What did the ancient Athenians mean by demokratia ?
Demokratia was the system of rule under which the ancient Athenians lived under , the term comes from the Greek word "demos" meaning people . The idea was that it was the people themselves who ruled, not a monarchy or a few powerful people. The system was characterized by the fact that it was stateless. It was based on the ideals that every citizen was equal and every citizen participated in society. It was made possible by a number of reforms and the building up of strong institutions. This way of life was dependent on the compliance of the citizens without which it would fall apart.
Three main institutions held this system together. These were the Assembly of the demos, the people's court and the Council of 500.
The Assembly
The institution that occurred most frequently was the Assembly, a place where a citizen could air his opinions. …
