"Fifth-century Athens is praised as the cradle of democracy and sometimes treated as a potential model for modern political theory or practice. In this reassessment of classical Athenian democracy and its significance for the United States today, Loren J. Samons II provides ample justification for our founding fathers distrust of democracy, a form of government they scorned precisely because of their familiarity with classical Athens." "What's Wrong with Democracy? challenges many basic assumptions about the character and success of Athenian democracy and offers discussions of topics including the dangers of the popular vote, Athens's acquisitive foreign policy, the tendency of the state to overspend, the place of religion in Athenian society, and more."--BOOK JACKET.