Origen de la Democracia: ¿Qué es y de dónde viene?

Summary

This video script explores the concept of democracy, tracing its origins from ancient Greece and Athens' development of a government system that lasted 200 years. It highlights the key institutions of Athenian democracy: the Council of 500, the Assembly, and the People's Courts. The script contrasts Athenian democracy with Rome's republic, noting Rome's Senate held more power. It also discusses the evolution to representative democracy in the 18th century as cities grew, making direct participation challenging.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Democracy is a system of government where power lies in the hands of the people.
• 🏛️ The term 'democracy' originates from the Greek words 'demos' meaning people and 'kratos' meaning power.
• 📚 Ancient Athens is a notable birthplace of democracy, with its development around 500 years before the common era.
• 🏛️ In Athens, democracy was practiced through institutions such as the Council of 500, the Assembly, and the People's Courts.
• 🗳️ Athenian democracy was not inclusive of all adults; only adult male citizens and non-slaves could participate.
• 🗣️ The Assembly in Athens allowed citizens to discuss and vote on matters affecting their private and public lives.
• 🏛️ Rome also had a form of popular government, but it was called a republic, not democracy.
• 🌐 The Roman Republic had an Assembly where citizens could participate and vote, but the Senate held more power.
• 🌐 As Rome expanded into an Empire, it included Greece but did not change its system of direct participation in the Assembly.
• 🏙️ The challenge of direct participation in large cities led to the formation of alliances or confederations as a solution.
• 🗓️ The development of representative democracy in 18th century Northern Europe marked a significant shift in democratic theory.

Q & A

What does the word 'democracy' etymologically mean?

The word 'democracy' comes from the Greek words 'demos' meaning people, and 'kratos' meaning power, thus it can be defined as power in the hands of the people or government by the people.

Where does the concept of democracy originate?

The concept of democracy has its roots in ancient Greece, notably in Athens, around 500 years before the common era.

How did the ancient Athenians practice democracy?

Ancient Athenians practiced democracy through institutions such as the Council of 500, the Assembly where citizens voted, and the People's Courts. Only adult male citizens and non-slaves could participate.

What was the role of the Assembly in Athenian democracy?

The Assembly in Athenian democracy was a place where citizens could discuss and vote on various public and private matters, such as economic, religious, or war affairs, by raising their hands.

Who was Pericles and what was his contribution to Athenian democracy?

Pericles was a notable statesman in Athens who established a political regime where laws were not emulated from other peoples and decisions were not imposed by a few but voted on freely and voluntarily by the majority.

How did Rome practice a form of popular government before becoming an empire?

Before becoming an empire, Rome practiced a form of popular government through a system where citizens could participate and vote in assemblies, but unlike Athens, the Senate always held more power than the assembly.

What was the term used by the Romans for their form of government before it was an empire?

The Romans did not call their form of government 'democracy' but 'republic', which can be translated to 'res publica' or 'public thing'.

How did the expansion of Rome affect the practice of direct democracy?

As Rome expanded and became an empire, it included Greece in its conquests but did not change its system of direct participation in the assembly. However, it became difficult for those living far from the cities to participate.

What was the solution to the problem of citizens' participation as cities grew in size?

As cities grew, some formed alliances or confederations with other city-states or political associations to address the problem of citizen participation. However, this issue was not truly resolved until the development of a representative system.

When and where did the representative system of democracy emerge?

The representative system of democracy emerged in Northern Europe in the 18th century, marking a significant shift in democratic theory.

What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?

Direct democracy involves citizens participating and voting directly on issues, as seen in ancient Athens and Rome. Representative democracy, which developed later, involves citizens electing representatives who make decisions on their behalf.