Democracy:
ATHENS
Daily Response
1. What is democracy?
2. What is good about it?
3. What could be bad about it?
4. Do you think it’s the best form of
govt? Why or why not?
Democracy:
ATHENS
The Foundation is laid …
Democracy: ATHENS
I.
A.
B.
C.
II.
A.
1.
2.
3.
Beginning: NO Democracy
700 BCE: KING ruled
600 BCE: OLIGARCHY ruled
594 BCE: Solon ruled (reformed, but
arist=power)
Democracy (“Rule of the Ppl”)
461-429: Pericles
Assembly: All male citizens over 18
Passed laws, elected officials, war & For. Pol.
Opened offices to lower-class citizens
Govt: ran by 10 officials (“generals”, elected)
Democracy: ATHENS
B.
1.
Direct Democracy (“rule of the many”)
State ruled by citizens
- Who rules in a monarchy? In an aristocracy?
In an oligarchy?
2.
Rule is based on citizenship
- What is rule based on in a monarchy? In an
aristocracy? In an oligarchy?
3.
Majority rule decides vote
- How do rulers often claim their rule in a monarchy? In
an aristocracy?
THINK & DISCUSS:
Ostracism
• Def: A method of temporary banishment (10
yrs) by popular vote of a person considered
harmful to the city.
- Had to receive 6,000 votes (~ /43,000) ppl)
• Purpose: Protect against overly ambitious
politicians
Q: Do you agree with this? Why or why not? Do
you think this is fair in govt or in high
school? Does this practice occur informally?
Ex’s?
Respond: Is There an
Ideal?
• Do you believe there are ideal forms of
anything?
- For instance, can we all decide on
what is the ideal form/definition of
beauty? Of a good government? Of
intelligence? Of success?
-Or, are ideals of these things
subjective?
Greek Philosophy:
What is Real?
Socrates:
“The unexamined life is
not worth living”
Q: Agree? What does he mean?
Examples?
Socrates
Evaluate This Statement:
“Real understanding must come from
within and cannot come by being
imparted by someone else. Only
understanding that comes from
within can lead to true insight.”
Examples: Relationships, doing what
you love to do, college
Socratic Method
• Question and
answer format to
lead people to see
things for
themselves by
using their own
reason
• Underlying Belief:
ALL individuals
possess the ability
to reason
Taught ppl to think for
themselves … ran into
trouble … sentenced ppl to
death
Plato
• Pupil of Socrates
• Major Work: The
Republic
- Distrusted democracy
- Ppl need a just, rational
state
Q: Why do you think he
mistrusted democracy?
Q: How could/can
democracy be unjust?
Plato’s Ideal State:
How does it differ from ours??
Main Idea: Sought IDEAL form of
govt
•
TALENT determines each
person’s proper role in
society.
•
EDUCATION → good citizen
1. TOP = Philosopher-Kings
(Driven by: WISDOM)
2. MIDDLE = Warriors who
protect society
(Driven by: COURAGE)
3. BOTTOM = Masses
(Driven by: DESIRE)
Philosopher- Kings
Warriors
Masses
Why NO Democracy for
Plato?
• Feared mob rule
Q: What’s mob rule?
Q: How could democracy lead to mob
rule?
Plato, The Republic
I.
3 Classes That Make Up An Ideal
Society
II. Education of Leaders
A. Two Areas
1. Music (all the arts)
2. Gymnastics (athletics)
B. Delicate balance betw. 2
Plato, The Republic
III.
A.
1.
B.
1.
IV.
A.
Appearance vs. Reality: Theory of Forms
What is NOT reality
Appearances
What IS reality = Forms
The ideals that lie behind are the truth
Knowledge Through Reason
Reason  Truth
B.
Only “through reason & w/o any help from the
senses [can an individual arrive] at the very end
of the world of thought.”
What is reason?
C.
Plato, The Republic
V.
1.
The Problem with Art
Caution: guard ideal city against the arts of “the
imitators”
- Those who write poetry
- “[Poets] do not lay hold of the truth”
- They “nourish [the passions] by watering what ought
to dry up, and makes them rulers in us.” Q: Why beware
of poets??
Aristotle
No Ideal State: Look At Existing
Govts
• 3 forms of good government
1. Monarchy
2. Aristocracy
3. Constitutional government
**FAVORED: Constitutional
Government
How Do Humans Reach
Their Highest Potential?
• Organized society and govt
Q: Ok … so what does that look like?
Ex’s?
Think: Which Whom Do You
Concur?
• Plato: Govt should be ruled by a
philosopher-king, chosen to rule for his
intelligence. (IDEAL)
• Aristotle: NEED organized society & govt;
society where ALL citizens are educated &
king rules fairly through the guidance of
philosophers. (NO 1 IDEAL)
**Do you believe in a perfect ideal? Or are
things we see, for example beautiful
people, examples of beauty, and there is
no one true “beautiful” ideal?? Is there
one type of ideal govt? Why or why not?
Primary Source Analysis
Ancient Greece
Application of The Republic:
Utopia High
School
• Now it’s your chance to adopt, modify, or
reject Plato’s views by describing another,
smaller society … a Republic Sequel
What does
“utopia”
mean?
Utopia High School: The
Ideal
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
•
•
Brainstorm ONE of the following w/ your group:
Categories of ppl @ UHS (teachers, students, etc.)
School schedule
Curriculum (what will you learn about?)
Extracurricular activities (club, sports, etc.)
Facilities (libraries, labs, etc.)
Admission requirements
Causes for expulsion
Dress Code
Rules/Policies
List 3-5 points (details) along w/ a defense (rationale)
Choose one member of your group to orally present the
details & rationale to our class (others take notes)
•
•
Utopia High School: The
Ideal
Are any of the proposals in conflict with one
another
How do we resolve conflicts?
Democracy: Rome
I.
A.
B.
Beginning: King ruled state
Elected by tribal chieftans
Served as high priest & chief magistrate
(**theocracy)
Chose group of nobles (Senate) to advise
509 BCE: Senate (nobles) deposed Tarquin
Tarquin: tyrant, fasces
Republic is formed
Power: in hands of patricians
C.
II.
A.
B.
C.
–
Q: Who are patricians? Who are plebeians?
Democracy: Rome
More on … Facses
• Fasces
– An axe w/ a bundle of
rods, bound by a red strap
– Carried ahead of
magistrates
– Symbolizes civic authority
& magistrates’ higher
authority
– Q: What is “civic”
authority?
– **Power of punishment
• Used by Tarquin & Nazis
Democracy: Rome
Fasces
• Tarquin
– Began tradition of lowering fasces when consuls
came into assemblies as a sign that they derived
their power from the ppl
• Nazis
– Fasces = root of term “fascism” (Q: What is
“fascism”?)
– Symbol on the Nazi stamp
– Symbolic of the power of life & death
– Symbolic of military & civic authority
Democracy: Rome
III. Republic Organization
A. Governed: 2 chief magistrates (consuls) &
Senate
B. Consuls: served 1 yr
C. In war: Dictator (absolute ruler) could rule in
place of consuls (only 6 mo.)
D. Senate=300 appt’d for life by consuls
1. Only patricians could be consuls or senators
2. Proposed laws & nominated consuls
E. Plebeians: had own Assembly that passed laws
for their class only (not very imp. @ 1st)
Democracy: Rome
“CSPD” in Review
1. Consuls
2. Senate
3. People (Assembly)
4. Dictator (occasionally … when??)
In all … a Balanced
Government
But … who’s still left out??
The Constitution & The Ku Klux
Klan
Foundations
1.
•
Civil Liberties = Fundamental indiv. rights (1st amendement)
Ex’s: Freedom to … think, assemble, speak, organize,
worship, petition, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness
•
Don’t Change (conceptual rights)
2. Civil Rights = Broader; guarantee: civil liberties, due process,
equal protection of the laws, freedom from discrimination
•
Ex’s: Affirmative Action, Americans w/ Disabilities Act,
Vermont’s Civil Union statute, education, rights to use
facilities
•
Can Change!!
Analysis
•
How do civil liberties differ from civil rights?
The Constitution & The Ku Klux
Klan
Respond to the Following:
You are the mayor of a small Midwestern
town. The Ku Klux Klan wants to hold a
parade in the town next week. Based on the
ideas of civil rights and civil liberties,
explain your decision on whether or not to
allow the parade to be held. What other
ideas might you use to support your
decision?