he appears to be less a patriot then a man of philosophy, but that he appears even further away from the criteria of democratic citizenship by being against majority rule and public office. The final question then is raised about the depth to which Socrates meets the criteria of democratic citizenship, and a sound way to bring it to light is to put to the test the model of citizenship laid out by Pericles. That test must be used to find if he persuasively answers the deep questions of whether or not democracy is the best form of government, and does that democracy which he supports truly serve freedom, justice and equality in a manner to discredit the life supported by Socrates. Pericles considered Athenian democracy to be an education and model of government to the rest of the world . Through the treatment of his people and, for the most part, positive dealings of his government, Pericles proved that democracy was the best form of government because it lived up to his ideals of equality and majority rule. Pericles' model for Athenian democratic citizenship proved that living through his principles; the people could best live a life of freedom (freedom from an oligarchy or unfair taxation), equality (represented in self-determination and equal access to the law no matter class) and justice (in that people were given fair trials and governed humanely). This view not only helps to prove that Pericles' model is persuasive in showing the nature of democratic citizenship to be successful; it also serves to show that only to the least extent, in the light that Socrates supported some aspects of Athenian society, does he serve as a good example of citizenship. The model of Pericles that dealt with self-governing citizenship proved to be the guide that helped the Athenian democracy last as long as it did; and although Socrates did not wholeheartedly believe in those principles or meet all the criteria to become a good citizen in the eyes of Per...
