5 Critical Points in History Which Shaped Today’s Democracy

Democracy, as a word coming from a combination of the Greek words “people” (demos) and “rule” (kratia), is a relatively simple concept. But did you know it hasn’t always looked the way it does now? Here, we explore several turning points in the history of democracy which helped make it what it is today.?

Athenian Democracy (~500-300 BCE)

What better place to start than the creators of the word “democracy”? Greek city states such as Athens were not only known for their direct democracy, such as through the 6,000 member assembly open to citizens, but also their unique ways of selecting officials. In fact, out of nearly 700 official posts in Athens, only 100 were elected by the citizens while the rest were picked randomly through a lottery of volunteers. As Aristotle noted, it was this system which helped make Athens more democratic.

The Roman Republic (509-27 BCE)

Ever wonder where the term “republic” comes from? It comes from the Latin phrase res publica, meaning “public affairs,” which was used by Rome to describe how it perceived the people as having political power instead of a monarch. The Republic itself, in spite of some of its institutions being closed to average citizens, was praised for its stability, use of elections, and its idea of having a separation of powers in government. In fact, its constitution would inspire later democratic thinkers as a model for balancing citizen demands and stable government.

The Things of Northern Europe (~100-1100 CE)

The “things?” You mean like what you have to gather before you head out? Not exactly, as a thing was in fact a local assembly of free men in northern Europe which met regularly to agree on laws, settle disputes, and trade with one another. As an effective way of solving conflicts without violence, things followed the Vikings on their travels and were established from Sweden to Iceland, whose parliament the Althing is in fact the descendant of a thing established in 930 CE.

The Enlightenment (1600s-1800s CE)

During this period, philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau laid out their ideas on citizenship and the state, including the ideas that citizens have rights which the government cannot take away and that states can only rule if the citizens agree to allow it. These ideas would later serve as inspiration for the governments set up after the American and French revolutions. As they say, the rest is history.?

Universal Suffrage (1900s CE)

Is a country truly a democracy if only some people can vote? It was not until the twentieth century that we finally realized the answer: not really. Starting in the late 1800s, movements began to give all citizens, regardless of sex, ethnicity, or property ownership, the right to vote and run for office. Once an afterthought during the previous points above, democracy has now become synonymous with equal voting and representation rights for all citizens.

As we have said and trends today show, democracy is in decline around the world. We would thus like to conclude this article by giving you, the reader, something to ponder. Seeing as how many of these turning points altered how we both perceive and practice democracy, will we perhaps be facing another turning point in the near future which will fundamentally alter how we think about democracy? To see our thoughts on what might occur, along with extra “turning points” which shaped democracy today, head on over to our blog post here.

Written by Alexander Boylston , writer at Assembly Voting