23rd World Congress of Philosophy (WCP 2013)

Athens, 4 10 August 2013

School of Philosophy, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Abstract & Paper Submission Form

(All fields marked with * should be completed and written in English to avoid technical problems)
1) I HAVE SUBMITTED PARTICIPATION FORM No 1:

Yes

Country:
* First (Given) Name (Mr., Mrs., Ms.): Constantinos
* Last (Family) Name: Tsiantis
* Title: Prof. Dr. MPhil. MA BA: Prof.
* AffiliationInstitution (Teaching or Research): TEI of Athens
* E-mail Address: [email protected]
2) PAPER TITLE (Please note that the duration of speaking time is 20 minutes)

The mathematical law of the Athenian participatory Democracy

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4) ABSTRACT (a maximum of 200 words-keywords are not included)

The mathematical law of the Athenian participatory Democracy

Constantinos N. Tsiantis
Ph.D. University of Maryland, Emeritus Professor

Summary:
The representation of a population is not a conventional subjective choice, neither does itdepend upon
ideal and non-ascertained statistical conditions. The mathematic law that we present solves this
problem and can become a foundation for the political-social sciences: If a population of size N is
constituted by m groups of citizens and each group possesses percentage wi (i=1, 2, m) of the entire
population (w1+ w2+ + wm =1), then the minimum number of citizens n (sample) that have to be
selected from all the population groups (n = n1+ n2+ + nm, where ni>0) for the representation of
the entire population is given by the relation:

This relationship explains the size of the Parliament in the Athenian Democracy, hence its name. It has
been successfully tested in statistical sampling and may be tested in other areas as well.
Key words:

Athenian democracy, mathematical law of participation, representation

5) PAPER (a maximum of 1800 words)

The mathematical law of the Athenian participatory Democracy

Constantinos N. Tsiantis

Ph.D. University of Maryland, Emeritus Professor

1.

The founders of democracy

Democracy was the political system developed in Athens through the legislative and political work of
Solon, Kleishenes, Ephialtes and Pericles. Athens was the first city-state of Greece that was
transformed into polis and was ruled directly by its body of citizens. Citizenship emerged in Athens as
a historical necessity and not as a utopia1.
Solon, one of the seven sages of ancient Greece (lawmaker, philosopher and poet), was granted
the consensus by the conflicting social parties in Athens to resolve conflict and proceed to the
necessary political and social reforms (594/3 B.C.). Solon split the Athenians into four classes on the
basis of their income and ability to perform military service. He legislated the seisachtheia: the
deletion of debts. He established the Boule (Parliament) of the four hundred and gave great strength to
the Ecclesia of Demos (the assembly of citizens), which had as its purpose to select the archons and
decide upon the bills prepared by the Boule and upon all other major issues. Solon also established the
people's court, the Heliaia, and recognized the right of citizens to appeal against judgmental decisions
made by the archons and the Supreme Court (Areopagus). Those where the first steps towards
democracy2.
Kleisthens (508 B.C.) split the city-state of Athens into a large number of equal municipalities
(demes) to form the 10 tribes. In each tribe existed citizens of different income from various areas of
Attica.
Kleistenes also established the Boule of the five hundred which consisted of citizens, thirty
years old and above, selected by draw annually from each tribe in equal number3. The main task of
the parliament was to prepare the legislative drafts (probouleymata) for the Ecclesia of Demos, which
required a minimum number of 6.000 citizens to form a quorum4. From that assembly were elected
the 10 generals who governed the military and the state itself. The Ecclesia also served in the role of
the supreme court (Heliaia ) ruling over all issues with the exception of murder cases and religious
matters, which remained the responsibility of the Areopagus.
Ephialtes (462 B.C.) gave independent status to Heliaia 5 . In the new Heliaia, the 6000
Athenians were bound by oath to the proper exercise of their duties.
Ephialtes was assassinated shortly after his reforms and his leadership in the democratic party of
Athens was taken by Pericles6. Under the reign of Pericles (461- 429 B.C.) Athens experienced its
Golden Age.
2. The mathematical aspect of the Athenean Parliament
It is reasonable to think that the size of the Athenian Boule was not arbitrary. However, during the
twenty five centuries that have passed since that glorious epoch, the problem of justifying the size of
the Athenian Boule has never been posed as a mathematical problem. The development of statistical
science in the first half of the 20th century offered the context for exploring this problem through the
concept of sample size and Newmans concept of representation7.
We met the problem some years ago while we were conducting the national statistical study

Phronisis. However, for epistemological reasons, we made the decision to avoid the available
statistical methods in computing the sample size. Instead we decided, trusting our philosophical
curiosity, to seek out the mathematical formula of sample size computation starting from scratch.
3. The problem and its solution.
3.1 Stating the problem:
A population of size N consists of m classes of subjects, with N1 subjects in class-1, N2 subjects in
class-2, ..., and Nm subjects in class-m, where N1+N2+...+Nm=N. What is the optimum sample
standing for the population? Specifically: (i) what is the sample size n (n<N), and (ii) what is its
composition, i.e. the size of its classes n1, n2, ..., nm, where n1+n2+...+nm=n and ni>0?
Definitions:
wi Ni/N and i ni/n.
wi=1 and i=1 ( i=1,2,...,m).
3.2 The Athenian solution
We consider first a sample n taken randomly from the population N. The probability to find one
subject of class-1 in the population is
p1

N1
N

(1)

w1

The probability that one subject (of whatever class) from the population N is included in the sample n
is

n
N

(2)

The probability p11 that one subject from the population class-1 is included in the sample n is then
p11

p1 p

(3)

We consider now the method posed by the problem, the so called stratified sampling: From a
population N we receive a sample n by taking at random n1 subjects from the population class-1 (call
it event E1), n2 subjects from the population class-2 (event E2),...,nm subjects from the population
class-m (event Em). Since we have selected at random n1 subjects from the population class-1, the
probability p11 (Eq.3) becomes here equal to the product n1*p11, which we signify by p1n. Thus, the
probability that one subject from the population class-1 is included in the sample n becomes (after
replacing)
p1n

n1 w1

n
N

(4)

This inclusion probability p1n must be equal to the probability that one subject of class-1 is found in
the sample: 1=n1/n . Thus we have:
p1n

n1w1

n
N

(5)

We repeat the aforementioned process for all the events Ei (i=1, 2, ..., m). Thus respectively we have:
n
N
n
p2 n n2 w2
N
.................
n
pmn nm wm
N
p1n

n1 w1

(6)

The events Ei can be considered independent. Therefore, the probability of their intersection (under
stratified sampling) is the product of their probabilities:
P ( E1

1 2

E2

...

...Em )

n1w1

p1n p2 n ...pmn

or

n
n
n
n2 w2 ......nm wm
N
N
N

(7)

From Eq.7, after replacing ni=i*n (i=1, 2,, m), we get

n 2m w1w2 ...wm

(8)

Whereupon the law of population representation is derived:

n

N
m w w ...w
1 2
m

nath

(9)

Since Eq.9 justifies the size of the Boule in ancient Athens ( 4.1), it will be from now on referred to
as the Athenian law of representation8 or personal participation. The terms are relative: (i) When
the population is completely homogeneous: m=1, then nath=N1/2. (ii) When it is completely
inhomogeneous: m=N, then nath=N. This is the (theoretical) case of direct participation of all citizens.
The composition of the sample (the number of subjects per class) is then (by definition):

ni

nath

i 1,2,...,m

(10)

The minimum sample size n is achieved when all the population classes are of equal size: wis are
equal to 1/m. Then nmin=(N*m)1/2. This means that the number of classes m plays a decisive role in the
size of parliament (or sample size).
3.3. The hypergeometric solution
The Athenian solution coincides with the solution n=x*N/(1+x), where x is the solution of the
equation log(x)+a/x-a*x=k (where x=n/(N-n), a=1/(2N) and k constant). This equation is derived from
the hypergeometric probability distribution, after applying Stirlings approximation and Lagranges
multiplier method for optimum probability. The maximum probability is achieved when w i = i
(i=1,2,,m). The logarithmic equation does not have a closed solution. The solution we propose leads
to the equation
nhyp

N * (1 N 2 * lambertw(-1/N* exp(k))* lambertw(-1/N/exp(k)))

1 N * lambertw(-1/N/exp(k)) * (-2 N * lambertw(-1/N* exp(k)))

where lambertw(.) is the Lambert W function.

k

lo g

nath
N

nath

1
2nath

If, by using the Athenian solution, we set

1
2( N

(11)

nath ) ,

(12)

then we find that, with high accuracy, nhyp equals to nath.

4. Applications
4.1.Determining the size of the Kleisthenean Boule.
Sinclair (1988) argues that around the end of the 6th century the number of citizens eligible for the
Boule could not have exceeded thirty thousands but could exist at least 20000 (and rather 25000)

citizens9 . He suggests also taking into account the number of extra deputies.
By taking N=25000 and ten tribes (m=10) of equal size (w1=w2=...=w10=w=1/m), we
receive

n nath

N *m

25000*10

250000 500

If N=30000, as Hansen (2006) argues10, then nath=548. By adopting Sinclairs suggestion, this
number is considered reasonable.

4.2 The size of participatory Democracies demanded today

(i) Implementing the mathematical law to Greece and using the data of the June 2012 elections
(N=7.800.000, m=8, w=(0.30, 0.27, 0.12, 0.075, 0.069, 0.062, 0.045, 0.059)), we get nath=6715
deputies. This requires a Boule of five hundred in each of the thirteen administrative regions.
(ii) Implementing the law to the European Union (N=350.000.000, m=27, equal percentages), we
get nath=97211 deputies.
(iii) Implementing the law to the world community (N=4.5 billion citizens, m=180, equal
percentages) we get nath= 900000 deputies.
Participatory democracy sounds strange here. However it is feasible. A number of practical
scenarios can be proposed for its implementation. Science and technology have transformed the globe
to a village. Two decades ago economic markets succeeded in their global electronic interconnection
with millions of transactions per day11. It would seem ironic for politics to resist democratization by
employing the arguments of realism and utopia.
In Conclusion
The mathematical law of representation or direct participation provides a valid solution to a basic
political-social problem which has remained forgotten for centuries. The law can be extended into
different fields12. However, it takes particular importance against a world that is abolishing freedom
and justice. This law calls for us to use numbers in a wise way. To trust citizens and science in making
decisions. To remove oligarchies dominating our destinies. To study and establish the contemporary
scheme of Athenian democracy. Let it be13.
References

Clotz, Gustave. Ancient Greek at Work, London: Routledge and Kegan, 1926. He argues that
the vast majority of slaves came from war, p.192.
2
For the high public positions they elected people exclusively from the two higher social classes: the
nobeles (pentakosiomedimnoi) and the knights (horsemen). The farmers (zeygites) were elected for
inferior positions. The thetai (metics, outliders), became for the first time eligible (after a certain
period of residence) to vote in the Ecclesia (Assembly) but not to be themselves elected.
http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki, Solon
3
Manitakis, Antonios. The Athenian Democracy as example of peoples self-determination through
the self-government of Demos, in the Honorary volume for Ioannis Manoledakis, vol. III,
Sakkoulas Publ., Thessalonica, 2007, p. 43-64.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleisthenes
Sakellariou, M. B. The Athenian Democracy, Academic publications of Crete, Heraklion 2000.
6
Rigas, Christos G. The Democracy of Ephialtis: The power of citizen, Eleusis Publications, Athens
5

2008.
7
Neyman, Jerzy (1934). On the two different aspects of representative method: The method of
stratified sampling and the method of purposive selection, Journal of Royal Statistical Society, 97
(4), 558-625.
8
Tsiantis, C. N. Computing the sample size of multivariate populations: the Athenian law of
representation and sampling, in Long, C. et al (Eds) Recent Advances on Applied Mathematics,
Harvard USA, March 24-26, 2008, WSEAS Press, pp.301-306.
9
Sinclair, R. K, Democracy and Participation in Athens, Cambridge University Press, 1988. Tr.in
Greek ( E. Tamvaki), Karthamitsas Publ.,, Athens 1997, pp.125-126.
10
Mogens Herman Hansen, Studies in the Population of Aigina, Athens and Eretria. Historiskfilosofiske Meddelelser 94. Copenhagen: The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters,
2006.
11
Tsiantis, George J. Technology and contemporary Democracy, Ionia Publications, Athens 2012.
12
Tsiantis, C. N. Sample size computing for factorial designs: An extension of the Athenian
representative method, in Jegdic K, Simeonov P, Zafiris V (Eds) Recent Advances in Applied
Mathematics, Vol.1, UHD, Huston,2009, WSEAS Press, pp.171-176.
13
Tsiantis, C. N. The refoundation of Democracy, 25th International Conference of Philosophy: The
Concept of Form and Way of Life, thens, 2013.