Athenian democracy
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by LeaningRight (talk | contribs) at 14:15, March 27, 2008. It may differ significantly from current revision.
The world's first democracy, Athenian democracy consisted of an assembly open to all non-enslaved land-owning males in Athens over the age of 18. All members could speak out at the assembly (the agora) and it decided policy issues for Athens, and passed legislation. Cleisthenes, who died in 508 B.C., established this democracy.
Democracy as a word derives from the Greek Demokratia, meaning ‘rule by the people’. It is formed by Demos (The People) and Kratos (Rule, or power).