Greek City-States & Citizenship

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Greek city-states that existed between the 8th and 5th centuries B.C.E. It describes the political activity and social interaction within them, and how men and women were either granted citizenship within the city-state or were excluded from it. The paper discusses how the concept of these city-states contributed to the current appreciation of democracy which is practiced in many nations today.

From the Paper:

"Another significant aspect pertaining to granting political rights to the poor came from the sole rulers or tyrants who seized power for a time in a number of city-states. These tyrants certainly granted citizenship to the working poor as a means of building popular support among the lower classes which lived in their regimes. However, it is also possible that the upper social levels of Greek society became less of a cohesive political group during the 6th and 5th centuries B.C.E. which weakened the opposition to the idea that it was a justified to exclude the working poor from participating in the political body."

More papers on Greek City-States & Citizenship:

• Comparison Essay # 48590 : "Greek City-States"
• Essay # 24487 : "The American System of Government"
• Analytical Essay # 58625 : "The Decline of Rome and Its City States"

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