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Wellsprings
politics

Equality

ἰσονομία

Equal standing before the law and an equal voice in it — the twin ideals of isonomia and isēgoria.

Isonomia was the principle that all citizens should have equal standing before the law and equal voice in political affairs, central to democratic thought in ancient Athens. The concept emerged as a cornerstone of democratic ideology, emphasizing that laws applied uniformly to citizens regardless of wealth or social status. This stood in contrast to earlier systems where power and legal treatment depended on aristocratic birth or property.

The practical consequence of isonomia was that ordinary citizens could vote in the assembly, serve on juries, and hold office through lottery—not just wealthy elites. As evidence suggests, this equality "according to number, not worth" meant each citizen received one equal share of political power. Euripides captured the binding force of this principle: equality was what held cities and friendships together, making it essential not just for justice but for social cohesion itself.

Where this idea shows up

120 Greek sources

Where to read it