Thucydides Flaws

Thucydides believes that democracy is a naturally flawed form of government. By looking through the lens of human nature, the flaws are not seen to be attributed to democracy in itself. By the use of speeches that were given, by his “account” in the era of the Peloponnesian war, the thriving and failing ways of democracy can be seen. Support for this position is provided in the work that Thucydides presents to us is the form of speeches. These speeches were often given in the form of debate, and included the Mytilenean debate, the debate before the Sicilian Expedition, but also the Pericles’ Funereal Oration. Within the perspective that Thucydides gave, it is revealed that human nature is a cause for democratic government to be undermined.

It is here that the human nature aspect of using personal attack, undermines the system. In our model of an ideal Athenian democracy, it is seen that by being for the majority, reason influences decisions, since generally all want what is best for the state. Personally attacking the other opponent, is done to get people on the presenter’s side. In reality, when this is put on the scale of reason, it doesn’t add any more bulk to the argument at hand. Instead of supporting the argument it points to the opponent and says, “at least I am not what they are.” Cleon used this technique as follows, when he was speaking to convince that he was a greater candidate than Diododus. “To speak plainly, you are so overcome with the delight of the ear that you are more like an audience for the sophist than an assembly deliberating for the good of the city” (Thucydides, 68). Ironically, by pointing out the flaws in their understanding of reason, a flaw was still created. By leaning away from using reason as an argumentative support, Cleon disrupted the system of democracy by caring more about having the majority side with him, than managing his strengths to match the needs of the