Spartan Oligarchy - 1099 Words

Superior Spartan Oligarchy Superiority is defined as being of higher grade or quality. And while the Athenian democracy has been able to become somewhat of a staple in modern society, in its time, it was the Spartan’s oligarchic system that allowed them to create such a strong society. It was a society that thrived on its strong political system based around a strong military. It is undeniable that in the time in which they both existed, the Spartan Oligarchy was superior to the Athenian Democracy. The evidence is clear through the system of checks and balances and the Spartan military, as well as the faults of the Athenian democratic, proving that the Spartan oligarchy was superior to Athenian democracy. â€Å"[In government] the†¦show more content†¦Although Athenian democracy allowed for the citizens of Athens to select their own political bodies, however this may not have always been such a good idea. In the Athenian academic system the learning was centered mainly on the languages and writing.(Ancient Greece) There was not very much access to the political knowledge of the world at that time. Since there was a much smaller pool of knowledge at their disposal it did not always make sense to have people who were quite uneducated in the manor of formal government, to be selecting people to rule their city. While it did allow for all people to have a say, the rulers in Sparta were appointed at an elder age allowing them to use their previous knowledge to make decisions. While the Athenian system may select those who were capable, the Spartan system ensured that there would always be capable leaders in charge. â€Å"Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.†(Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil) This is something that must be considered when looking at democracy. While one person may not have the ability to put some insane idea into fruition, a whole group of people believing together could behave very destructive consequences. Plato once stated, â€Å"Democracy... is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.†Show MoreRelatedThe Political Systems Of The Hellenic World1130 Words   |  5 Pages At the time of Pericles , there were about a 1000 poleis around the Aegon, in Ionia, Italia, and in the area of the Black Sea. The political systems would vary, majority of the states would have a combination of systems at work; frequently oligarchy, with strong influence of the local aristocracy, with the addition of some undertone of democracy in the form of People s Assembly. The Greek ruling classes wanted the people to participate in the political process; they understood that it mightRead MoreAncient Greeks Vs. Ancient Greece1097 Words   |  5 Pageshistorical backgrounds. For example, the Spartan s society functioned under an oligarchy. This was the case because both their economic agendas and their historical foundations. From the economic perspective, Spartan s economy was primarily supported by the fees† paid by peoples they had conquered and were under Spartan control. From the historical perspective, Spartans were descendants of the Dorians, which were another gro up of conquerors and the Spartans continued their historical path. Each typeRead MoreThucydides Personal Remarks, Political Speeches1814 Words   |  8 PagesSecondly, by evaluating the speeches recounted throughout the work, it will demonstrate Thucydides’ opinion on the intrinsic faults with the Athenian democracy that stem from human nature. 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He threw out the debt of the poorRead MoreAthens vs. Sparta Essay1193 Words   |  5 PagesAthens vs. Sparta During the times of Ancient Greece, two major forms of government existed, democracy and oligarchy. The city-states of Athens and Sparta are the best representatives of democracy and oligarchy, respectively. The focus of the times was directed towards military capabilities, while the Athenians were more interested in comfort and culture. It was the oligarchy in Sparta that put a war-like attitude as its first priority and best met the needs of Ancient Greece. These factorsRead MoreAncient Greek And Greek History997 Words   |  4 Pagesculture. Even though they had same cultural background such as same language or same religions, their political systems were very different. There were three types of political systems adapted by ancient Greek. Athens had democracy while Sparta had Oligarchy. Corinth had Tyranny. The comparison between Sparta and Athens in terms of political system as well as cultural background will be discussed in this research paper. In ancient Greek, polis has two different meaning. First, polis means literallyRead MoreAthens V Sparta848 Words   |  4 PagesHowever, their customs and concepts differ tremendously. Generally, Sparta had a very strict military-based state, while Athens focused on the fine arts. Politically, the two city states differed in that Athens had a democracy and Sparta had an oligarchy. Although the city-states had some similarities, they had vast differences. Athens and Sparta were similar when it came to their social structures. Women’s rights and responsibilities were one of the few areas in which they were alike. In Athens