Protagonists of Democracy: Clistene

Institutional reforms made by Clistene (son of noble rulers of Athens) the late sixth century A.C. are one of the fundamental steps towards the construction of the Athenian democratic system. They are in fact a profound reshaping of the social and political structure of Athens, implemented in a rational and sustainable, that will lead to the gradual creation of a "democratic consciousness", undermining the foundations of national aristocratic power.

Cleisthenes implemented a comprehensive program of political and social reforms that will radically change the face of Athens.

He knew how to take forward initiatives to intercept the social changes taking place then, leading to a unification of the authentic police, and the consequent creation of the concept of "city country”, which allowed Athens to face in the best way possible challenges it will face in the decades following (first of all the Persian invasion of 490 a.C.).

A key element to disrupt the old mechanisms of power aristocrats was the reorganization of the territory of Attica:

were formed ten new tribes, each of which regrouped the inhabitants of a same portion territorial and was composed of a variable number of half. (Of demo derive the name of DEMOCRACY)

The territory of each tribe was then composed of three parts, the trittie,

one located on the coast,
a city
the other territory nei dell'entroterra.

Each tribe was to be composed of an equal number of demi from various trittie. All this in order to avoid the formation of blocks partisan "geographic", they could be grouped (as had been previously) only the inhabitants of the cities of the coast or the interior, leading to a conflict of interests often irreconcilable and heartbreaking.

At the same, Clistene greatly expanded the rights of citizenship, "Naturalizing" a large number of free people of foreign origin be excluded from political activities under the aristocratic regime.

In this way was able to obtain a dual result:

one side, in fact, bound itself to a good chunk of new citizens (weakening the power of the aristocracy)

the other made them partakers of political life, giving stability to the new institutional system.

At the head of each of the ten tribes, who took their name from the legendary characters and heroes of Athenian history, was elected one of strategist, in office for a year, that the war took on the guise of general.

Although beginning a purely military office, being elected by the people led to the growth in time of political strategists, so as to make them prominent characters in the conduct of city politics, in fact undermining the Archons.

Each tribe also elected fifty members of the new Council of Five Hundred the Boulè. It was the creation of this new political body the most innovative and important reforms of Cleisthenes.

The Boulè had extensive expertise:

foreign policy,
a change in decreti,
to arrange meetings
to propose laws to 'Church, or the Assembly of free citizens, then he had the final word on approval.

In modern terms, therefore,,

all’ Church it was for the legislative power,

while the Advice

addressed the general policy,
held the power of legislative initiative,
controlling the work of other constitutional bodies.

In order to perfect such a complex system of government and to ensure the impartiality, namely, justice of the various functions, CList introdusse il METHOD OF DRAW, that was reserved for the positions that did not require a particular level of expertise.

He was born on voting: SASSO SASSO BLACK AND WHITE.

The introduction of the draw marked the loss of importance dell'arcontato, destined to become an honorary, devoid of political incisiveness.

So, ten Archons were reserved only for religious functions and of "high justice" .

Another was the practice introduced by Cleisthenes'Ostracism, che permetteva all 'Assemblea, by secret ballot, to exile for ten years by the city anyone suspected of tyrannical aspirations. Some historians believe that this practice, of which the Athenians made wide use in the decades following, was in fact shortly after the reforms of Cleisthenes. In any case, it turned out to be a great mechanism for the protection of democracy.

Sources:

reworking by information from the article

N. 55 – July 2012 (86):

reforms of Cleisthenes
THE ORIGINS OF THE ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY, Massimo Beef

Deepening edited by…Ten legendary Super Group, primary school “G. Ancillotto