The Study On The Relationship Of The Relative Stability Of Athenian Polis And Citizens'political Participation In The4th Century B.C.

All kinds of "crisis" of the Athenian polis in the 4th century BC, is the result of theoretically shaping of some modern scholars. More and more scholars begin to deem that in this period the Athenian polis had realized a relative stability in the scale of citizens, the recovery and development of the economy, as well as the democracy. That shows a tenacious vitality. The democracy is the most important factor in the realization of the relative stability:The mechanism of decision-making, the judicial and administrative were constructed by the assembly the court and all kinds of public office presented a constantly professional trend in the 4th century B.C. The distinction between the nomoi and the psephismata made the legislation and decision making more reasonable and caution. The improvement and meticulous design of the judicial mechanism contributed to the justice of the polis in the maximum extent. The trend of the efficiency of professionalism of administration system made the polis more competent to deal with the more complex social management functions. The citizens'participation to these mechanisms had turn to the most important and the most regular power of social integration. In particular, in the process of decision-making, the elite class and the ordinary citizens constructed common governance. The former grasped the leading role in the process of decision-making; the later not only can interact with the elite but also can launch motion more active. The most important is the ordinary citizens held the power of final decision, and had the serious influence on the public opinion. In the Justice mechanisms, the direct participation of the people to all kinds of private and public cases realized the effective integration and mitigated the contradiction between the rich and the poor citizens mentally..The Athenians participated the administration by holding all kinds of public office, not only realized the "Take turns ruling", but also realized the efficient administration, the management of the military and the social affairs. As a result, the participation of citizens made the mechanisms of decision-making, the judicial and administrative the most important power in keeping the relative stability of Athenian polis in the 4th century B.C. Moreover, the process of participation also shaped some ideology which is helpful for keeping the relative stability. The mechanism of common decision-making made the people more respect democracy and the concept of reciprocity. This contradiction between the rich and the poor citizens and the paradox of the political equality and the social inequality was mitigated by this mechanism. In the process of the participating the judicial system the conception of the "supremacy of law" is very popular, and the legal consciousness of citizens was improved a lot. They dropped the primitive concept of revenge, and holding the concept of self-restraint, toleration and the legal reconciliation. Meanwhile, all kinds of contradictions between different citizens and classes were discussed publicly; the result maybe not reasonable but it dispelled the mood of dissatisfaction. The weak of coercive power in administration reflected the spirit of against coerciveness respecting persuasion. This is the appeal of the institution and the political culture of Athenians. In short, the participation of citizens not only droved the democracy but also shaped the democratic ideology of reciprocity, toleration and against the coerciveness. These ideologies with the institutions realized and kept the relative stability of Athenian polis in the 4th century B.C.