What are the differences between modern democracy and democracy in ancient Greece?

Answer 1

Rome practiced a type of democracy called Representative Democracy, while Greece, Athens mainly. Practiced Direct democracy.

The differences being that Direct democracy has everyone vote on every thing that happens. As opposed to Representative Democracy where you vote for someone to vote for you. America uses a type of Representative Democracy.

I hope that helps

With all due respect

The Black Squirrel

Answer 2

Athens's democracy was fairly limited. On a number of issues, decisions could be made by a mass gathering of the free men of the city. The real rulers of Athens, however, were a group of rich and powerful families, who saw to it that those mass meetings were carefully orchestrated. Moreover, even during the 'democracy days' of Athens they made sure that all positions of real power and influence were kept safely in the hands of their family members or of people they could trust. Appointments to public office were therefore heavily influenced by them, and free and general elections and possibilities to overthrow those in power by them are a thing of a much later age.

So although this was better than a situation in which the population had no influence at all, Athens' democracy really amounted to an oligarchy with a few outside influences.

Today's democracy also has its limitations, of course. Parties, Party politics, pressure groups and the often enormous cost (at least in the USA, but also in several other countries) of campaigning are all factors that pre-select the people that are offered to you as a choice. But at least these candidates have to consider that their jobs will come up for re-election in a few years and any elected official can later on be voted out of office again. But a family like the Bush family has been dominating Republican policies in the US (and the top jobs) without interruption since 1981, and a new Bush may now add another 8 years to that number. But in principle it's the voters in today's democracies who solely decide who will be in power and for how long.

Answer 3

Some were radical democracies where all the male citizens met regularly in assembly and dictated laws and actions to be carried out by a council. Othrs were limited to property-owners.