard one of them [the demos] produce an argument that isn't laughably bad."

plato on the demagogues (2)

• they drug the demos and kill each other in their self-interested pursuits to become captain of the ship

• they know "what tone of voice to use to soothe or annoy" the demos.

common criticisms about the demos (3)

• they are very easily manipulated.

• they are not capable of good decision-making (volatile, incapable of seeing the long-term, driven by emotion.)

• they are apathetic.

common criticisms about the demagogues (3)

• they use persuasive rhetoric and bribery to manipulate the demos.

• they are entirely self-interested and do not care about Athens welfare.

• they are immoral and violent.

• they are not capable of good governance.

common criticisms about the chaotic/inefficient nature of democracy (3)

• it is disorderly and creates chaos.

• it's not a government contingent to effective decision-making.

counterargument to common criticism about the demagogue

in response to the mytilenean revolt, cleon advocated for executing all the men and enslaving all the women and children. an order for mass execution was issued on the first day of debate but countermanded on the next and, in the end, the city as a whole was spared.

counterargument to common criticism about the demos (2)

• the athenians overthrew the oligarchies of the four hundred (411 BC) and the thirty (403 BC), which suggests they did value their democracy.

• the fact that pericles is using democracy to rouse the morale of athenian people suggest that they weren't apathetic about their system of governance.

counterargument to common criticism about the chaotic nature of democracy (1)

• it was relatively stable for two hundred years (thucydides suggests that democracy was part of the reason the athenians lasted for so long in the war)