Ancient Greece was divided into competing city states, called "polis". The poli played a central role in the development of political systems. The word "politic" reflects the importance of the Greek polis; the word itself is derived from the root word, "polis." The small size of these independent states allowed for more influential political systems, which were constantly changing. Although the establishment of democracy was the most triumphant in the evolution of politics, the road to its discovery was long and painful. The poli endured a lengthy process of trial and error; the Greeks instituted monarchy, oligarchy, and even tyranny, in their quest for the adequate political structure, which was finally achieved with democracy.

All of the Greek city-states were initially monarchies. The king played the role of a totalitarian leader. He acted as supreme dictator, playing the role of the head priest, judge, administrator, and even military...