The Athenian and American Systems of Government - 1671 Words

Athens of ancient Greece had perhaps the most advanced system of government of the ancient world. The system of Athens was called a Democracy. That is, every citizen voted on everything. People have claimed that the United States is also a Democracy. This is not true. The government of the United States is a Constitutional Republic (Every). United States citizens vote for representatives, who then vote on the laws. They themselves are limited by a constitution. Democracy is a flawed government system. The Constitutional Republic is also flawed, however, it is better at safeguarding individual rights, when applied correctly. Therefore, a Constitutional Republic is a better system than a Democracy. Athens was one of the largest Greek city†¦show more content†¦Currently, only Congress is directly elected by the people. The President is elected by the Electoral College (US Constitution). Judges for federal courts are appointed by the President; these appointments must be ratifie d by Congress (US Constitution). How judges for state courts are appointed varies from state to state. Laws are debated by Congress. If passed by Congress by a simple majority, the law is given to the president for approval. If the President does not approve of the law, it is given back to Congress for another debate. If it is passed by a two-thirds margin, it goes into effect. (US Constitution). The people do not, at any stage, directly vote on laws. Which system is better, a Democracy or Constitutional Republic? At first, it might seem that Democracy is the better system, as it gives the people a better voice in government. However, Democracy has some serious weaknesses. It enables the majority to totally dominate and oppress the minority (Hospers). As was seen with Socrates, the minority is not protected in a democracy. Because, in a true democracy, there is no check on the power of the masses, it is as if there is no rule save for mob rule. A good orator, such as Alcibiades, arc hitect of the disastrous attack on Syracuse, could manage to sway the masses into making unwise decisions. Perhaps democracys greatest flawShow MoreRelatedThe Democracy Of Ancient Greece And Greek Democracy945 Words   |  4 PagesThe Democracy of Ancient Greece was used heavily in creating modern American Democracy. From the system of creating new laws to the checks and balances that define the American government. The similarities show that the founders of America based the new democratic government on the Ancient Greek democracy that came two millennia earlier. The American government was mainly based of Greek democracy. In 510BCE the Peisistratid tyrants were expelled from Athens which resulted in a power struggle betweenRead MoreThe Founding Fathers Of The United States1705 Words   |  7 PagesBy definition, democracy is a type of political system in which all members share the same level of power, but it is also the framework for the government of multiple countries including the United States of America. Athenian democracy, created near 400 B.C. in Athens, Greece, was a direct system where participating citizens had the opportunity to vote directly on legislative and executive bills. The founding fathers of the United States took the Athenian’s idea and created the idea of â€Å"representativeRead MoreThe Basic Foundation Of Classical Realism996 Words   |  4 Pagesexplain the essential tenets of Thucydides’s balance of power theory especially those found in the Melian Dialogue. 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