Isabella Carter
The US Constitution and the country's political institutions have been greatly influenced by ancient Greek democracy. The founders of the United States looked to ancient Greek philosophers and political pioneers for guidance on morals, ethics, and independence when creating a new form of government. The ancient Greeks' concept of a written constitution, as compiled by Aristotle, provided a common standard for behaviour and rules, and a process for legal judgement and justice. The Greek system of direct democracy, where citizens directly governed themselves, also inspired the representative democracy of the US, where citizens elect officials to represent them in Congress. The Greek ideals of democracy and the rule of law have been credited by successive US presidents as providing the foundations for western democracy and the development of the American democratic republic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rule of Law | The concept of the rule of law is traced to the Greeks, with Aristotle saying, "it is more proper that the law should govern than any of the citizens." |
| Written Constitution | The written compilation of the laws of Greek city-states created a common standard for behaviour and a clear process for legal judgment and justice. |
| Direct Democracy | Athenian democracy was a direct democracy, with citizens directly participating in governing, law-making, and voting. |
| Representative Democracy | The US adapted the Greek model to a representative democracy, with citizens electing officials who represent them in Congress and vote on their behalf. |
| Electoral College | The US Electoral College, which officially casts votes for the president on behalf of each state, is similar to the Athenian model where citizens elected representatives. |
| Voting Rights | The Greek model of only allowing certain people to vote influenced the early US system, where only white, landowning men could vote. |
| City-State Structure | The US state structure resembles the ancient Greek polis or city-state, with an urban center and surrounding land. |
| Morals and Ethics | The founding fathers of the US drew inspiration from Greek philosophy on morals, ethics, and independence, fundamental principles of democracy. |
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What You'll Learn
The rule of law
In ancient Greece, the highest political authority was the law. The law was believed to free people and protect them from arbitrary uses of power, as well as have a civilizing effect on society. The Greeks advocated for natural law, with Aristotle stating that "it is more proper that the law should govern than any of the citizens." This idea of the rule of law was an important influence on the formation of the United States government.
The ancient Greeks also contributed to the concept of a written constitution, which creates a common standard for behaviour and establishes clear processes for judging those who break the law and compensating those who are harmed. Aristotle, or one of his students, compiled and recorded The Constitution of the Athenians, which served as a model for the U.S. Constitution.
The U.S. Constitution acts as the supreme law of the country, establishing individual citizens' rights, such as the right to free speech and the right to a trial by a jury of one's peers. It also lays out the structure of the government and the checks and balances of power within it. The rule of law is important in the United States because it allows all individuals and institutions, including the government, to be held accountable for their actions and prevents abuses of power.
Both Athenian and American democracy valued equal participation in debates and voting, providing citizens with the basis of free speech. In ancient Athens, all adult male citizens were required to take an active part in the government and could be fined or shamed if they did not fulfil their duty. Similarly, the founders of the United States structured the country as a representative democracy, where citizens vote for representatives who create and enact laws on their behalf.
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Written constitution
The influence of ancient Greek democracy on the US Constitution is evident in the concept of a written constitution. Aristotle, or one of his students, compiled and recorded The Constitution of the Athenians, which served as a model for the laws of many other Greek city-states.
A written constitution establishes a shared standard of behaviour and a set of rules for its citizens to follow. It also outlines a clear legal process for addressing lawbreakers and providing justice or compensation for victims. The written constitution of Athens and other Greek city-states demonstrated the importance of having a codified set of laws that apply equally to all citizens, an idea that would later be reflected in the US Constitution.
The US Constitution, like the Greek constitutions before it, aimed to create a common framework for the behaviour and governance of its citizens. By codifying the rules and laws, a written constitution ensures transparency and accountability in the legal system. This concept of a written constitution, with its focus on rule of law, justice, and behavioural standards, was an important contribution of ancient Greek democracy to the development of the US Constitution.
Moreover, the Greek concept of democracy itself, with its emphasis on citizen participation and representation, influenced the structure and principles of the US Constitution. The ancient Greeks pioneered a democratic government that allowed citizens to directly govern themselves, with every adult male citizen having the right to participate in deliberations and voting in the law-making assembly. This idea of citizen involvement in governance informed the creation of representative democracy in the United States, where citizens elect officials such as senators and representatives to vote and make laws on their behalf.
The US Constitution, therefore, reflects the ancient Greek belief in the importance of citizen engagement and representation in government, even if the specific form of democracy differed between ancient Greece and the United States. The influence of Greek democratic ideals on the US Constitution is a testament to the enduring legacy of ancient Greek political thought in shaping modern democratic societies.
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Direct democracy
The word "democracy" comes from the Greek words "demos" (people) and "kratos" (rule). Athenian democracy developed around the 5th and 6th centuries BC, with adult male citizens actively participating in the government. Athenian democracy was a direct democracy, with citizens directly involved in decision-making rather than electing representatives. This was in contrast to the representative democracy of the US, where citizens elect officials such as senators and representatives who then vote on their behalf.
Athenian democracy was made up of three institutions: the ekklesia, the boule, and the dikasteria. The ekklesia, or assembly, was the sovereign governing body of Athens, with the power to make decisions about war and foreign policy, write and revise laws, and approve or condemn the conduct of public officials. Any adult male citizen could attend the meetings of the ekklesia, which were held 40 times per year. The boule was a council of representatives from the Athenian tribes, and the dikasteria were the popular courts where citizens argued cases before lottery-selected jurors.
A key feature of Athenian democracy was the notion of equality among citizens. All citizens had more or less equal rights in the political arena, and public deliberation was considered crucial. Citizens engaged in robust debates and public speaking was highly valued, with rhetoric seen as a crucial skill for leaders. Accountability mechanisms were also important, with practices like ostracism, where citizens could be exiled if they were deemed a threat to the state, helping to check undue power.
The influence of ancient Greek democracy on the US Constitution can be seen in the following ways:
- The idea of a written constitution: Aristotle or his students compiled the Constitution of the Athenians, creating a common standard for behaviour and a clear set of rules and processes.
- The structure of a representative democracy: The US adopted a representative democracy, with citizens electing officials to represent them, rather than the direct democracy of Athens.
- The belief in certain voting rights: When the US was founded, only white, landowning men could vote, similar to how only adult male citizens could vote in Athens. Over time, the US expanded voting rights to all citizens over 18, reflecting the Athenian ideal of equality.
- The influence of Greek philosophy: Philosophers like Plato and Epicurus influenced the US Constitution with their ideas on mixed government, the separation of powers, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Voting rights
The US Constitution acts as the supreme law of the land, establishing individual citizens' rights, such as the right to free speech or the right to a trial by a jury of one's peers. The original US voting system had some similarities with that of Athens, a direct democracy. In Athens, any adult male citizen over the age of 20 could take part in the Assembly, a sovereign governing body that wrote laws and dictated foreign policy. The Assembly made decisions by simple majority vote. However, the only people considered citizens in Athens were males, excluding women, slaves, and conquered peoples from the right to vote or serve on councils.
The founders of the United States also believed that only certain people should be allowed to vote and hold office, and thus structured the United States as a representative democracy. In a representative democracy, citizens elect officials such as senators and representatives, who then vote on behalf of the citizens they represent in Congress. This means that instead of each individual citizen voting directly for a president, a body called the Electoral College officially casts the votes of each state for president.
When the United States was founded, only white, landowning men had the right to vote. Over time, however, the right to vote has been expanded to include all US citizens over the age of 18, regardless of race or gender. This expansion of voting rights has been a result of a series of reforms in the 20th century, although it is important to note that there are still groups of Americans who are ineligible to participate in elections, such as those with criminal convictions.
The principles underlying ancient Greek democracy have greatly influenced the development of democracy in the United States. Athenian democracy, with its focus on liberty, equality, and security, provided a model for representative democracies across the globe. The Greek system of direct democracy, with its institutions like the ekklesia and boule, paved the way for modern democratic governments that give a voice to their people.
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Separation of powers
The separation of powers is a fundamental pattern for the governance of any country. It is a pure model of democratic societies and consists of three branches in most countries: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. The separation of government responsibilities into different branches prevents the concentration of power in a single branch and diversifies the government's liabilities.
The ancient Greeks are often credited with pioneering a democratic government that influenced the structure of the United States. The founders of the United States drew inspiration from ancient Greek philosophers' texts, including Plato, who wrote about the importance of mixed government. This idea is fundamental to both the development of the separation of powers and the US Constitution.
The first constitutional document to establish the principle of the separation of powers was the Pacts and Constitutions of Rights and Freedoms of the Zaporizhian Host, written in 1710 by Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk. An earlier forerunner to Montesquieu's tripartite system was articulated by John Locke in his work "Two Treatises of Government" (1690). In his work, Locke distinguished between legislative, executive, and federative power. He defined legislative power as having "the right to direct how the force of the commonwealth shall be employed" and executive power as the "execution of the laws that are made, and remain in force." Federative power, according to Locke, entailed "the power of war and peace, leagues and alliances, and all transactions with all persons and communities without [outside] the commonwealth."
The separation of powers in the US Constitution can be seen in the division between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the US government. The legislative branch, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is responsible for making laws. The executive branch, led by the President, is responsible for enforcing those laws. Finally, the judicial branch, made up of the federal court system, interprets the laws and ensures that they are applied fairly and equally to all citizens.
The separation of powers in the US government helps to prevent the concentration of power in any one branch and ensures that the government functions as a check and balance on itself, protecting the rights and liberties of its citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was influenced by the Greek ideal of democracy, which provided the foundations for the western world. The Greek concept of a written constitution, compiled and recorded by Aristotle, created a common standard for behaviour and rules.
The written constitution of Athens, the cradle of Greek democracy, was made up of three institutions: the ekklesia, the boule, and the dikasteria.
The ekklesia was a governing body that wrote laws and dictated foreign policy. The boule was a council of representatives from the ten Athenian tribes. The dikasteria were popular courts where citizens argued cases before a group of jurors selected by lottery.
The US founding fathers were inspired by the Athenian model of democracy, but also saw it as an example of dangerous excess. They believed that the US, a large republic, would be governed by representatives rather than by the people directly, as in Athens.
Both systems believed that only certain people should be allowed to vote. In the US, only white, landowning men were initially allowed to vote, while in Athens, only adult male citizens could participate in the governing institutions.
