The Birthplace Of Democracy: Where Constitutions Began

Democracy, or rule by the people, is a form of government that originated in ancient Athens in the sixth century BC. The first democratic constitution was established in Athens, where every free Athenian man had a vote in the Assembly. The United States is among the oldest modern democracies, with its constitution being ratified in 1788. However, it is not the oldest democracy if considering nations such as Switzerland and San Marino. The expansion of democracy has been notable in the twentieth century, with 62% of the world's nations having become liberal democracies by 2000.

Explore related products

Ancient Greek Democracy: Readings and Sources

$39.59 $71.95

The Athenian Revolution

$53 $53

Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy

$19 $30

Athenian Democracy (LACTOR Sourcebooks in Ancient History Book 5)

$23.99

Pericles Of Athens And The Birth Of Democracy

$14.05 $21.95

Plato's Republic I: Greek Text with Facing Vocabulary and Commentary

$16.95

The first democratic constitution was established in Athens, Greece, in the 6th century BC

In ancient Greece, there were many city-states with different forms of government. Democracy was contrasted with governance by elites (aristocracy or "rule by the best"), by one person (monarchy), and by tyrants (tyranny). Solon, a statesman, lawmaker, and poet, is credited with creating a mixed timocratic and democratic system of institutions in Athens. His reforms of 594 BC gave Athens its first comprehensive code of law, eliminated the enslavement of Athenians by Athenians, established rules for legal redress against overreaching aristocratic archons, and assigned political privileges based on productive wealth rather than noble birth.

Under Cleisthenes, what is generally held as the first example of a type of democracy was established in Athens in the 6th century BC (circa 508-507 BC). Cleisthenes is often referred to as "the father of Athenian democracy". The first attested use of the word "democracy" is found in prose works of the 430s BC, but its usage was older by several decades. For example, Aeschylus strongly alludes to the word in his play "The Suppliants", staged around 463 BC, where he mentions "the demos's ruling hand" [demou kratousa cheir].

While Athens is widely considered the first state to develop a sophisticated system of democracy, some scholars have explored the possibility that advancements toward democratic government occurred independently in other regions, such as the Near East and the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, the Native American Six Nations confederacy (Iroquois) has a consensus-based government tradition spanning eight centuries, which some historians suggest is the oldest living participatory democracy.

The US Constitution was ratified in 1788

The road to ratification was not without its challenges. Initially, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which allowed states to act more like independent, sovereign nations. However, it became evident to America's leaders that a stronger central government was necessary for future stability. Alexander Hamilton of New York led the call for a constitutional convention, and his initiative was endorsed by the Confederation Congress.

The process of ratification began on December 7, 1787, when Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution. This was followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Several states expressed opposition to the Constitution, arguing that it lacked provisions to protect essential rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. To address these concerns, the Massachusetts Compromise of February 1788 stipulated that amendments—eventually materializing as the Bill of Rights—would be proposed immediately.

The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was ratified by the end of the following year. The US Constitution's ratification laid the foundation for the modern democratic system in the United States, setting the stage for federal elections and the formation of a new government.

The UK's uncodified constitution was cemented in the English Declaration of Right in 1689

The UK's constitution is unique in that it is uncodified, meaning that no official attempt has been made to consolidate its arrangements into a single document. This makes the UK constitution flexible and pragmatic, as it can be modified frequently to respond to changing circumstances. This flexibility has allowed the UK to avoid the issues faced by countries with codified constitutions, such as the United States, where controls on gun ownership have been difficult to implement due to the Second Amendment.

The Bill of Rights and Declaration of Right of 1689 followed the Glorious Revolution of 1688, during which King James II was defeated and replaced by William of Orange and his wife, Mary II. The Glorious Revolution and the subsequent Bill of Rights and Declaration of Right were a significant turning point in history, marking the start of the age of constitutionalism. The new laws established parliamentary sovereignty, with Parliament becoming "sovereign" and supreme over the monarch, and thus also over the church and courts.

The English Bill of Rights and Declaration of Right of 1689 enshrined the principles of representative democracy, freedom of speech in Parliament, and the rule that there would be "no tax without Parliament" and no "cruel and unusual punishment". These ideas later inspired the US Bill of Rights and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen after the American and French Revolutions.

Explore related products

Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid's Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Greece (Build It Yourself)

$13.99

The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (The Princeton History of the Ancient World)

$15.11 $19.95

Tyranny and Democracy in Ancient Greece: The History and Legacy of the Greek Tyrants and Athenian Democracy

$12.24

Origins of Democracy in Ancient Greece

$31.95 $31.95

Ancient Greek Civilization

$33.66 $45.95

Athens: A History of the World's First Democracy

$20 $40

The Netherlands' Constitution was first written in 1815

The Netherlands is officially a constitutional monarchy with many democratic practices. The country's constitution was first written in 1815, establishing the country as a constitutional monarchy. The 1815 constitution did not differ much from the situation during the Republic. The 110 members of the House of Representatives (lower house) of the States General, the Second Chamber as it is still called, were appointed by the States-Provincial (for three years; each year, a third was replaced). These were filled with nobility members or appointed by the city councils, much like under the ancien régime.

However, the new constitution provided for some rural delegates, elected through electoral colleges and appointed to all States-Provincial (first only true for Friesland) and the city councils. The electoral colleges, in turn, were elected by a select group of male citizens of good standing and paying a certain amount of taxes. Thus, a modicum of democracy was indirectly introduced into the system. The constitution of 1815 also limited the ancient right to written petitions, hoping to curtail the typical disorder created by large groups of delegates.

The 1815 constitution was revised in 1848 when the Netherlands instituted a system of parliamentary democracy. The most recent major revision of the Constitution of the Netherlands was undertaken in 1983, almost fully rewriting the text and adding new civil rights. The Netherlands has a long record of social tolerance and has legalized abortion, prostitution, and human euthanasia – which are things that aren’t legal in many countries. It was also the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001. As one of the world’s leading democratic countries, the Netherlands often ranks high in international indexes of press freedom, economic freedom, human development, and quality of life, as well as happiness.

Mexico's Constitution dates back to 1917

The idea of a democratic constitution is often associated with ancient Athens, where the term "democracy" was coined to describe a system of self-rule. However, the world has witnessed a significant expansion of democratic ideals since the 19th and 20th centuries, with many countries adopting democratic constitutions.

One notable example is Mexico, whose Constitution dates back to 1917. The current Constitution of Mexico, formally known as the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro during the Mexican Revolution. It was approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917, and has since been amended several times. Mexico's Constitution is significant because it established the country as a federal democratic republic, with three levels of government: the federal Union, state governments, and municipal governments.

The Constitution of 1917 was a response to the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution, including agrarian reform. It incorporated provisions for territorial organization, civil liberties, democratic forms, and anticlerical and anti-monopoly clauses. One of its most important aspects was its focus on social rights, making it the first constitution in the world to explicitly address these issues. Articles 3, 27, and 123 of the Constitution brought about profound changes in Mexican political philosophy, influencing the country's political and social landscape for the rest of the century.

Article 3 established the foundation for mandatory and secular public education, while Article 27 led to land reform and asserted state sovereignty over the nation's subsoil rights. Article 123, often referred to as the "Magna Carta of labour and social welfare," guaranteed workers' rights, including minimum wages, the right to organize and strike, and a comprehensive system of social security.

Additionally, the Constitution of 1917 addressed issues of national identity and indigenous rights. It recognized the multicultural nature of Mexico, acknowledging the rights of indigenous communities to self-governance, language preservation, and the preferential use of natural resources in their inhabited sites. The Constitution also established the President as the head of the Mexican government and outlined the structure of the country's legislature, the Congress of the Union, which consists of the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies.

Frequently asked questions