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Posted 2005-12-13, 02:54 PM
in reply to platnum's post starting "I'm glad america invented democracy. ..."
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Actually, it was the Greeks who invented democracy.
Though not in so many words:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy
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The term democracy - or more precisely, the original (
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ancient Greek) version of the word - was coined in ancient Athens in the 5th century BC. Athenian democracy is generally seen as the earliest example of a system corresponding to some of the modern notions of democratic rule. Only a sixth or a quarter of the whole (adult male) population of Athens could vote; but this was a bar of nationality, like the present German franchise, not of economic status: however poor they were, all Athenian citizens were free to vote and speak in the Assembly. Ancient Athenian citizens made decisions directly, rather than voting for representatives, as in a republic.
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The word democracy originates from the Greek δημοκρατία (demokratia). The components of the word are δημος (demos), the people; κρατειν (kratein), to rule; and the suffix ία (ia). The term means "rule by the people".
Last edited by Lenny; 2005-12-13 at 02:56 PM.
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