Evolution of Democracy in Excellence：

A Kind of Axiological Thinking about Democracy in Ancient Athens(I)

HE Huaihong （Peking University）

 

Abstract:Evolution of democracy in excellence is a typical feature of democracy in ancient Athens. During the historical evolution for about 200 years, the political elite questing for excellence and the common people questing for freedom jointly promoted the development of democracy in Athens. However, we argue that democracy in Athens is a product of natural evolution rather than the subjective motives, because there was no theoretical guide and the wise Athens people just conformed to the inevitable law of the historical development through eliminating the aristocracy and tyrant politics in Athens. As it should be, excellence and democracy can promote each other as well as tension with each other. While in the long practice of democracy in Athens, excellence and democracy can coordinate in development, the credit belonged to the spirit of middle mean and the view of happiness which valued virtue while undervalue material in Greek national character.

Key words:city-states of ancient Greece; Athens democracy; value; excellence; equality