What kind of democracy? The Athenian politeia between 403 and 322 b.C.

One of the more controversial aspects in the modern historiography about the period of democracy, that opens after the athenian civil war, is the degree of similarity or difference of the political system compared with that of the last decades of the previous century. This scientific discussion set those who consider the democractic regime reinstaured in 403 as essentially identical to the abolished by the Thirty, against those who think that it is less democratic. This article try to shed a allembracing view of the functional aspects of the political system, tackling especially the matter of the impact of the fourth century reforms in the democraticy of the regime. The nomothesia system of making law, the new economic authorithy and the new role of the Areopagos council are analysed as parts of a integrated system where they appeared as concret solutions to practic problems that functioning had maked evident. In conclusion, although never gives up the principal of demos sovereignty, athenian democracy is a system in a constantly process of improvement where the specific political and economical problems of the fourth century call for a unknow before degree of professionalism