Athenian democracy was very much different than any other government in history. This can be directly attributed to its dependence upon the people of Athens. This democracy included strong points and flaws just as any other government would, but what made Athenian democracy so great was its effectiveness. Athenian democracy's success is linked to the size of the polis because it allowed every citizen to be involved. Athenian democracy not only worked, but prospered because of key unique components.

Composing the backbone of Athenian democracy was four main divisions. There was the assembly, the council (boulê), the inner council, and the governmental departments. The assembly had the prevalent influence upon the people of Athens because it controlled administration, legislation, and judicial departments. The council was comprised of every citizen in Athens. It did not matter if one was rich or poor; as long as one was a male...