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Greek Democracy From Monarchy to Democracy Through Reform Reform Defined Reform – (n.) a change for the be=er as a result of correc@ng abuses. (v.) making changes for improvement in order to remove abuses and injus@ce Ques@on How do law reforms work to make democra@c socie@es? More Specifically How did reforms in Ancient Greece lead to a more democra@c society where people had a say in their government? Athens-­‐Democra0c Principles •  New, democra@c ideas emerge from Athenian culture and society: –  Direct Democracy: Ci@zens elect their representa@ves –  Public Debate: Becomes an art in Athens to discuss and argue specifics of government –  Du0es of the Ci0zen: All ci@zens have responsibili@es such as vo@ng and par@cipa@ng in the government process Athens famous for being primary basis of
Western Civilization
•  Its democracy wasn’t always constant, and
•  Its form slightly different than what we’re familiar
with.
•  Athens originally a kingdom which morphed into more
of an aristocracy that became unstable, partially due
to laws being oral and arbitrary
•  In 621 BC, Draco was appointed to codify the laws
•  Unpopular move because the laws (both as they
already existed and were codified by Draco, but also
most especially as designed by Draco) were extremely
harsh.
Draco…
Codified the laws
•  Death was the penalty for even minor crimes, like
stealing vegetables.
•  Draco claimed that this was an appropriate
punishment and if something even worse were
found, he would have applied to greater crimes.
•  Different classes were also treated differently –
debtors could be sold into slavery if in debt to a
higher class.
•  An upside is that murder was punished by the
state instead of by blood-feud vendettas.
•  It is from Draco that the term ‘draconian’ derives.
Solon
The Athenian lawmaker that first established the
basis of civil democracy
Draco’s constitution wasn’t working out too well and in
594 BC, Solon revised it (almost completely).
•  He threw out all of Draco’s laws except those
concerning homicide (murder).
•  He had to strike a balance between the concerns of
the aristocracy and those of the poor.
1.  The poor were disgruntled at the possibility of
they and their families being sold into slavery if
they were in debt to an aristocrat.
2.  The aristocrats wanted to prevent a revolution and
keep their wealth (and their skin).
Solon’s reforms:
•  Debt-slavery was abolished. Anybody who had
been sold into slavery due to debt was liberated.
•  All outstanding debts were abolished.
•  Death penalty only for murder.
•  Classes were based on income, not birth
1.  Pentakosiomedimnoi: Those whose land produced 500
bushels per annum
2.  Hippeis: Those who were worth 300 bushels
3.  Zeugitai: Those who were worth 200 bushels
4.  Thetes: Manual laborers.
This was important because it helped break the
power of hereditary aristocracy
Solon’s reforms cont.
•  Introduced trial by jury
•  Set up new system of government
•  Included a third class in the Boule (council of 400 –
100 from each of the four tribes)
•  After the new laws published and official, he left
Athens for 10 years to avoid temptation to become a
tyrant
though he was effectively one in making the laws
Neither the poor nor the rich of Athens happy about new
laws at first
• 
the aristocrats had debts to them abolished and the poor
didn’t get more wealth, but they liked them over time.
Peisistratus (Hippocrates’ son)
•  Mentee of Solon
•  Became leader of Athens’ poor in 565 BC
•  Initial attempts at seizing control of Athens failed
•  Seized power in 560 BC, Tyrant by 546 BC.
•  Made popular reforms.
1.  Reduced taxation
2.  Introduced festivals
3.  Increased trade and commerce
4.  Produced coin money
5.  Beautified the city
Peisistratus cont.
•  Had official copies of the Iliad & Odyssey written.
•  Helped the poor, gave them jobs through public works
Poor were satisfied & supported him.
•  Preserved the democratic institutions, but loaded
upper bodies with family & cronies.
•  When he first took power in 560 BC, it was through
cunning deception. Did it again later.
•  Solon urged the Athenians to resist Peisistratus, but
they were too cowardly and Peisistratus too powerful.
•  Solon himself openly opposed Peisistratus.
Cleisthenes
Took power with Spartan help after Peisistratus’s
son Hippias was exiled
•  Reformed the government
1.  Previously, there were multiple tribes and there
was conflict among the city folk, hill folk, and plain
folk.
2.  Cleisthenes organized ten entirely new tribes each
composed of people from the three regions and of
different family tribes.
3.  Broke old tribal or class loyalties & reoriented
people towards the state.
4.  Solon’s council of 400 became the Council of 500,
50 people from each new tribe.
Cleisthenes cont.
•  Assembly became main governing body of Athens and
dealt with day to day affairs.
•  Anybody was eligible to serve for one year and it was
expected that all male citizens would serve eventually.
•  Also served as a supreme court / jury, except for
murder cases and religious matters
--those remained to the Areopagus, the highest
governmental assembly in ancient Greece (a
judicial court)
•  With the establishment of the assembly, Athens
became a representative democracy.
•  The citizens themselves ran it.
Four Reformers •  Draco (621 B.C.) – Wri=en code of laws •  Solon (594 B.C.) – Eliminated debt slavery •  Peisistratus (546 B.C.) – Caters to peasants •  Cleisthenes (508 B.C.) – Council of 500 Six Steps to Democracy • 
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Outlawed Slavery Reduce nobility Redistribute land Assembly Council of 500 Ques@on: How do these lead to a free society where everyone has a say in the government (democracy)? Use the informa@on above to form a well-­‐formed paragraph that includes support for your claim.