Different Forms Of Government In Ancient Greece

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Running head: UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT - GOVERNMENT

Unit 2 Assignment -

Different Forms of Government in Ancient Greece

Anonymous

University of the People

Author Note

This paper was prepared for Greek and Roman Civilization, Group A, taught by

Instructor Morris

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UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT - GOVERNMENT

Abstract

The different forms of governmental structures that existed in ancient Greek city states were monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy. In this paper, each of these governmental structures will be discussed and explained. Comparisons will be made between these different forms of governmental systems.

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UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT - GOVERNMENT

Unit 2 Assignment - Different Forms of Government in Ancient Greece

1. Introduction

Many basic political

For the ancient Greeks, a governmental system that was neither tyranny nor monarchy, and excluded power from the whole of citizen body would be described as an oligarchy (Cartwright, 2013, Oligarchy section). The definition here is

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UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT - GOVERNMENT similar to that of aristocracy. However, according to Aristotle, oligarchy was differentiated from aristocracy when the power “was exercised not by the best but by bad men unjustly”

(“Oligarchy,” n.d., para. 2) for corrupt or selfish purposes. For example, Spartan government was a form of oligarchy (Brand, n.d., p. 29), with political power in the hands of the two

Spartan kings, Ephors, and Gerousia. Oligarchies were possibly the most common form of government system in ancient Greece, and often occurred in the times when democracy was overthrown. One famous example of oligarchy was “the Thirty Tyrants” in Athens back in

404 BCE, during which time the regime was particularly brutal and known for its summary executions (Cartwright, 2013, Oligarchy section).

6. Democracy

Democracy first appeared in history from around 460 BCE in Athens, although other city states such as Argos, Syracuse, Rhodes, and Erythrai also established similar

2). An example of a bad decision by the Athenian democracy was the sentencing of philosopher Socrates to death penalty in 399 BCE (Brand, n.d., p 35;

Cartwright, 2013, Democracy section, para. 2).

7. Conclusion

In conclusion, all of the government systems mentioned above have worked at one point in time, and also failed to work in another instance. We have learned that not all monarchies or tyrannies were bad, that they could be benevolent, and that democracy was also not entirely good. It would take a very long period of time for the democratic system to gradually evolve into the representative democracy that we know today. It is also important to note that the founders of modern day democracy looked to aristocratic and oligarchic systems for inspiration rather than the Athenian democratic system at the time (Brand, n.d.,

35). Hence, the study of Greek history and evolution of governmental structures can help us better understand the political systems that we have today.

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UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT -