The city powerhouse known as “Sparta” had a government that made up the social hierarchy. This was because “The government of Sparta subjugated people ( Tied people to land)”( lecture slides) . Which meant they had to grow crops for them and they could live there. This didn’t allow those people to move up the chain because they were tied to that land no matter what or …show more content…
else they were killed. Those crops just made the wealthier richer, and the poor stay poor because they just worked to basically keep their homes and stay alive. Another reason why people didn’t even have a chance to move up the chain was because of the “highly militarized society.” ( lecture slides)The government controlled people by basically scaring them. The military was ruthless and controlled everybody by showing their power. Nobody ever wanted to rebel against the government because they would get killed by the military. Therefore the lower class people would stay where they were because they wouldn’t want to get killed for rebelling or talking out. The people of Sparta were living in fear.
The other big city known as Athens also had their government and social hierarchy tied together.
In Athens “Citizenship was by no means open to all residents: only free adult males from athens played a role in public affairs,leaving foreigners, slaves and women with no direct voice in the government.”(Mediterranean Society, 236) Basically rich men controlled the government and made all the laws. They also were the only ones who could vote on these laws. If you were a poor male, slave, women, etc, you couldn't vote for anything. If you wanted to vote for a law that would benefit the poor and you were poor you couldn't because you were not able to vote. These poor people couldn't do anything to change their way of life because they couldn't vote or be in the government. This government made the people that were poor always stay poor. The government relationship with social hierarchies were very tied together. Another way it demeonstarted this was when Athens was increasing their maritime trade which brought prosperity to athens. This meant that “Owners of small plots could not compare and fell into heavy debt. Competitive pressures often force them to sell their holdings to aristocrats, and debt burdens sometimes overwhelmed them and pushed them into slavery.” ( Mediterranean society, 236) The government basically enslaved them if they didn't complete what they had to every month, this made it hard to even get out of
poverty.
Sparta was very similar to modern day North Korea. North Korea also has a highly militarized society and basically rules people with their power of military. If North Koreans talk about their leader they would get killed or “vanish