What is one contribution to democratic ideas by the Greeks Romans and the Judeo-Christian tradition?

Answer 1

A:

Greece: The earliest democratic traditions were those of Athens, where citizens were expected to participate in democratic decision-making. If history had played out differently, universal democracy could have evolved from this example.

Rome: The Roman Republic was a reaction against the presumed right of kings. There was a limited suffrage, at least for the upper classes, and a potential movement towards more universal participation in political affairs. Julius Caesar knew he must avoid any suggestion that he wished to restore the kingship, but nevertheless imposed a dictatorship, effectively ending the republic. He was succeeded by powerful emperors, ending any suggestion of democratic ideals, until Emperor Diocletian voluntarily shared power with three fellow-emperors, a model he intended to make permanent, and then retired from office. Had Constantine, through a series of civil wars, not recentralised power to himself, Diocletian's model could have resulted in a renewal of democratic thought.

Judaism: Judaism was always wedded to the monarchical model. After the Babylonian conquest, the priests filled the vacuum left by the death of the royal family, bringing about centuries of theocratic rule. Roman rule brought an end to the theocratic state, but not the start of democracy. The Jewish diaspora was involved in uprisings against the local populations in Egypt and Cyprus, suggesting that democracy was the last thing on their minds.

Christianity (Catholic): The Catholic tradition, prior to the twentieth century at least, was firmly in support of kings by divine right. Any threat to the rights of kings was seen as a potential threat to the rights of the pope. In the twentieth century, some priests expressed support for liberation theology, notably in South America, but the Vatican disapproved of their stance. The Church supported Spain's Franco and Italy's Mussolini, and was at best neutral in regard to Germany's Hitler.

Christianity (Protestant): The Protestants of the Reformation had no intention of encouraging democratic ideas. Indeed, Martin Luther was concerned that his movement had led to peasant uprisings. However, the Reformation had broken the power of the Christian Church, and democratic ideas would flourish under the Enlightenment.

Deism: Deism is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition, in that it accepts the existence of God, while rejecting most of the Christian doctrine. Enlightenment leaders such as Voltaire and Jefferson were Deists rather than Christians, but they and many of their contemporaries believed in the ideals of liberty and egalitarianism. More than any other, it was this idea of liberty and egalitarianism that sparked an unstoppable movement towards democracy.