Herodotus - Histories
Herodotus, the Greek historian known as the Father of History, describes a debate on the three government types, in which proponents of each type tell what's wrong or right with democracy. - The monarchist says freedom, one component of what we today think of as democracy, can be given just as well by monarchs.
- The oligarch points out the inherent danger of democracy -- mob rule.
- The pro-democracy speaker says in democracy magistrates are held accountable and are selected by lot; deliberation is made by the entire citizen body (optimally, according to Plato, 5040 adult males). Equality is the guiding principle of democracy.
Clearly, with the focus on universal deliberation and random selection, this democracy is not the type of government the U.S. has today. Elected -- not chance selected -- officials deliberate for the people. The entire citizenry is just too large to assemble to discuss any, let alone, every issue. |
