Athenian democracy has achieved the heights of influence, admiration and emulation of much of the Modern World. Still, in Classical, Medieval and Modern times, some have seen Athenian democracy as mob rule, a culture run amok, a government doomed to failure -- a failure that, tragically, did occur in the Classical World.

       Let's explore this momentous situation.  First, define terms: what is democracy? Separate and distinuish Classical and Modern: What defines 'democracy'? What elements characterize it? How do the Classical and the Modern conceptions compare?

         Pericles' Funeral Oration of course provides one famous source to define Athenian culture and democracy. (As with our own democracy, cultural norms become part of the system -- with modern democracy, individualism and freedom are often linked though are not 'government' or 'politics' per se.)  Pericles' speech exists in our Reader as well as online, and this primary source should be scoured, line by line, for what it has to offer, and it should be under your critical scrutiny as well. Take notes, on both the text and your ideas. Bring these ideas and text-references to class for our discussion.

       The Mitylenian Debate provides another primary source, also by Thucydides.  It shows a democracy-gone-wrong. Thucydides showed further democratic degeneration, not progress, when the Melians in 415 B.C. would try to say 'no' to the Athenian naval might that insisted Melos join the Delian League.  A neutral state in the Peloponnesian War, Melos would (in Thucydides' Melian Dialogue) be destroyed in an unprovoked and unjust attack where the Athenians annihilated the Melians. From this piece, the saying came, "Might makes right."

        Both the Funeral Oration and the Mitylenian Debate come with many questions explicit and implicit.  Also, our readers contain other primary sources (by Aristotle, Plato et al.) that relate to these questions about democracy, and you may well find other readings in other books or on the net (for example).  Browse the net, but please do, search out the other readings in our texts that add information, viewpoints, disagreements, evidence, even conclusions to our work and up-coming discussion on democracy. And feel free to search further afield to strengthen your own mind and position on these issues.

      So the themes before us -- democracy, justice, cultural heights, contributions to posterity, costs and benefits, history and its 'lessons' and methods --  are all before us. Do comparisons of 'Past on Present' help us to know and perhaps fix problems in our current democracy? Does it help us engage more actively? Dis-engage? May this exploration serve you well....

       And for more fun and thinking, the story of Athenian Democracy -- the hope and progress of Solon to Pericles -- turned into the tragedy for the Mytilenians and especially the Melians. So, which Aesop's Fable best describes this story?