Greek Government: Athens VS. Sparta
Greek Government:
10 Generals:
Elected for 1 year → The 10 generals served one-year terms to ensure fresh leadership and the opportunity for various leaders to contribute to governance
Made decisions about government & military
could be re-elected
Had to agree before decisions reached → no one person in charge
Magistrates:
Officials who run the government
Open to all citizens
Paid positions (the non-wealthy can serve)
Council of 500:
Elected for 1 year
Could serve only once during their lifetime, ensuring a rotation of citizens and preventing any one individual from accumulating too much power.
50 members per tribe (10 tribes in all)
10 governing councils of 50 → each council in charge for 1/10 of the year only
Councils of 50 would have 5 members of each tribe to prevent having people who knew each other ruling together. This system promoted fairness and balanced representation within the Athenian democracy, allowing for diverse perspectives in governance.
No chance for any 1 person to have much power here
Athenian Assembly:
All males over 18
Any citizens could be on assembly → Women & Slaves were not citizens
Both parents must be born in Athens
Minimum of 3-4 meetings per month
Minimum of 6000 per meeting
Vote on all proposals from the 10 Generals & council of 500
Votes are counted
OSTRACISM: Once per year would be a vote where citizens could decide to send some powerful person into exile for 10 years!! (Way to keep elites from becoming too powerful)
Spartan Government:
Kings (2):
extensive control over military matters
Responsible for day to day governance (dealing with matters that arise before laws can be enacted to deal them)
No one king has total control → Both must agree.
Generally were not allies → would watch over the other
Hereditary - 2 royal families
5:1 non slave to slave ratio
Ephors (5):
elected by citizens
Presided over Council of Elders & Assembly of Citizens (significant control over 2 components of Spartan political system)
Had the power to arrest, punish, replace anyone → including Kings & Elders
Most important individuals in Sparta
Assembly of citizens:
All male citizens over 30 could vote
Laws from the Council of Elders (Kings?) presented for approval
No debate allowed!!!
Voice vote … possibility for abuse?
Council Of Elders
28 members → 1 member representing each of the 28 noble families
Aristocrats → Minimum 60 years old (experience valued)
Institution that proposes all laws (often cooperating with Kings)
Only debate in Sparta occurs here (laws frequently debated)
Greek Democracy (?)
Disadvantages/limitations
No women
Massive quorums required
Not always debate
Sometimes high age requirements
Accuracy “issues” (voice votes)
Dual citizens can’t vote
Slaves have no political power
Pros/Advantages
Many people get some say
Checks and balances → no one in total control
Often short term elected terms → if someone is corrupt or power hungry, they can be voted out of office quickly
Ostracism → dangerous citizens exiled for 10 years !!
*Do any of the Greek Models offer any ideas for Canadian Democracy?
Dual leaders (President/P.M.) ?
Direct Democracy → Athenian style → through use of internet & bypassing need for elected MPs and MPPs ?
Age requirements for politicians ?
Term limits for politicians ?
Perhaps an institution that could remove a P. Minister from office ?
Shorter election terms??
End to voice votes ?
Get me my streak oh my god I hope my baby sister has a good christmas and everythingworks out with hafsa & Elena’s birthdays
I cannot breathe. He cares SOO much about my math now, huh?? Well I have cared all semester and I just need a break. He has no right to look at me the way he has been.
I am so tired. So freaking tired