[Campaignforrealdemocracy] democracy blueprint

[james armstrong]

(    Alfred
Zimmern  wrote an account of democracy in
Ancient Athens,  (500BC) in “The Greek
Commonwealth” published by OUP in 1911, It went through five editions.

 

Here are is an outline of the chapter on   “The Development of Citizenship-Self
Government or the Rule of the People” 
(It s not easy reading so bear with me. There is more detail f it is of interest .JA) 
 

It is a foolish idea 
that the only public work that a democracy requires of its citizens is
an occasional vote  either in or for parliament.


p160 “ But the most
important work of the deme was to supply manpower to the central state for
public work.

(note that
‘dem(e)ocracy’`was not primarily a way of voting but of serving / working
for  the state.)

So government does not
consist of rights but of something more practical – a governor is a man with a
job to perform not engaged in  exercising
rights but in carrying on public business. 

So it was not the
ecclesia (the assembly) which  made
Athens a democracy, nor is it adult suffrage or the referendum which will make
England one, Democracy is meaningless unless it involves the  serious and steady co-operation  of large numbers of citizens in the actual
work of government.

No state ever has
been  merely composed of citizens all of
whom have the leisure or desire  or the knowledge
to attend to public affairs . The Greek state differed from ours in enlisting
not all but a far larger proportion of 
its representatives in active public work. 

Whereas for us the few
do the work for the many, in fifth century Greece they did it for
themselves. 

 

Democracy is based on
two simple ideas. 

First 

The people is under
its own laws , sovereign,  and the
peoples’ will, whether expressed in the assembly or the law courts is under the
law , supreme and responsible to none. 

Secondly

As the people has many
other things to do  other than to
rule,  its work must be done by
representatives , as many as can be conveniently  secured, 
subject at stated intervals to approval and correction. 

 Consider how it worked.

Judicial

It was arranged that the demes should present 6000
judges,  600 from each tribe meeting centrally  then  drawing  lots as to whose services should be required
.  The demes Had got these candidates
from those  willing to serve  and then  they elected them.  When there were not enough for the business
judges were paid to attend. They were elected to serve for a year. 

 

Administration

Athens had no permanent civil service. All
Athens’ important work was done by a  rapid succession of amateurs. On the
expressed theory that quick wits were worth more than  experience or routine.  These dilettante public servants held office
for a year  not a s single officials but
as members of a board . so as to assist in controlling one another.  Some of them were chosen by lot. – the nine
governors were chosen by lot from 500 candidates selected by the demes.  No officials were appointed by other
officials or by the government – for in Athens there was no ‘government’.

              As Theseus
said 

                                The whole folk, year by year, in parity 

                              Of service is the
king.

The Council was the only 
permanent force which kept the machine working.

It consisted of 500 
members  (fifty from each
tribe)  who were chosen by lot.  Out of candidates selected by the demes. 

The council had two-fold 
functions………………..    

 The council put into shape the business which
was to come before its sovereign and sent up the agenda .No decree could be
passed until it had been  through
committee. i.e.   the committee was the  sovereign- the people.

The council sat daily 
to conduct business on behalf of the people between assembly and
assembly and anyone who wanted to have dealing with the sovereign,  from a foreign ambassador to a citizen with a
motion to move at the next assembly,  had
to appear before the councilors  For
these purposes the council was divided into ten sub-committees.  Each of whom was on duty for a tenth part of
the year

The council also managed the finances. 

( Not least important ,
the assembly met in the open air, and lay about in groups.  Imagine the contrast to the stuffy
atmosphere, exclusivity and ‘square’ environment of the chambers in the H of C  in an old building enclosed by  stone walls, massive doors,  and high railings. And the whole protected
from 

who ? the people!    

On a positive note , what a boost this would give to the
people to think they were involved, many and often daily,  in government. It would revolutionise our
education system , motivating each student, invite citizen participation  to quell trouble…  and end exploitation from monopolistic
corporations.    JA)

 

 		 	   		  
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