Grassroot democracy: das Athenische Experiment

Abstract

At the centre of this paper is a re-evaluation of the theory and praxis in Athenian democracy in the light of recent research. Were Athenian politics controlled by demagogues or by an untamed demos? Or are we dealing with a system that systematically extended the demos’s sovereignty from generation to generation? How could the individual participate actively in this democracy, how could he experience and shape it? Finally, the question arises which lessons can be learned for our own notion of democracy, especially in relation to people’s active participation, the synergies in shaping public opinion, as well as drawing by lot and rotation of offi ce holders.