Democracy is a political idea of which there is great significance in many societies today for which we can thank fifth-century Athens. Democracy was created and molded throughout the years by Greeks who had great societal and political influence. In antiquity, the common form of government was an aristocratic and tyrannical form of government in which the upper classes of society dominated in a top to bottom framework. The economic and social divisions existed in Athens as a rich, middling, and poor classes in which people were categorized by wealth and power was distributed as such. These classes were also decided and established based on bloodlines and nobility. It was determined before birth what class one would belong to based on inheritance. As we shifted closer to the fifth-century, ideas of democracy were becoming very prominent as people sought after sovereignty. Democratic values were entrenched into society and protected by the government. These democratic ideas, that were raised and evolved from the fifth-century to now, dominate Canada’s political and social structure today. Although we use the term ‘democracy’ when comparing these two different points in time, we must acknowledge that, the word ‘democracy’ has differences and has evolved from antiquity to modernity. When researching these two points in the life of democracy, of which are vastly separated by time, it is interesting comparing and contrasting the two societies based on democratic values, and the role citizens had within these democratic societies.
The Structure and Function of Athenian Government
Beginning with the examination of citizens roles within Athens’ democracy, it is evident that there are major differences between modernity and antiquity. Fifth-century Athenian democratic society was built upon the idea that “it’s working is in the hands not of the few but of the many.” Athenian men were the only ones granted rights and privileges within democratic society. Women and slaves were denied access to political and democratic involvement. The structure of Athenian government was based around the border reforms by Cleisthenes; where the territory of Athens was split into three districts. The three districts were the city zone, the coast zone and, the interior zone. These three zones were known as ‘Thirds’ and were deemed too large to take over all the councils within that territory. Thus, due to the requirement of a smaller body of government, Cleisthenes came up with the solution of the “demes” which was an invention that would prove to be successful as it lasted throughout the course of Athenian history. Demes were a new governmental unit of local governance. There was a new division of around a hundred demes into about ten divisions, but according to Alfred Zimmern, we do not know the exact number. Demes were highly enforced in Athens, an individual’s membership to a deme was decided for them by birth. Only at the age of eighteen in Athenian society could a man become an Athenian citizen. Prior to eighteen, or if you were a woman or slave, an individual did not have the rights or privileges of citizenship in Athens. Once of age, a man would then be registered onto the roll of citizenship for his deme. Once recorded a man had all the rights afforded to Athenian men such as, the ability to have a seat on the General Assembly as well as military participation. Deme citizenship was only afforded citizens participation in public affairs of their own deme; outside of their deme they were not allowed to participate and were treated as outsiders. Within the demes, their governance included, annual examination as well as the election of new officials and priests, managing the lands within their deme, sacred affairs, honouring local patrons, and perhaps most importantly, the category of local justice and juries that handled only the affairs of their deme. Supplying the central state of Athens with workers was an important aspect of the deme to state relationship.
Citizen Involvement and the Essence of Athenian Democracy
Democracy simply does not work and is useless without the large amounts of citizens involving themselves within the offices of the government. A government for the people does not benefit the interests of the people without their involvement and entrenching their rights within their government. The role of an Athenian, within the government in the fifth-century, differs highly from a citizen of modern Canada. Athenians had councils of representatives in which were employed by the citizens Athens. The council consisted of five hundred men in total, fifty representatives from each division, and then selected by lot to their positions of power and governance. These men served for a one-year term; after their year was up they did the same process to cycle citizens in and out of a governmental position. The citizens role as lawmakers was a lottery like process, but, more important roles such as the entire nations finances or military officials were selected by an election. From democracy’s early foundations it was evident that the people wanted to preserve these ideas. In an oath of resistance, that was written and recited by the citizens, they were very patriotic in preserving democracy and the notions of dying to protect democracy, as well as killing those trying to get rid of democracy. “I will kill with word, deed, vote and my own hand, if at all able, whoever dissolves democracy at Athens. And if someone undertakes an office when the democracy has been dissolved in the future, and if someone should rise to establish a tyranny or conspire to establish a tyrant. And if someone else kills him, I will consider him sinless before the gods and divine powers, as killing an enemy of the Athenians, and having sold his property, I will give half to his killer and will keep nothing back. If any should die in the act of killing a tyrant or in the attempt, I will honour him and his children...” This oath does not only show the citizens devotion to democracy and democratic values; the oath illustrates that the people have a role in protecting and preserving democratic rights. Citizens were willing to fight and die for later generations to have these democratic rights, in turn, these later generations should be willing to fight and die to preserve them. This oath also displays that Athenians swear to intervene if tyranny tries to resurface politically and are ready to protect democracy at all times.
Modern Canadian Democracy: A Comparative Perspective
Democracy in modernity is a governmental structure that represents the voice of the citizens in a given nation. In Canada, the right to vote is given to everyone that is over the age of eighteen that has Canadian citizenship. In modern Canada, citizens are protected by The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, listed under the Democratic Rights section, article 3 of the charter states: “Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein”. In Canada all citizens of legal age are allowed to participate in voting. However, Canada’s voting system is a little bit different because we have separate elections for different governing bodies. Citizens can participate in three elections in which an opportunity is presented to have their voice heard and select a political party based on their self-interests. The three elections are: federal, provincial or territorial, and municipal. These three types represent different levels of governance and the responsibilities they hold within Canada. First, and most powerful, the federal government has the most power because it is responsible for the entire nation. Second, and the next most powerful, is the provincial and territorial government which only is responsible for governing one province or territory. Lastly, and the least powerful of the three, is the municipal government; this section of governance only is responsible for a specific city or town. Based on the Government of Canada website, there are a total of 338 ridings in Canada. Each riding has their own Member of Parliament (MP) and citizens vote by selecting a Member of Parliament by selecting one candidate on the voter’s ballot. In Canadian elections, an individual does not vote for a political party, one votes for a candidate; voters also do not directly elect the Prime Minister. The system in which decides who wins the election or has the governmental power is called “First-Past-the-Post” which is when the candidate who gets the most votes in their riding represents their party in the House of Commons as 1 seat out of the total 338 seats. If a political party has more than half the seats, 169+1, than that government has formed what is known as a ‘majority government’.
Democracy in modern Canada is an integral part of our government much as it is integral to Athenian democracy. Where fifth-century Athenian democracy and modern Canadian democracy differ largely, is the level of citizen participation in government when it relates to governance, political participation and equality. In modern Canada the government is structured in such a way that citizens participate and elect candidates that hold the responsibility of representing the citizens to make decisions on their behalf. Athenian democracy has much larger amounts of citizen participation because effectively the citizens are the government and are expected to serve when called upon. Although it was only males in Athenian democracy who could participate, citizen participation was not viewed as optional. Participation in government was an expected duty by all Athenian citizens. According to Statistics Canada, in the 2015 federal election, 77% of eligible Canadian voters exercised their right to vote. Of the 23% of non-voting citizens the two reasons for not voting was: not having an interest in politics and being too busy to vote. In, The Greek Commonwealth, Alfred Zimmern describes the annual examinations and elections as, “the most exciting time of the Athenians year” was when the citizens got to participate once again and play a role in the state law and policy decisions and discussions. Athenian citizens not only were expected to be involved in the political action of their government, but everyone embraced democracy and the freedom of opinions gifted through this new style of governmental structure.
Concluding Reflections on Democratic Participation
Over the long lifespan of the term ‘democracy’ citizens continue to use their democratic voices and political power. The structure of government has evolved over time since the fifth-century, as has the term and application of ‘democracy’; but, the importance of democratic freedom as well as the basis to which democratic ideas were based off of still resonate throughout history. Societies have been fighting to preserve or strengthen democracy since antiquity. “What is important is that [the Athenians] all participate collectively as a single body made up of citizens who are exactly equal.” What is interesting about this quote is that by simply exchanging ‘Canadians’ into the brackets, one can view that democracy is still built along the same values and frameworks that the Athenians founded it upon, it is being applied in different societal and governmental structures, yet, the freedom and impact that citizens have on the government continues through modernity.