History of Democracy

Democracy is derived from the Greek "democracy" which means people's government. Popular government is a government in which everyone has a voice about what needs to be done. The history of democracy itself is believed to have its roots in ancient Greece around two and a half millennia ago (around the sixth century BC).

Birth of Democracy
In Greece, Athens MP named Solon (around 630-560 BC) presented an early version of participatory democracy, which was mixed with elements of social justice.


It aims to correct government control that is exclusive and oppressive (oppressive). This desire arose because at that time wealthy landowners used their influence to exploit a severe economic crisis. They seized the wealth and freedom of the poor population.

Solon who was elected as chief judge in 594 BC then began to oppose the rulers. Reforms aimed at repairing flawed systems are carried out by limiting the absolute power of the upper classes.

In practice Solon limited the influence of the rich and introduced a more humane and balanced legal code. He also increased the role of the People's Assembly by creating Boule (multi-ethnic council of middle-income citizens), then limiting the authority of the Best Male aristocratic Council (Areopagus).

In 510 BC, Cleisthenes (around 570–507 BC) continued Solon's constitutional reorganization. He made the People's Assembly the only legislative body, increased the influence of Boule, seized the effective power of Areopagus, and ensured wide and deep participation in public life.

In Athens, the government allowed all free adult men who were citizens to vote, whether rich or poor. Unfortunately the system has flaws because it does not accommodate women's rights in politics.

When democracy began to function in Athens, many other city states chose to implement the system in their government. But the opportunity to vote is less than that imposed in Athens.

Most other city-states only allow adult male citizens to choose if they own land or own their own home (ie, rich people). They also don't let women choose.

One big problem for democracy in ancient times was the lack of time for men to always go to the meeting place to vote.

Most men have jobs, grow rice, make shoes, fight or whatever. They cannot always argue and choose. Therefore, finally some people were chosen who would carry out most of the voting (representative model) and the rest only came when there was a very important vote.

In Athens, people who are representatives of the people are chosen by lottery. The man who wins in the lottery has the right to sit on the Council of 500. Then he will serve for a year on the council.

Development of Democracy
Starting from Ancient Greece, then democracy spread to the region around the Mediterranean. However, democracy in this region was almost destroyed by the Roman Empire around 100 BC.

On the other hand, places like Athens continued to use democratic methods to make their own decisions on local matters for a long time after that.

A thousand years later, in the Middle Ages, several cities in Italy - Siena, Florence, Genoa, Pisa, Venice - returned to democratic rule after Matilda of Canossa died. These democracies are all organized in slightly different ways, but none of them allows the poor, women, or children to vote, and some have a lottery system like Athens.

Farther north in England, some men had the right to elect local officials and their representatives in Parliament in the Middle Ages, but the king still held most of the power.

This Italian democracy, too, was finally conquered by the Holy Roman Empire and ruled by the German emperor.

Starting in the 1600s, people began to struggle to realize democracy again. In England, Cromwell seized power to form Parliament. In America, the Revolutionary War gave birth to the Constitution in 1789. The constitution allowed adults to choose freely if they owned their own agriculture or business.

A few years later, the French Revolution brought democracy to France (for a short time). In the early 1900s, democracy entered Spain - for a while. Even though countries that embraced democracy began to emerge, women's right to vote was still severely restricted.

Today many countries embrace a form of democracy. In the 20th century. most poor people, people of color, and women have won the right to vote, even though children and foreigners still cannot.

Even though countries that embrace democracy have mushroomed, the amount of power available to voters still varies from country to country and some Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia still have not implemented this system.