Checkpoint 2 - Update

Hello,

I've been making good headway into my essay, and I now have a plan to work with. My question is:

To what extent are the criticisms that the Old Oligarch makes of Pariklean democracy valid?

The reading I've done has given me a good grounding for this. My plan is below:

Introduction

Paragraph 1: historical background

• Define democracy - greek definition.
• what makes a citizen? what were their rights?
• Discuss the period that will be looked at (Perikelan era), and how this differs from the entirety of Athenian Democracy.
• Discuss the structure of Athenian democracy, The Ekklesia, the courts, the magistrates, the boule, the strategoi, how the army and navy fit into this, and the finances.
• The Athenian empire. How it ruled, the structure of the alliances (biased to Athens)
• who is the Old Oligarch?
• the original constitution
• Perikles Funeral Oration

Paragraph 2:  Rule of the people

• The rule of the people, over the few. The rich (aristoi) "the good" and the poor (demos) "the bad"
• The ekklesia grants power to the power, along with the diksteria.
• flip-side - they row on the ships, and thus are the source of the Polis' strength.
• The poor are simply trying to increase their power, they are motivated by self-gain.
• The wealthy pay for the bathhouses, the athletic and musical carnivals, which the people benefit from - they earn their right to rule

Paragraph 3: The ignorance of the people

• the people dress like slaves - they are no better than them. Effectively allowing the slaves to rule the city.
• Funeral oration, quotes about democracy.
• the common people don't receive an education, why should they have more right to rule than those who do? Or more right to speak and have their voice heard.
• Old Oligarch makes the point that the people are uneducated, who can they rule?

Paragraph 4: The ekklesia is not held accountable

• The people of the Ekklesia are not held accountable for their actions.
• They would claim responsibility for their successes and blame someone else for their failures.
• The court system allowed them to blame other easily. 
• They would innocents and the rich, or whoever was the strategoi at the time of failure on trial, and shout down the opposing argument.
• flip - side, the sheer number of people stopped bribery.

Paragraph 5: Athens is effectively a tyrant over their allies.

• Athens built a strong trade empire, which they used to dictate over their allies. 
• The polis inflicted harsh trade rules on the empire, benefitting Athens the most.
• They used their fleet to rule over other polis, which they took payment from, depleting their ability to fight back.
• the payment was used to maintain the fleet, making it easier for Athens to control its allies.
• The allies were subject to the Athenian courts - the people were harsh to the allies who were on trial, shouting down the victim and inflicting harsh punishments. 

Conclusion