Polis as the Prototype of a Contemporary Community
Polis as the Prototype of a Contemporary Community

Summary/Abstract: The Greek polis is the birthplace of a culture whose influence persisted despite thefall of the very form of polis. This culture plays a significant part in the life of communitiesof today, especially in the domain of the so-called Western culture. Polismeans both state and city, but most of all it is “a society, a community of peopleliving together”. This form of governance enabled equal citizens to exercise directsupervision over their governments. Polis itself was not an invention of ancientGreeks, but the public nature thereof, especially in the form of the debate-baseddemocracy and the rule of law – not of people – turned out to be their contributionto the idea of a city-state. Democracy as a common form of a political system canbe found particularly in the Greek culture of polis.The general notions deriving from the Greek polis, i.e. citizenship, democracy,equality, independence, autonomy or justice, express a desire for a better life of anindividual in a community. The democracy of classical times, characterised by equalcitizenship and freedom of speech, is considered as the first one to moderate fiercesocial-economic disputes. It is this polis that made it possible for philosophy and scienceto develop. The modern-day discussion on the state in a globalised and increasinglyurbanised world can surely benefit from a reflection on the civil and legal dimensionsof polis.

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