LESSON 8

• Democracy


  Government by the people, of the people, and for the people
• Democracy


  • Came from the greek word demos, meaning "the common people" and Kratos, "rule"
• Athens


  1. Birthplace of Democracy

  2. Introduced by Cleisthenes in 507 B.C.

  3. Created three government institutions: the ekklesia, the boule and the dikasteria

  4. Each is composed of citizens selected by random
• Democratic Practice


  A set of principles and practices that guide how people interact and work together every day to improve their community and to create a more just society
• Elements of Democratic Practice


  • Suffrage
  • Public Assembly
  • Majority Rule and Minority Rights
  • Conduct a Plebiscite
• Democratic Participation


  The involvement or engagement with something which is freely done, without coercion, and without threat or fear
• Elements for Democratic Process


  • The People or Demos - all adult members should participate in the electoral process, except those proven to have mental deficiencies
  • Control of the Agenda - the citizens must have the exclusive opportunity to decide how matters are to be placed on the agenda of discussion and deliberation, and ultimately, voting
  • Enlightened Understanding - the citizen ought to have adequate information to make a choice on what would best serve the community and society
  • Effective Participation - the citizen can be rallied and mobilized to make their preferences realized through direct participation in the social and political life of the society
  • Equality in Voting Process - each citizen must be able to render a vote that will be counted as equal in weight to the choice expressed by any other citizen
• three government institutions 


  ekklesia, boule, dikasteria
• democracy


  rule of the common people
• ekklesia

  • all citizens of Athens
  • Majority vote
  • Met once a year to decide
• boule

  • group of 500 men who are in charge of state affairs
  • meet daily
  • selected randomly through lots
• dikasteria


  full power of democracy

  court of the people

  group of 500 people acting as jurors