Greek to all of us?

(Microsoft Media)

Democracy is a Greek word and concept. We all take it for granted and as understood, the rule by the people. The problem in antiquity, however, after the concept had come about and got its Greek brand name, was, alas, that though being much more direct than these days, the use and privilege of it was restricted to the rich Greek upper classes.

Not just about anyone could get his (yes, this, too, was another restriction: women were excluded) presidency, as we'd call it today, for one year before he got assessed on his performance. The neighbourhood baker, for instance, had no chance of ever being elected to be the top-decision maker for a year.

The downside for those who could manage Greek city-state affairs for such a period of time, though, was that when their performance was poor, they could be banned from even residing in the city for some years.

(Microsoft Media)

So, one might wonder if Greek democracy, antiquity style, wasn't more of an oligarchy. But maybe that was still a lot better than a monarchy, where the sole ruler is, more or less, the head of a more or less drastically managed cleptocracy.

All these Greek words. We might need a glossary, pardon my Greek, before we continue: demos basically means people, monos is just one, oligoi are a few, kratein means to rule and a cleptes is a thief. Giving just a single English meaning for every Greek word isn't always enough, nor is a single meaning in any language for every English word, but it'll do for now. So, let's think on.

Monarchies may in fact already in pre-historic times, when bad things didn't get written down yet, let alone video-recorded, have come about in the shape of something like a bullying bikie gang, and not necessarily along the lines of the often so academically proposed benevolent community elders.

(Microsoft Media)

Bikie gangs on horseback bullying villagers into submission, mafia style, and getting them to feed them and pay them a little extra for being left in peace, are a more realistic assumption when one looks at international news feeds and the history of just the last century or so; and perhaps occasionally the villagers also were privileged enough to get protected by the bikie gang against another one, but one would have been well-advised not to hold one's breath for this latter opportunity.

When would it have been best to live and work as the neighbourhood's baker?