Richard Ihle Western Civilization 02 November 2011

Seventh century Athens, witnessed three Aragons who manifested social, political, and economic reforms that established democratic institutions within the Greek society. In essence Solon, Cleisthenes, and Pericles established democratic institutions by decentralizing power, instilling political enfranchisement, and due process in Athenian society. Sixth and Seventh century Greece witnessed the rise of political and economical reforms that laid the foundation of democracy within Athenian society. These legislative reforms were engineered to relieve social tensions that arose from demands of the populace for political equality and economic aid that the aristocracy failed to provide Athenian society. Such demands arose from three major crises that dictated reform so to avert any social uprisings and protect the political survival of the polis. The first crisis developed from the commercial classes (merchants, tradesman, and manufacturers) that demanded decentralization of the aristocracys political power and return representation back to the Athenian population to promote a democratic selfrule government. The second crisis arose from the Arganian crisis where by farmers wanted reinstatement of former property ownership to regain political enfranchisement through cancellation of all debts derived from loans. Lastly, the third crisis came from the lower class of people demanding to have a greater role in the government and its decisions. As a result of the three crises, the Greek society enabled due process, it decentralized power, and it installed political enfranchisement. Solon, who was also known as one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece, instilled political enfranchisement, by ending exclusive aristocratic

control of the government, substituting a system of control by the wealthy, and introducing a new , more humane law code. Solon believed that in moderation and in an ordered society, each class would have its proper place and function. When Solon was given full power around 614 b.c., his first concern was to relieve the distress that was caused by the debt that was accruing. He redeemed all of the forfeited land and freed all of the enslaved citizens. He also prohibited for the future that all loans secured on the borrowers person. However, he didnt redistribute the land to the poor like they wanted, but instead he passed measures to increase the general prosperity. Solons new political laws helped abolish the monopoly and substituted it with a government by the wealthy citizens. Solon revised all of Dracos existing laws, except for the one that had to deal with homicide, so that the Athenian law would be more humane. Cleisthenes, regarded to as the founder of the Athenian democracy, decentralized power by basing individual political responsibility on citizenship of a place rather than on membership in a clan. He persuaded the citizens to make this change so that public rights and duties would depend on a township, which had its own officials. He increased the Solonian Council from four hundred to five hundred, annually elected. Cleisthenes also started ostracism, which meant that if a man became unwanted, he could be exiled for ten year, with no loss of property if enough votes were cast against him. During his time as leader, Athens became the principal exporter of olive oils, pottery and wines. Pericles instilled due process within the government, by placing the state in the hands of the whole body of citizens under the rule of law. Pericles gave every citizen the right to propose and amend law, not just to be able to vote yes or no in the assembly. Pericles had an assembly that made the laws, a council of about 500 citizens that would execute them and courts that would judge people if the rules were broken. Pericles also brought before the people proposals

for public works and great buildings. This would take a long time to complete and would involve many crafts. These projects kept Athens powerful and its democracy vibrant. Without Solon, Cleisthenes, and Pericles, there would not have been social, political, and economic reform that would establish democratic institutions within the Athenian society.