In “Protagoras”, Socrates and Protagoras discuss why participation in government is open to all citizens, but on technical issues, such as health , works of art and building construction require skilled people. The argument assumes that integrity and acumen are the necessary virtues that citizens must endorse and apply for a properly functioning democracy. Democracy is designed to concentrate government power in the hands of the people and protect them from autocracy and oligarchy. It assumes that societies need a minimum of government, since they cannot function if there is anarchy. In this way democracy is a virtue, or rather a middle ground between two vices. However, democracy has a sliding scale, the metric of which is the citizens who govern it. Ultimately, citizens dictate the laws that need to be agreed, codified and implemented. These laws not only regulate behavior and maintain order, but also provide citizens with a mechanism to seek relief through the courts if they are aggrieved. At the beginning of Athenian democracy in the 5th century, there were no professional prosecutors or lawyers. Complainants seeking justice brought and argued their case against the defendants, who allegedly responded to the charges themselves. After the case was heard, the jury immediately voted and made its decision without the modern equivalent of deliberation. Therefore, the ability to argue and use rhetoric was an important tool for litigants. Likewise, it was important for jurors to understand rhetorical arguments to effectively decide the cases they heard. The application of reason and the ability to apply logical thinking extends beyond the courts and even into the formulation of public policies. To govern and implement policies effectively, citizens partic...... middle of paper ......if to political leaders and general policies that claim to act in the best interests of all, but in reality are only implementing to serve the self-interest of a few. Works Cited "A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture" [Paperback]." Amazon.it: A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture (9780195156812): Sarah B. Pomeroy, Stanley M . Burstein, Walter Donlan, Jennifer Tolbert Roberts: Books. Network. April 13, 2012.."The Internet Classics Archive | Plato's Protagoras." The Internet Classics Archive: 441 Searchable Works of Classical Literature. Network. April 13, 2012. "Protagoras." SparkNote. SparkNote. Network. April 13. 2012. .