democracy
Today we live in a democracy. Our beliefs tend to be that it is the perfect form of government. This is a view that would be shared of Athens, so long ago. The government system we live in today was directly modeled from that of Athens. There are a few differences, but at the end of this essay it will be clear to see just how close our government is today to that of Athens’s. Within this essay I will focus on Solon’s reforms, the accomplishments of Pericles, and lastly the relationship of today’s government to Athens. Solon reforms to government tend to be a combination of a democracy and oligarchy with the idea of eunomia. He started to make the laws more civilized. He did this by eliminating debt bondage. This made those who were forced into slavery, due to debt, once again free men. This was just the start of the Athenian’s basis for government. Solon divided the society into four classes, breaking the aristocracy’s ultimate control. He gave people the ability to rise to who they wanted to be. Before your social status was determined by the family you were born into, now to be determined by the work you put forth and wealth you aquire.