Athens & Sparta: Democracy vs. Dictatorship

The Greek civilization was the most important period which shaped the root of modern civilization. The most admired historical city-states (polis) to have ever existed was Athens and Sparta and that are always taken an example of their completely different governing systems. The difference between two city-states was flagrant. Today we will dive deeper into the Spartans and Athenians life and try to figure out how Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life. We will also discuss who held the public office and what rules governed the selection of the public office holders. Finally, we will talk about how the two cities were similar and different in their governmental structures.

Athenians participated in the public life and the process of decision making for the community, by the means of direct democracy; Here Athenian citizen had only right to participate in government. The Athenian citizen was not a woman, not a foreigner, not a slave but only free adult males of 20 years old, native-born and had Athenian parents.
On the other hand, Sparta was a militarized state and Spartan were great warriors. The spartan governmental system was more complex where adult male Spartan was a member of the Assembly. Helots, Periokoi, and Spartan-born who lost their citizenship were excluded from participation in governing body. The assembly had the power to elect Ephors who shared the executive branch with the two Kings. They could also choose the members of Gerousia, the Elite Counsel. The Gerousia and the Ephors an Aristocratic alliance were the ultimate decision makers about Sparta, the military, and war decisions and limited the role of the Assembly and the two Kings.

In Athens, wealthy aristocrats’ male citizens were the primary ones to hold office until the system was reformed by a man named Solon. After the reform non-aristocratic Athenian men were allowed to have more say in the political system. These men had to be at least 30 years old but also wealthy; the selection was done arbitrarily using special allotment machines created for that specific purpose.

Officeholders will have their political rights base on their wealth. The so-called 500-bushel man because they were the riches or the ones who had the most bushel of grain will apply the law and lead the army. The 300 bushel will supply horses. The 200-bushel man will serve as soldiers and participate in small political roles. And finally, the commoners who could not serve in the army but they were allowed to become rowers I navy ships.

On the other hand, In Sparta things were a little different compared to Athens when it came to public office; In Sparta, there was also the man on the charge of public office being the Ephors the most important who represented the executive branch elected annually. They will serve as a balance to the power of the kings and decide military organization and foreign relations.

The Gerousia were the aristocrats who once they turned 60 years old were eligible to serve on the council and they were in charge of approving the laws. According to Peter J. Brand, there were the 30 members of the Gerousia including 2 kings and the membership in the Gerousia was for lifelong and any free male Spartan who was over 60 and an aristocrat could be considered a candidate for this post and the free male citizens who were part of the assembly with the power of electing the annual Ephors. (pp. 9 - 10).

There were few similarities between two ancient’s city-state that both city-states had incorporated different elements of apartheid, democracy, and caste system and oligarchy. In Athens, women, slaves, and non-citizens were excluded from the participation on governing body and In Sparta, Helots (virtual slaves), Non-citizens Spartan, and Periokoi (neighbors) were excluded from many aspects of the society and women had legally no saying in the legislative process.
However, Athens and Sparta were polar opposites of each other and exhibited a significant difference in several ways.

The spartan woman was exercised great freedom than any other Greek city-state and they were well-educated, outspoken, and strong where in Athens women were treated as to give birth of the child and also for men’s pleasure.
Athens had most inclusive and developed democratic system where people voted and discussed different state issue while the war wasn’t the single agenda on the board. Where in Sparta government system was oligarchy and used state-sponsored terrorism to subjugated Helot and it was treated as the patriotic job and the democratic aspect of the Assembly served only one purpose and it was for making it easier for Sparta to engage in its wars.

Sparta and Athens came a long way and even in today’s world, many references are made to these two cities. Greece is now a changed country but it has a baggage of history behind which date from thousands of years ago. It is amazing to note that Sparta’s theory is still admired by the most powerful military system and Athens democracy is a set up that has been expanded by many superpowers of today’s world.

References
Brand. P. J. (n.d.). Athens & Sparta: Democracy vs. Dictatorship. Retrieved from http://my.uopeople.edu/pluginfile.php/97191/mod_resource/content/4/Athens%20%20Sparta%20dictatorship%20%20democracy.pdf?forcedownload=1