🏛️ Unit I

The Rise, The Disappearance, and the Return of Democracy

Democracy

citizens hold political power either directly or through representatives

Representative Democracy

citizens rule through elected representatives

Limitations of Athenian Democracy

* only 20% of Athenians could become citizens
* women, slaves, and foreigners denied citizenship
* slaves made democracy work
* slaves = 1/3 of population
* FREEDOM THROUGH OPPRESSION

Why are there no direct democract’s today?

too big populations

Autocracy

* a single person rules with unlimited power
* also called dictatorship and despotism
* Rule by one
* Typically a king

Aristocracy

* power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility
* a form of oligarchy
* Rule determined by family ties, social rank, and/or wealth

Oligarchy

* a few persons or a small group rule
* Rule determined by wealth, ability, and/or control of military

Hammurabi

The greatest king of ancient Babylonia, one of the first rulers to organize and issue a single code of laws for everyone in his empire to observe- The Code of Hammurabi

12 Tables

A collection of Roman laws that officials made in 451 BC (that assured that all citizens had a right to the protection of the law)

Spartans

A military-strong city-state in Ancient Greece

Peloponnesian War

A war Athens fought against Sparta that drags on and ultimately leads to humiliating loss for Athens

Polis

A city-state in Ancient Greece

Cleisthenes

* brother-in-law of Peisistratus
* banished from Athens
* common person rose up in revolution and recalled him from exile to build a government
* 508 BC introduced reforms
* everybody is a member of Assembly
* all could vote in assembly
* Council of 500 created
* Assembly- legislative
* Council of 500- executive
* Juries- judicial

Pericles

* convinced Assembly to pay public officials and juror
* had Parthenon built in Athena
* Ironically, Athens reaches its greatest heights under his rule, but it also begins to slide toward destruction under his leadership when he starts a war with Sparta

Philosopher

A person who loves and has deep knowledge on wisdom

Socrates

* got into trouble for questioning the customs, traditions, and values of Athens
* developed Socratic Method- finding knowledge through questions
* Loss of sparta and frustration with Socrates caused the Athenenian goverment to put him on trial

Plato

* believed average citizen of a democracy were unable to govern wisely
* After death of Socrates, he hegins quest to find government that brings out the best in people

Plato’s ideal form of government

* roles based on talent (ex: warriors, laborers, leaders)
* education is important- people need to be taught to be good citizens
* need balance between mob rule and tyranny- didn’t like democracy or autocracy
* wisdom + power = philosopher king careful division of labor
* one cannot occupy 2 roles at one time
* all leaders live communally and receive no pay or property
* Philopher King’s reward is a happy people

Aristotle

* believed humans are “stateless beasts“ without government
* favored democracy over monarchy and aristocracy but thought it was unrealistic
* Ideally properly educated middle class should rule
* wanted all citizens to be educated and participate in government (unrealistic)
* settled on kings taking advice on ruling from philosophers- philosophers offer honest advice because they gain no wealth from their position
* in his time, favored a system where the king would rule fairly through the guidance of the philosophers

What is the meaning of the Allegory of the Cave?

Humans’ interpretation of the world are perceived from shadows of the true world rather than reality

“Allegory of the Cave“ vs. *The Matrix*

* Both convey message that reality must be questioned, out interpretation of reality is only through our senses, which may not be true
* Moral of both: The unexamined life is not worth living

How did the decision to increase the number of paid officials and jurors affect democracy in Athens?

* The decision made it so that officials and jurors did not have to sacrifice their way of making a living in the name of democracy
* allowed poorer citizens and more citizens in general to participate in government

Athenian Assembly

Direct democracy in Athenian government in which all Athenian citizens had the obligation to participate in politics

Ostracism

* intended to prevent the rise of dictators
* reverse elction of politicians (vote out of office)

Greek concept of a citizen

* Qualifications: 18+ years old, male, born to an Athenian mom and dad
* Capable and rational- believe that all citizens could participate intelligently in affairs of the state
* obligation to participate in politics
* all citizens expected to participate
* met at top of Pnyx roughly 40 times a year
* out of 250,000 people living in Athens, there were 30,000-40,000 full citizens, typically 5,000 showed up

How were Athenian government officials chosen?

in part elected, in larger part chosen by lottery (sortition)

How was Greece different from the previous great civilizations?

* Made up of 1,500 independent city states
* no single ruler
* Unlike other previous civilizations, Greece had many mountains
* no navigable rivers
* generally poor soil
* Athens = First democratic society

How did the Athenians get all of the citizens to attend meetings of the Assembly?

* slaves carried red-stained ropes and whiped citizens who loitered in the marketplaces. Anyone with red-stained clothes were fined
* People who did not attend government assembly (aka private people) were called “idiot“

Direct Democracy

all citizens meet in one place to make laws for their state

Republic

inderect democracy; government based on representation with voters electing the officials who would represent them in the government

Plebeians

* Common people
* Can’t vote or hold office
* Most populous class
* \*Birth alone determined Roman’s social and political status

Patricians

* elite class
* dominated Roman politics

Consuls

* 2 Consuls- kind of like 2 presidents
* one year terms
* each could veto decisions of the other
* after serving term, becomes lifetime member of the Senate

Senate

* 300 members
* Rule alongside consuls
* life membership

Roman Assembly

* made up of Plebians
* elected government officials (ex: Consuls)
* voted on laws suggested by government officials
* declared war or peace

Dictator

* a ruler with total power
* Rome transitioned to an empire with emperor after republic died away

Feudalism

* a hierarchy
* not democratic

Magna Carta

Document that established that the king must obey the law and use only lawful means against his subjects

Edward I (Longshanks and Hammer of the Scots)

* 1272-1307
* expands Great Council’s membership to include commoners
* he wanted to gain more votes for money to fight for control of Scotland
* he intended to ensure loyalty of wealthy middle class, weaken nobles, and increase his own power, but eventually used to check royal power and further democracy
* \

Great Council

* Created by King Henry III
* An expanded grou pof lords from the entire kingdom summoned by the king
* included major land-owning barons, other nobles, and the archbishops and bishops of the Catholic Church (state religion)

Model Parliament

Created by King Edward I to include commoners in government (ex: peasants, lower classes, nobles)

Divine Right

* kings claim they are chosen by God
* obedience to king = obedience to God
* challenging king = challenging God

King Charles I

* 1625-1642
* Divine Right
* Wanted money to pay for wars
* Violated Magna Carta, put on trial and forced him to sign __Petition of Right__
* Beheaded from civil war

Petition of Right

* 1628
* Took action after King Charles I violated Magna Carta
* The king could not imprison subjects without a specific charge and without provision for jury trial
* The king could not levy taxes without Parliamens consent
* The king could not house soldiers in private homes without the owners’ consent

English Civil War

* Roundheads (loyal to Parliament) vs. Cavaliers (loyal to King Charles I)
* King Charles I strongly believed in Divine Right
* Parliament wanted to weaken king’s power

Roundheads

loyal to Parliament

Cavaliers

loyal to king (King Charles I)

Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector)

* kind of a dictator
* tries to make England become a a republic for a little
* strict- no merrymaking

King Charles II

* 1660-1685
* people wanted monarchy again
* agreed to limit power
* restored to be king
* allowed people to merrimake
* Habeas Corpus Act took action

Habeas Corpus Act

* 1679
* Citizens cannot be jailed without a reason to be detained/imprisoned

King James II

* 1685-1688
* Believed in Divine Right
* Was Catholic in a predominantly Protestant (Anglican) country
* Supported to convert England to Catholicism
* People thought his son (from 2nd marriage) will carry a Catholic lineage
* People asked King’s first daughter and her husband- Mary and William- to overthrow King

Glorious or Bloodless Revolution

* 1688
* Bloodless because all of King James II’s army deserted him so no fighting happened
* Established Parliament as ruling power of England
* William and Mary step up to throne
* must follow a constition that is always above them
* Established a constitutional monarchy

William and Mary

These two step up to throne but have limited power under a constitution and Parliament

English Bill of Rights

* Freedom to elect members of Parliament without king’s preference
* Freedom of speech in Parliament
* Freesom to bear arms for self-defense
* Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment
* Freedom from taxation by decree of king
* Freedom of fines and forfeitures without a trial
* Freedom to petition to king

Constitutional Monarchy

A system of government in which a country is ruled by a king and queen whose power is limited by a constitution

Thomas Hobbes

* Humans are selfish creatures- democracy would never work
* All people are equal, equality leads to competition and violence
* Favored a strong monarchy because he felt a country needs an authority figure to provide direction and leadership
* Reasoned that all people should voluntarily give up their rights to the leviathan (sea monster) who would protect people from one another and ensure peace
* Believed in people rationally deciding that a monarchy is the best, not through divine right
* Believed appointed representatives can present people’s opinions ot the leviathan who has final decision power

John Locke

* Rejected Divine Right
* Supported monarchy whose power is limited to ensure that the people’s rights are respected
* Believed governments are formed to protect the right to life, freedom, and property
* Ideal government power should be divided equally into 3 branches to prevent absolute power
* Supported equal rights
* opposed slavery
* supported equal women rights

Queen Elizabeth I

* Society should be structured in a hierarchy
* Believed in Divine Right
* Wanted more power despite being queen in a limited monarchy
* Her power increased so that she only had to *ask* for obedience, not enforce it

Baron de Montesquieu

* Did not believe all were equal
* approved of slavery
* believed women were weaker than men, they had to obey commands of their husband
* Argued for secular morality, not for atheism
* Saw only 3 forms of government: monarchy, aristocracy, and republicanism
* Opposed absolute monarchy
* Believed a limited monarchy would bring a stable and secure country
* People’s role is to display political virtue and equality
* Wanted small states sot that more people can be in government
* wanted the right balance of power between differenc branches

Jean Jacues Roussea

* People are born good, independent, and compassionate
* Modern society corrupts naturally good individuals
* Ideal society is a simple and direct democracy where people make decisions for themselves to preserve freedom
* Goverment should exist on the basis of a social contract agreed to by the people
* Goverment should be as small and simple as possible and protect people’s rights
* People should be educated to be good citizens

Louis XIV

* Supported absolute monarchy- supported by the Catholic Church
* Believed in Divine Right
* Only God had the power and right to punish a bad ruler, revolt of king’s subjects is criminal
* Employed middle class merchants and church leaders to run real government affairs- they were more loyal to him
* Persecuted non-Catholic Christians

Mary Wollstonecraft

* Demanded women participate in government and receive education
* Attributed human nature and behavior to environment
* Believed women don’t have a chance to prove they are not inferior
* Against marriage- believed there was unjust rule of husbands over wives just like there is kings over subjects