Ancient Greece & Athens

1. Ancient Greece & Athens • Role of Geography in development of the polis • List all forms of gov • 5 Classifications of Govt according to Aristotle:

2. Aristotles classification • Monarchy • Tyranny • Aristocracy • Oligarchy • Democracy

3. Solon • Prevented civil war. • Outlawed citizen slavery • Canceled farmer’s debts • Classes based on wealth not heredity • Any citizen could bring charges against another • Increased participation, however participation was still limited to 1/10 of the population

4. Cleisthenes – Founder of GrDemoc Decreased power of nobility Increased participation in the Assembly Allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate & passage Created Council of 500 with members chosen by lot

5. Age of Pericles 461-429 • Established Direct democracy • Extolled virtues & responsibilities of citizenship • Pericles expanded democracy by paying poorer citizens for attendance • Juries – open to any citizen over 30 • Funeral Oration

6. Excerpts from Funeral Oration • Power rested in the hands “not of a minority but of the whole people.” • “As citizens of a democracy Athenians bear a special responsibility. We differ from other states in regarding the man who holds aloof from public life not as quiet but as useless.” • Funeral Oration – democracy & citizenship

7. Our form of government, democracy is the best. We are the first to be citizens rather than just subjects. As citizens we have duties as well as privileges such as jury duty & voting. We are proud to enjoy equality under the law. different Pericles

8. “As citizens of a democracy Athenians bear a special responsibility. We differ from other states in regarding the man who holds aloof from public life not as quiet but as useless.”

9. Greek Philosophy • Philosophers challenged the idea that events were caused by the gods • Instead they used observation & logic to determine why things happen. • Studied natural laws that would prescribe best form of gov • Citizenship rather than subjects

10. Socrates • Father claimed to be descendant of Poseidon • Father died when Socrates was a boy • Tried to be stone sculptor but was bad at it • Known for teaching thru discussion of ideas, using questions to challenge students’ assumptions about the world • Left no written works • Sentenced to death by hemlock for refusing to recount atheist views and corrupting the youth

11. Socrates • The Socratic Method • Free thought & natural laws • “the unexamined life is not worth living” • Most famous student was Plato

12. Plato • Left career of politics because politicians weren’t truthful • Started his own university, the Academy • Constant struggle for humans to discover “reality” • People are born with knowledge from previous lives • Use of dialogues to draw out previous knowledge • Prolific writer, approx 24 books, wrote in dialogues

13. Plato • Disciple of Socrates • Plato distrusted democracy • The Republic is “ideal” utopia • Society would be divided into classes based on abilities of citizens. • Plato believed in censorship & wanted the state to regulate citizens’ lives to provide for their best interests.

14. I wrote the Republic. You’ll probably read it in college. My main thesis is that society should be divided into 3 classes. The class that should govern is the wisest of the 3. They are known as the philosopher-kings. Plato

15. Aristotle • Student of Plato, teacher of Alexander the Great • Favored constitutional government ruled by the middle class. He called this a polity • The goal of the polity was to establish just an stable rule. • Believed in the rule of the law and that rulers should also be subjected to laws

16. Aristotle • People could reach their highest potential within a city-state (polis) only under the rule of law • Wrote that the “rule of law is preferable to that of any individual. Even if it be better for certain individuals to govern, they should be made only guardians and ministers of the law.” • Even rulers are subject to the rule of law (precedes Magna Carta

17. Aristotle on tyranny #1 • “…it is part [of the nature of tyranny] to strive to see to it that nothing is kept hidden… which any subject says or does, but that everywhere he will be spied upon… and further, to set man against man and friend against friend, and the common people against the privileged and the wealthy. Also it is part of the these tyrannical measures to keep the subjects poor, in order to pay the guards and the soldiers, and so that they will be occupied with earning their livelihood and will have neither leisure nor opportunity to engage in conspiratorial acts…Also the tyrant is inclined to constantly foment wars.” • Politics

18. Aristotle on tyranny #2 • There is also a third kind of tyranny, which is the most typical form, and is the counterpart of the perfect monarchy. This tyranny is just that arbitrary power of an individual which is responsible to no one, and governs all alike whether equals or better, with a view to its own advantage, not to that of its subjects, and therefore against their will. No freeman, if he can escape from it, will endure such a government. • Politics, Book 10

19. Reason, logic, the polis, polity, rule of law, rule by the middle class are my prescription for a stable society.

20. For Socrates – never ending need to constantly seek truth through Socratic Method • For Plato these natural laws meant that only the wisest should lead society. Philosopher-kings • Aristotle concluded that man was by nature a political animal meaning it is his nature to live in a society • Believed middle class should rule and that rule of law was most important

21. Review: Greeks • Respect for dignity and worth of the individual • Direct democracy • Citizenship • Civic virtue • Rule of law • 3 branches of gov • Expanded participation=greater numbers • Philosophy which strengthened belief in reason, logic & natural laws & rights. • Equality under the law • Aristotle’s polity

22. Roman Contributions • The Romans were ruled by monarchs until 509 BC when a harsh king was overthrown • Patricians set up a republic • A republic is form of gov that has elected leaders • It is indirect democracy & different from direct democ • Citizenship was reserved only for freeborn males

23. Patricians vs. Plebeians • Two groups struggled for power • Pats were aristocrats who inherited their power and social rank • They claimed their ancestry gave them the authority to make laws for Rome • Plebeians were citizens of Rome with right to vote but were barred from holding the most important gov positions. • In time the plebs will change this

24. Twelve Tables • Important victory for the plebs was creation of written law code • With laws unwritten, patrician officials often interpreted the law to suit themselves. • In 451 BC laws were carved on 12 tablets and displayed • This established the idea that all free citizens had the right to equal protection under the law.

25. Republican Gov • 3 branches of gov • C/B • Exec branch consisted of consuls who commanded the army & directed the gov • Their term of office was one year • Legis branch consisted of a Senate and two assemblies. • Pats comprised the Senate which controlled the foreign & financial policy & advised the consuls

26. Republican gov continued • The two assemblies consisted of plebs. • In times of crisis, the republic provided for a dictator, a leader with absolute power to make laws & control the army. • Dictatorship was limited to 6 months • Republic eventually collapsed in 27 BC & Rome came under the control of an emperor

27. Roman Law • Rome’s greatest legacy was its written legal code & idea that code should be applied equally & impartially to all citizens. • Like the Greeks, the Romans believed that laws should be based on principles of reason & justice & should protect citizens & their property. • This applied to all people regardless of nationality

28. Roman Rule of Law & Justice Applies to all people under Roman law Five Basic Principles Created stability and Unity Legal decisions must be based on fairness Accused can face accusers & defend against charges People equal under the law Presumed innocent until proven guilty Guilt must be clearly established Burden of proof rests with the accuser

29. Justinian Code • In A.D. 528 the Justinian Code was revealed. • It was compilation of all Roman laws and attempted to iron out any inconsistencies or contraditions • It consisted of 4 works • The Code • The Digest – summary of legal opinions • The Institutes- served as textbook for legal students • The Novellae – contained laws passed after 534.

30. Impact of Justinian Code • Just. Code became guide on legal matters thru-out Europe • Written laws helped establish the idea of a “gov of laws, not of men” in which even rulers were held accountable for their actions

31. Roman Contributions • Republic • Citizenship • Twelve Tables – equal protection of the law • Checks & Balances • Separation of Powers • Justinian code

32. Review: Romans • Greek contributions plus • Republic • Separation of powers • Written legal code (government of laws) • Law & Rights of individual • Rights of the accused • Equality under the law • Fair laws • Innocent until proven guilty

33. Judeo-Christian Biblical humor?

38. Judeo-Christian Influences on Political Thought • Abraham was patriarch of the Hebrews • Chosen by God c. 1800 BCE • Ordered to settle in Canaan • Judaism is first monotheistic religion • Hebrew God was omnipotent and omniscient • Hebrews’ belief was that God wanted them to live a moral life not just one of rituals & sacrifices to the gods

39. From Mesopotamia to Canaan

40. Judeo-Christian Influences on Western Political Thought • Law was based on Torah & the 10 Commandments. • Everyone was subject to & equal under the law. • Emphasis was on ethics & morality rather than performance of rituals. • It was the duty of every individual to oppose injustice & oppression. • Law & religion were one in the same

41. Ethical Monotheism • Humans were given a “social conscience” & the “moral freedom” to choose between good and bad. • All people had access to God not just the rulers • Contrast with polytheism

42. Judaism • Responsibility to follow God’s law • Freedom to make individual moral choices • Disregard of laws brings punishments which prophets warned. • Prophets preached strong code of ethics • Historical tragedies were linked to failure to obey God’s laws • God created man in his own image has been linked to political equality or equality under the law

43. Christianity - X • Jesus was born c. 6-4 BCE in Judea • Began his ministry at 29 • He accepted Ten Commandments, beliefs of prophets & monotheism • Went beyond traditional morality as seen from his famous “Sermon on the Mount” see p. 14 • He visited Jerusalem in AD 29 for Passover

44. Christianity continued • Both Jews & Romans saw him as a threat • WHY? • Jesus was put to death by crucifixion • According to his disciples he rose from the dead & ascended into heaven • This convinced his disciples that he was the messiah – Christ • Christianity spread slowly but steadily • The apostle Paul had enormous influence

45. Paul preached throughout the eastern Mediterranean • Paul stressed that Jesus was the son of God & had died for people’s sins • Paul declared that X was a universal religion & should welcome all converts – Jew & non-Jew • “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus” • He stressed the essential equality of all human beings, a belief central to democracy.

46. Judeo-Christian Split • Crucifixion • Resurrection • Jewish sect • Apostles – Peter and Paul • Why Roman persecution? • Appeal of Christianity • New Testament – new fulfillment of covenant • Contributions are moral & ethical principles which are basic assumptions in Western thought. Equality of all is an essential value of democracy

47. Islam • Based on teachings of Muhammad • His teachings are found in the Qu’ran • Followers are called Muslims • Muhammad emphasized: • Dignity of all humans • Brotherhood of man

48. Legacy of Monotheist Religions • Duty of the individ & the community to combat oppression • The worth of the individ • The equality of people before God

49. The Renaissance • Roman Catholic Church was most powerful institution in Europe • Influenced all aspects of life (religious, social and political) • It was strongly authoritarian and demanded unquestioned obedience • In 1300 brilliant cultural movement develops (Renaissance) which is marked by interest in classical (Greco-Roman) culture. • The Renaissance was spread by the printing press

50. The Renaissance Thinkers were interested in earthly life for its own sake. They rejected the notion that life was merely a preparation for the afterlife. Emphasized public service rather than just service to the church. Individualism was deeply rooted in the Renaissance. This led to secular humanism which emphasized human potential which led to exploration, capitalism, - & the scientific revolution.