Word Count: 821 2nd Source Criticism Paper What are the major objections to Athenian democracy raised

by the author? How does the text compare to Peric es! "unera oration? Whi e the author o# this manuscript$ %&he Constitution o# Athens'$ is un(nown$ it is c ear that he was a c ear anta)onist to the traditiona Athenian democracy durin) the hei)ht o# the Athenian *mpire circa +,- .C*/ &he author attempts to hi)h i)ht pit#a s o# the Athenian democracy whi st be)rud)in) its apparent success/ &he author!s major objection to the way the Athenian democracy is run and re)u ated is that its bac(bone has been re0ea ed to be the Athenian poor1the uneducated$ the un2ua i#ied$ and the un#ortunate/ &he author maintains that since the poorer c asses and the common peop e o# Athens man the # eet o# the a power#u Athenian na0y$ they can there#ore )i0en the credit as those who %ha0e brou)ht the city her power'/ Howe0er his tone maintains that this credit is undeser0ed not in action but the accompanyin) bene#its are undeser0ed/ His statement that %the ri)ht o# speech shou d be on) to any one who i(es$ without restriction' is spo(en with the tone o# incredu ity seein) as #reedom o# speech was one o# those undeser0ed/ Common peop e are a owed to contribute their physica assets to maintain the empire$ but not their menta ones1such as the ri)ht to address the counci with opinions that are in#erior due to ac( o# proper education/ Peop e with the proper education as we as the %hi)hest scrupu ousness in the pursuit o# exce ence is to be #ound in the ran(s o# the better c ass'$ or what he a so deems %persons o# )ood 2ua ity'/ 3n contrast$ %the )reatest amount o# i)norance$ disorder iness$ rasca ity' and natura y ac( o# education is to be #ound in the common peop e/ &he author$ as a %)ood person'$ #ee s unappreciated and insu ted that peop e o# ower status wou d ha0e in# uence in the )o0ernment/ Whether that in# uence carries e2ua wei)ht or any at a $ the author is con0inced that the un#ortunate c ass shou d not e0en be a owed such pri0i e)e4 nor shou d they be a owed to ha0e pri0i e)e at the expense o# the upper c ass/ He #urther objects to the ru es o# the democracy when it comes to who is #ootin) the entertainment bi s o# the po is/ &he wea thy pays #or the common peop e to be trained and to compete in the races and on the same to(en$ it is the wea thy man who stands at the he m o# the na0y or headin) ath etics whi e %the Peop e pro#its by their abors'/ 3n this i)ht$ the author contends that whi e the Poor bene#it #rom this exchan)e$ the rich are made poorer and ha0e ess to )ain/ A)ain$ the author does not dispute that the common Athenians contribution to the na0y is what ensures the sur0i0a o# the empire$ his major objection is the 0ery #act that he cannot et himse # dispute %the justi#ication o# the e2ua ity con#erred upon our resident a iens' because o# this same reason/ &his author!s objections to the democracy and be)rud)in) ac(now ed)ment that contribution #rom the common c ass is a necessity to a success#u Athenian empire is at odds with acco ades to the same Athenian democracy proc aimed durin) Peric es! #unera oration/ Peric es spea(s o# the )reat #riend iness that Athens possesses and how this camaraderie inspires )ood wi #rom their a ies/ &his is at odds with the harsh rea ity that Athens demanded tributes #rom a ies and that that swi#t and bruta

punishment is what they #aced shou d the a y not with to de#er to Athens! po icy/ &he author e0e s with his reader and ba d y says that o#ten %the better peop e are punished with in#amy$ robbed o# their money$ dri0en #rom their homes$ and put to death$ whi e the baser sort are promoted to honor'/ He exp ains that the empire reco)ni5es to subdue an enemy$ one must ta(e the upper c ass out o# p ay$ and reward the ower c ass by ea0in) them %on y enou)h to i0e upon6but power ess to harbor treacherous desi)ns'/ &his does not exact y match the ima)e painted by the words o# camaraderie and )ood wi by Peric es/ 3t becomes apparent to an indi0idua who has read both texts that one must ta(e into account the intended audience and the p at#orm on which words are spo(en/ Peric es was chosen to be the orator o# a 0ery pub ic #unera honorin) those #a en in the ine o# duty to their empire/ He had a crowd #u o# peop e to soothe with words o# encoura)ement that the sacri#ice o# the dead was meanin)#u and his words ) ori#yin) Athens re# ect this/ Compare this to %&he Constitution o# Athens' written by this un(nown author$ his rhetoric re# ected the unpopu ar opinion$ ser0in) to critici5e the Athenian democracy as we as the poor citi5ens/ 3t was probab y ne0er meant to be pub ic y circu ated$ just discussed amon)st the author!s circ e o# conser0ati0es1er)o itt e ) ori#ication and a ot o# sharin) an u) y rea ity/