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What was the role of rhetoric and political leaders in the Athenian democracy, and were the demagogues a danger?

Democracy and the Athenians: the central role of rhetoric and persuasion in the Assembly and courts, the role of political leaders, the figure of the demagogue, and the debate over whether persuasion strengthened or endangered the democracy, seen in the Mytilene debate.

An OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408/34) study of rhetoric and political leadership in Athens. Covers the central role of persuasion in the Assembly and courts, the contrast between Pericles and later demagogues such as Cleon, and the Mytilene debate, with the source and essay skills the paper rewards.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.818 min answer

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What this dot point is asking

Athenian democracy ran on persuasion: decisions were made by citizens swayed by speeches. For this option you must understand the central role of rhetoric in the Assembly and courts, the role of political leaders, the figure of the demagogue, and the debate over whether persuasion strengthened or endangered the democracy, seen especially in the Mytilene debate. The paper tests precise knowledge (AO1), analysis and evaluation of sources (AO2 and AO3) and your own argument.

The answer

Rhetoric: the key to power in the democracy

Pericles and the demagogues: contrasting leaders

The sources draw a sharp contrast between kinds of leader:

  • Pericles is presented by Thucydides as a responsible statesman who led the people by reasoned authority rather than flattery, willing to tell them hard truths, so that, in Thucydides' famous phrase, Athens was "in name a democracy but in fact ruled by its first citizen."
  • After his death, a new breed of leader is portrayed: the demagogue (literally "leader of the people"), typified by Cleon, shown as aggressive, flattering and inflaming the people for personal advantage.

The word demagogue thus carries, in the sources, a negative charge: a leader who manipulates rather than guides.

The Mytilene debate: the central test case

Did persuasion strengthen or endanger the democracy?

The debate over the demagogues is really a debate about the democracy itself:

  • In favour of persuasion: rhetoric was the lifeblood of a participatory democracy, the means by which citizens debated and decided; and ultimately the sovereign Assembly, not the speaker, decided, as the Mytilene reversal shows.
  • Against: the volatility of the Assembly (swayed one way, then the other) suggests persuasion could endanger sound decisions, especially when demagogues appealed to fear and anger rather than reason.
  • The danger lay less in individual demagogues than in a system that depended on the people's judgement of competing speakers, for good and ill.

Examples in context

A strong 10-mark stimulus answer on Cleon would quote the printed lines and analyse how Thucydides characterises his aggressive, demagogic rhetoric.

Try this

Q1. Explain why rhetoric was so important in the Athenian democracy. You must refer to specific examples. [10 marks]

  • What the marker wants. AO1 with AO3: explain that citizens decided directly in the Assembly and courts, so persuasion was the key to influence, with examples (the debates in the Assembly, the role of leaders like Pericles and Cleon).

Q2. 'The Mytilene debate shows the Athenian democracy at its best.' To what extent do you agree? [marked out of 20; real H408/34 tariff is 30]

  • Cue. Argue both sides: the reversal shows the people capable of reconsidering a brutal decision (a strength), but the original decree and the volatility show the dangers of persuasion. Reach a judgement supported by the source.

Exam-style practice questions

Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.

OCR H408/34 2020 (stimulus style)10 marksRead the passage from the Mytilene debate in which Cleon addresses the Assembly. How does Thucydides present Cleon in this passage? Refer to the passage. [10]
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A 10-mark stimulus question (AO1 5, AO3 5). The marker rewards close reading of the printed source.

AO1 (knowledge). Set the scene: after Mytilene's revolt, the Assembly debates whether to execute all its men; Cleon argues for the harsh decree already passed.

AO3 (analysis). Pick out features: Cleon's forceful, aggressive rhetoric, his attack on clever speakers and on the people for being swayed, his appeal to fear and deterrence, and Thucydides' framing of him as violent and demagogic. Explain how the passage characterises him.

Conclude on what the debate reveals about persuasion in the democracy.

OCR H408/34 2021 (essay, true tariff 30)20 marks'The demagogues were a danger to Athenian democracy.' To what extent do you agree? [marked here out of 20; the real H408/34 essay tariff is 30]
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The extended-essay type (30 marks live, capped at 20 here). Tests AO1, AO2 and AO3.

For (a danger). Thucydides contrasts the responsible Pericles with later leaders like Cleon who flattered and inflamed the people; the volatility of the Assembly (as in the Mytilene debate, reversed the next day) suggests persuasion could endanger sound decisions.

Against (persuasion essential, and the demos decided). Rhetoric was the lifeblood of a participatory democracy, and ultimately the sovereign Assembly, not the speaker, decided; the Mytilene reversal shows the people could think again.

Judgement. The top band argues a clear line, for instance that persuasive leaders were both essential to and a risk for the democracy, so the danger lay less in the demagogues than in a system that depended on the people's judgement of competing speakers. Support with named examples.

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