Fellow Athenians, I come today to discuss the matter of restoration of land after the atrocities causing heated debate during the Reconciliation discussion. At this assembly, I feel that the most pressing matter at hand is the matter of restoration of land prior to defeat. Seeing the impoverished farmer, I realize that if the gods did not bless me, my land could have been taken from me, therefore I would not be able to prosper as I did. I might have had four daughters and one son as opposed to the four sons that I raise and care for. Of course, as a farmer, my primary desire would be to regain my land and continue what I did best: produce crops. I believe that by owning my land, tending, and bearing fruit by my land allows me to be a good citizen. Therefore, in order for other farming citizens to be better citizens, they should be granted their plots back.
After learning what is most important to the other citizens, I feel it is necessary to address these issues. I agree that the best route for our beloved Athens is to be ruled by those who are qualified. However, how can those be truly “qualified” if they do not actively participate in all affairs? Therefore, I believe that it is essential to, at the very least, have a team of those with one foot in the field to advise those who are the qualified individuals. Bias is essential to advising, but not necessarily the actual decision making, because without that certain level of bias, only a select few will benefit. How can the benefit of only a select few be “just” and help better our Athenian society? The only way to ensure that every Athenian has an equal say is to allow those that are the best in their field be in an advisory capacity to those who make the decisions. I agree, however, that to focus one’s efforts in too many places breeds inferior products. Therefore, if all shoemakers or all farmers were to participate in decision-making, none would be able to perfect their selected trade.
With the former in mind, I would like to propose a solution: each trade should form a guild, or something similar, where they can meet and decide what is best for their trade. From this point, each guild would elect those who are the best in the field and are the most educated to be vote-carriers. To implement such a concept is rather radical, however, I feel that we Athenians should employ a completely unique governing concept. Up to this point, our methods have failed in some capacity or another. Knowing that we have failed merely brings me to believe that we must give another method a chance. The worst that can happen is that we fail, yet again, but without through the exact same movements.Although I feel that the best way to reinstitute Athens as a powerful city is to begin producing once more, I do believe that our next step ought to be developing a new governing system. Nonetheless, each system we have put into place has indeed failed in some aspect.