Direct Democracy & Athens

• Direct Democracy is associated with the origins of democracy itself
• Traced back to Ancient Greece & the city-state of Athens
• 500 - 322 BC a form of Democrcay operated in Athens
• Served as the model of direct or 'classical' democracy

Athenian Deomcracy is very different to modern, existing forms of Democrcay

• Relied on a very high level of popular particicpation in government
• Citizens governed themselves through a sysrtem of mass meetings
• However, these 'citizens' only constitued a tiny minorityof the population

Unqualifying for citizenship:

• Women
• Men classified as immigrants [even if there families had lived in athens for many generations]
• slaves [60% of the population]

By modern standards, Ancinet Athens could not be considered a Democracy

Ecclesia [the Assembly]

• Sovereign body
• met 40+ times a year
• composed of male citizens 20+
• major issues wer debated - tax to military affairs
• minimum of 6,000 needed to make a decision

The Boule[Coucil of 500]

• Acted as executive of the asembly
• 50 from each 10 Athenian tribes
• Served on the council for 1 year
• Met every day
• Chosen by lot not by election
• The President of the council held office for only one single day - no athenian could hold this honour mor ethan once

Also: A 50 people strong committe made proposals to the council