The form of political organization that evolved in the polis of Athens over the course of the sixth, fifth, and fourth centuries B.C. is one of the most well-known legacies of the Greco-Roman world. This idea, known as democracy, is now widely accepted as the most desirable form of human political organization. Moreover, the Athenian democracy represents one of the longest periods of popular self-government in human history, equaled among modern countries only by the United States.

The Greek word demokratia can be translated literally as "the people possess the political power in the state". An Athenian invention, democracy, is traditionally credited to Kleisthenes, but the reforms of 508 and 507 B.C. that go under his name were the result of many different forces. Democracy continued to develop over nearly two centuries from 508 to 322. While democracy got its roots in ancient Greece, it is important to make a distinction between ancient democracy and the various modern versions of government under the same name. In ancient Greece, the government of the people by the people and for the people was carried out directly by the citizens, whereas in modern democracies voters

Much of the appeal of the ancient democracy rested upon the attractiveness of two closely related ideas: first, that all citizens, despite differences in their socio-economic standing, should have equal say in the making of state policy; second, that the privileges of elite citizens, and the elite collectively, must be limited and restricted when those privileges come into conflict with the collective rights of the citizens, or the individual rights of the lower classes. Few modern advocates would find reason to argue with Demosthenes' characterization of the ethos of democratic Athens: compassion for the weak, a prohibition against strong and powerful individuals acting violently toward other citizens, and a refusal to tolerate either brutal treatment by the powerful of the mass of citizens or subservience by the masses to the powerful.

The radical nature of Athenian democracy is clear when measured against the standards of the age in which it developed. Throughout ancient Greek history, oligarchy remained the most common form of government. Given the structure of Greek political culture, it is far more important that the Athenians achieved political equality among the adult male citizens and restricted the political privileges of the elite.

The structure and functioning of the Athenian direct democracy differed greatly from those of our representative democracy. There were no government departments, no civil service, and only a limited archive system. Decisions were taken and executed directly by the Athenian people.

The Athenians, for their part, limited citizenship rights to freeborn males of Athenian ancestry. Women, slaves, and resident aliens, a majority of the adult population, were excluded from participation in political life. The achievement of a degree of social harmony among the citizens ensured that those without political rights would have less chance to exploit social disorder as a possible way of improving their own standing.

Identification of some of the basic similarities and differences between Athenian and modern democratic principles and practice is important. Much of what we learn about ancient democracy has been hurt by a tendency to exaggerate the similarities. The Athenian example has a l

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