What were the unique characteristics of Athenian democracy?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Athens, the most cosmopolitan of the city-states, was unique among the Greek communities, for the democratic government that came to prevail there was the exception rather than the rule in ancient Greece. In its early history, Athens—like most of the other Greek city-states—was an oligarchy,that is, a government controlled by an elite minority. But after a series of enlightened rulers, the Popular Assembly, in 508 B.C.E., acquired the right to make laws and Athens became the first direct democracy in world history.
In the democracy of ancient Athens, Athenian citizens exercised political power directly (unlike the United States, which is a republic). Fundamental to Athenian democracy was a commitment to the legal equality of its participants: one citizen's vote weighed as heavily as the next. Athenian democracy was, however, highly exclusive. Its citizenry included only landowning males over the age of eighteen. Of an estimated population of 250,000, this probably constituted some 40,000 people. Women, children, resident aliens, and slaves did not qualify as citizens. The small size of Athens probably contributed to the success of its unique form of government. Although probably no more than 5,000 Athenians attended the Assembly that met four times a month to make laws in the open-air marketplace (the Agora) located at the foot of the Acropolis, these men were the proponents of a brave new enterprise in governing.