Download Solon was the first reformer whose actions started the move

Solon was the first reformer whose actions started the move towards democracy in
Athens.
Examine in detail:
 the political and economic problems that existed within aristocratic
government before the time of Solon
 the changes that Solon made to political organisation in Athens
 the economic reforms that Solon made.
Then discuss to what extent the changes pleased the nobles, middle class, and poor of
Athens.
Solon, a member of the nobility but not particularly wealthy, was elected chief archon
as he had lots of understanding of economic affaire compared to the other members of
the Eupatridae. Problems such as that of the Draco’s debt laws, the resentment of
increasingly wealthy merchant class and hoplite class because neither could hold
public office and the fear of the economic future of Athens.
The Draco’s debt laws were one of the main economical problems that existed within
the Aristocratic Government. If a poor man borrowed money in order to survive, from
a wealthy landowners but failed to repay, he and his family were enslave by his
creditor. The creditor had the rights to sell them into slavery or had them work for him.
Also, when a farmer mortgaged their land but failed to repay, they became virtual serf
of the rich. These people were known as hektemoroi and one sixth of their income
were paid to their creditor. A horoi, boundary stones, were placed on the boundaries
of their land, indicating that it was on mortgaged. Solon then made a reform or his
seisachtheia, shaking off of burdens, that all agricultural debts be cancelled and those
enslaved should be free. This reform forbids future borrowers to become a security of
the rich.
Before Solon, the degree to which a man might participate in the politics of his state
was based on birth and ownership of the land. Their were four social classes;
Eupatridae, Georgia, Demiourgoi and Thetes, and the Aristocratic Government were
being monopolised by the nobles of Eupatridae. This made the rising welled off class
if merchants unhappy as they could not hold any public office. The infantry soldiers,
the hoplites, who had the polis’ security in their hands, were also unhappy as they also
had no say in the governing of state. Therefore, in order pleased these two group,
Solon made a reform that changed the running of the government. Solon created four
new classes, replacing the old classes. These classes were not based on birth but on
wealth, thereby allowing anyone who had acquired wealth hold public office. The
four new classes are the; Pentacosiomedimni, Hippeis, Zeugites and Thetes. Solon
also created the boule consisted by 400 citizen. The boule considers in advance all
business and draws up the agenda at the ecclesia or the assembly. The ecclesia, or also
called the haliaea, now sit as a court where citizen from all four classes can appeal
their cases.
The land of Athens was too infertile to support the large growing population with any
degree of prosperity. Therefore in order to avoid any collapse in the economy, Solon
encouraged the newly freed slaves and the landless to turn to learning a craft and
everyman was encourage to teach his son a trade. Skilled craftsmen from other states
were also encourage to immigrate by offering Athenian citizenship to all who settles
in Athens with their family. Solon also introduced a new standard of weights,
measures and coinage. Banning of exporting produce other than olive was placed to
avoid future famine.
Solon’s reform did not please everyone, especially the rich and the poor. Even though
the slave had their freedom back, the cause of how they ended up into slavery was not
fixed. The poor were hoping for the redistribution of land to the poor, but this wasn’t
included in the reform, therefore the condition they were before, they are still in. And
with the lose of their slaves and their security, made the rich unhappy. Also, the
former nobles were not satisfied with Solon’s reform, because they had lost their
exclusive tights to executive power in Archonship.
Solon’s reform helped build the foundation of democracy in Athens; by reducing the
noble’s power, by opening up the ecclesia to all classes and creating the boule. He
also secured the future of Athens’ economy and breaking Draco’s debt laws.