Democracy and Participation in Athens [Paperback]

The public aspects of the lives of Athenian citizens (c. 450 to 322 BC.) are assessed to establish the nature and extent of citizen participation in the governing democracy of that period.The public aspects of the lives of Athenian citizens (c. 450 to 322 BC.) are assessed to establish the nature and extent of citizen participation in the governing democracy of that period.This book is concerned with the public aspects of the life of Athenian citizens in the period from c. 450 to 322 BC. Its central purpose is a critical assessment of the character and extent of citizens' participation in the running of the democracy. Professor Sinclair's analysis is made from the point of view of the individual citizen--his privileges and opportunities, his responsibilities, the rewards and the dangers of exploiting the opportunities available to him.Preface; Maps; 1. The Athenian polis and the evolution of democracy; 2. The privileges and the opportunities of the citizen; 3. The responsibilities of the citizen; 4. The sovereignty of the Demos, officials and the Council; 5. Citizens and participation; 6. The hazards of leadership; 7. The rewards of leadership; 8. The critics of Athenian democracy; Appendices; Bibliography; Index. Democracy and Participation in Athens is a must read, especially today, where those who govern us do not enjoy the trust and support of the governed. Hellenic-Canadian Chronicles Sinclair...is to be congratulated for producing a consistently clear, well-argued, well-documented and balanced account which will retain its value for years. Polis ...a lucid, well-organized discussion which deserves to become the standard introduction to the subject for both senior secondary and undergraduate students. It should be in the libraries of all schools which teach Ancient History... Teaching History Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in the public life of Ancient Athens, particulary under the democracy. The present work makes still another importal#d