Nyla and a Blog

What comes to mind when you judge of democracy? And what about when you judge of Athens, the first democracy? Is the image that of a unruffled, enlightened group of people, exercising power together for the valid of the whole? Ah, that’s why this program was made – to smash such an image, and allege the first democracy for what it truly was.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Athens: Dawn of Democracy! Click Here

For, although there were some considerable and, really, groundbreaking changes in the arrive to government, the truth is, Athens actually did some glorious dreadful things, democracy or not. Case in point – slaves were a major reason for its success. They were feeble to work the fields and were treated as property (slaves were forcibly sterilized so they could not have children, and thus, concentrate on their work) . Doesn’t sound like a free society, does it? Also, and this is no proper surprise, women were subjugated in Athens, objective as they were in almost every other society. No special treatment here. But perhaps the biggest surprise was to learn that no two-year period went by without the people of Athens voting to go to war. Again, not the belief you might have of an enlightened group of people looking to approach their current view of governance. The process of “exporting democracy” was really to conquer fresh lands, exploit their resources, and dependable tribute from the defeated groups. This is no different than what a tyrant might do – the only change was that a majority of Athenians were voting to lift these actions, as opposed to a king or despot doing it on his acquire. But the result was the same – Athens, once it gained power and prominence, behaved in noteworthy the same procedure as a dictator might.

With all of this Athens-bashing, one shouldn’t lose ogle of the fact that Athens did introduce some revolutionary ideas regarding citizens’ rights and duties. Prior to this experiment, the belief of people-led government was delicate grand non-existent. However, in the closing portion, as if to drive the point home, the record of Socrates’ trial and death sentence is told. Here was a solid citizen, one of the greatest philosophers of any age, being sentenced to drinking poison for “mocking the gods and corrupting the youth.” Hardly a capital crime one would deem. Shouldn’t a democracy allow free speech? Well, not in Athens. Not if it angered enough of the imperfect people.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Athens: Dawn of Democracy! Click Here

Four stars. A sobering reminder that power corrupts, no matter what make – even in a democracy.

Both explains the sure aspects of Outmoded Athens without avoiding the contradictions at its heart: a democracy reliant on slavery and imperialism to underpin its political system. A culture noteworthy notorious for its rationality yet equally based on magic and mystery cults.
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