Why did direct democracy work in Athens but not in the United States?
There was a large amount of citizens in Athens and small amount in the United States.
There was a larger number of non-citizens in Athens than in the United States.
The territory of Athens was larger than the territory of the United States.
There was a small number of citizens in Athens and large amount in the United States.
The key reason direct democracy worked in Athens but not in the United States is that the size and scale of the two societies were fundamentally different. In Athens, the population was much smaller, allowing for more direct participation by citizens in decision-making processes. This direct interaction between citizens and government officials was feasible in the relatively small and close-knit Athenian society.
On the other hand, the United States is a much larger and more geographically dispersed country, with a significantly larger population. This makes it logistically challenging to implement direct democracy on a national scale. In a representative democracy like the United States, citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf. This system allows for more efficient governance and decision-making in a large, diverse nation like the United States.
Therefore, the size and complexity of the United States, as well as the practical challenges of implementing direct democracy on a national scale, make it more suitable for a representative democracy rather than a direct democracy like that of ancient Athens.