The word democracy means a system of government by the whole

population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected

representatives. In ancient Athens, this form of government helped shape society
so that everyone in Athens received equal representation under the law. Although
there were some issues with democracy in Athens like social inequalities, it
ultimately prevailed in Athens overall because of its positivity toward the rich and
poor alike, and because of philosophers and leaders such as Herodotus, Pericles,
and Aristotle.
Even though democracy was mostly beneficial, it also led to some concerns.
One concern dealt with the fact that not everyone in society was getting the equal
rights that the government had promised. Thucydides, a Greek historian and author,
used statistics to show that the combined population of slaves and women, which
was about 215,000 people, greatly outnumbered the population of free men in
Athenian society, whose numbers reached about 100,000 (Document 8). This
proves that the population of those who could not vote, women and slaves, was
dramatically increased compared to those who were given rights and sole authority,
free men. Another man who helped to show democracys true colors was Xenophon,
a historian, mercenary, and philosopher. His argument states that the poor did not
get the privileges that were often bestowed upon the rich, such as the right to
represent and rule the city-state. the poor should have their freedom and be in
control" (Document 7). This information should be approached with caution
however, because Xenophon, who was not a rich man, was also exiled from Athens
after serving under both the Persian and Spartan armies as mercenary. This may
have led to a harboring of dislike for the city and a need to undermine authority and
spread false rumors.
Even though there were few concerns regarding the new form of government,
there were also many positive responses. Herodotus, a historian, portrayed
democracy in a positive light, saying that, Athenians came to see themselves as
citizens of Athens first and foremost (Document 6). This shows that citizens
became proud of their city-state and tried to devote themselves toward their citys
happiness. This account may not be completely accurate though, because it was
probably told through word of mouth, and from an Athenian citizen who was partial
toward democracy. Pericles, leader of Athens for 10 years, was another supporter of
democracy. In a speech dedicated to soldiers after the first year of the
Peloponnesian War, he praises the image of Athens by stating, Our government
does not copy our neighbors, but is an example to them, (Document 5).
Nevertheless, this speech also may be inaccurate because Pericles probably wanted
to boost morale and encourage the remaining soldiers to continue fighting.
Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, also acclaimed Athenian democracy by comparing a
previous form of government, oligarchy, to the current state of government. Men,
women, and children were able to be released from the bonds of slavery from the
rich (Document 3). They also gained more of a say in government after the
presence of democracy.
Many groups of people and individuals reaped the benefits of a democratic
society in Athens, such as the poor, who were enslaved under the rich, and the rich,
who gained powerful positions in the new government. Even though there were

negative arguments for this system from people such as Thucydides and Xenophon,
there was much more positive feedback from people like Aristotle, Pericles, and
Herodotus. This early form of democracy helped to develop what is contained in the
United States today, where all men are created equal, (Declaration of
Independence).