| Focusing on the Athenian assembly during the Peloponnesian War,this paper examines the role and status of the Athenian assembly,the people and leaders in Athenian assembly,and the subsequent development of the political and military power of the city-state in chronological order.This paper analyzes the defects exposed by the Athenian assembly during the war and its impact on democracy.By interpreting the changes in the Athenian assembly between the late 5th and early 4th centuries B.C.,this paper explores the crisis that Athenian democracy encountered in the era of the Peloponnesian War and its solution.The first chapter provides an overview of the Athenian assembly during the Peloponnesian War and analyzes the causes of the war.At the beginning of the Peloponnesian War,the Athenian assembly was the center of Athenian power,representing the democratic nature of Athens,and also played an important role in the war decisions of the city-state.With the change in the armed forces(navy),the Athenian assembly became an important platform for the lower classes to control the city-state.The Peloponnesian War,which began with the decision of the assembly,also inaugurated the crisis of Athenian democracy.The second chapter explores the crisis that erupted in Athenian democracy by analyzing the leadership and people of the Athenian assembly during the Peloponnesian War.The strategy of Pericles was implemented early in the war,relying on the Athenians’ identification with the democratic city-state and the leaders’ persuasion of the population.This sense of identity is the "man as city-state",an important spiritual force for the Athenians,which comes from the internal closure and political participation of the citizenry above the Athenian assembly.But after Pericles’ death,the flaws of the Athenian assembly under direct democracy were exposed: the problem of the absence of good leaders and the problem of popular sentiment swaying decisions.The Mitylene Trial,the Sicilian Expedition and the Arginusae Trial were typical of the three phases of the democratic crisis.Finally the crisis erupted with the establishment of the oligarchy。The second chapter explores the flaws of the Athenian assembly and the ensuing crisis of democracy,centering on its leadership and the people during the Peloponnesian War.The strategy of Pericles was implemented early in the war,relying on the Athenians’ identification with the democratic city-state and the leaders’ persuasion of the population.This sense of identity is the "man as city-state",an important spiritual force for the Athenians,which comes from the internal closure and political participation of the citizenry above the Athenian assembly.But after Pericles’ death,the flaws of the Athenian assembly under direct democracy were exposed: the problem of the absence of good leaders and the problem of popular sentiment swaying decisions.The Mitylene Trial,the Sicilian Expedition and the Arginusae Trial were typical of the three phases of the democratic crisis.Finally the crisis erupted with the establishment of the oligarchy。The third chapter analyzes the status of Athenian assembly and legislative and judicial changes during the several changes in the Athenian polity after the Peloponnesian War.The emergence of oligarchy under the crisis of democracy is related to the change in power that followed the Athenian assembly: the loss of naval power shook confidence in democracy and created the possibility for oligarchy.When the Athenian assembly cannot maintain the balance between democratic and oligarchic forces,a change of the polity is unavoidable.The failure of the war and the establishment of the oligarchy brought Athenian democracy into crisis,and the Athenians were forced to reflect on the problems of democracy and how to rebuild it.In order to overthrow the oligarchy,they chose to re-establish faith in democracy with ancient laws and also to redistribute power within the city-state.By limiting the legislative power of the Athenian assembly and giving more political power to the people’s court,the center of power shifted from the Athenian assembly to the people’s court.The rule of law became the new path to control the city-state and maintain the continuation of democracy.The final chapter is a review of the research questions and a summary of the crisis of Athenian democracy and its resolution.This chapter provides an overview of the changing role and status of the Athenian assembly during the era of the Peloponnesian War.Faced with the crisis of democracy,the Athenians reflected on democracy and the Athenian assembly.They chose to shift the center of power through legal reform to keep democracy in a state of balance and stability.On the question of how to maintain a balance between the people and the state in a democracy,the law was the answer given by Athens.The Roman republic,the modern representative system,and the establishment of the British and American constitutional systems are all examples of how this question has been explored and answered in different times. |
