So Mr Cameron is offering us the faintest prospect of a referendum on the EU. Ancient Athenians would have laughed him to scorn.
Meeting in the Assembly roughly every week, Athenian males over the age of 18 decided all Athenian public policy. But since there were thousands of them, who could hardly just turn up and decide what to discuss on the spot, the day’s agenda was prepared for them by the Council. This consisted of 500 Athenian males over 30, drawn by lot from those who put themselves forward. Each councillor served for one year only, and could never serve for more than two. One of the Council’s main functions was to receive business, determine if it needed action, and if it did, put it in the shape of a motion for the Assembly to debate. Socrates served as a councillor; we hear of him preventing a highly emotional Assembly from passing a decree, because it was illegal.
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