CITIZENSHIP ACTIVITY

Name: Carolina Zárate Date: 14/10/2021

 Workshop about Greece and Sparta, answer the following questions.

1. Analyze and respond. What is your opinion of the fact that there were societies
where some human beings were dominated by others, through exploitation and
submission? Do you think that ended or are there still similar domination
situations? Justify your answer.

My opinion about the submission and domination by the governments or monarchies of those
times, it seems to me very unfair the fact that people considered common citizens had to
work long hours and were rewarded with little salary or in some cases without receiving it,
in addition to the quality of life that had been assigned to them. Adding the fact of the working
condition, civilizations like Athena and Sparta managed the slavery system with their
population, and most of the time they were exploited in an exaggerated and horrible way. I
do not agree with the fact of violation of "basic" human rights. And rather I am in favor of
being considered a citizen with free choice to their life and decisions that influenced it.
In my opinion, in current times, there are still similar situations of exploitation, submission
and oppression of certain groups of people in different parts of the world. For example, white
slavery, sexual exploitation or kidnappings where you are practically subjected to forced
labor without pay and without your consent. Many of these cases happen daily nowadays and
it is a clear example of unwanted work where one person has control over another for their
own benefit.
 2. The Greek polis (Athens and Sparta) were spaces of economic, political, cultural
and social development, where all people lived together and carried out their
activities, according to the role assigned to them by their status as citizens or non-
citizens.
Answer: Why do you think that great cultural and intellectual development was
possible in that society, where those who produced economically were enslaved
people?
For me, the overall picture is that if there were no working class people, and in this case
enslaved people, there was simply no sustainability for that region. What I am getting at is
that if there are no people who work or take the country forward, there is no development in
it, that is how in the end people preferred to work in whatever they could to have access to
food or a roof over their heads in order to have these services. In civilizations like Sparta or
Athena it was very common that the government was formed by powerful and rich people,
let's keep in mind that this dominant group had access to education on politics, mathematics
or literature, which made easier the intellectual development and consequently made easier
the strategic and organizational management of lower classes.
As nowadays "The strongest survives" in past times was the same, we know that if a country
was not organized or productive in trade, economically and most importantly in those times
"the weaponry or war", was practically a target for other strong nations who wanted the
expansion of its territory, and if you did not develop your country in an equitable manner you
were practically exposed to be the slave, which for the high status by the two civilizations
was unacceptable.
Something very important to remember is that Sparta and Athens were two civilizations so
strong and important that they called themselves "Polis".