What are the disadvantages of Athenian democracy?

Athenian democracy, with all its pluses, had minuses. First of all, it was democracy and its benefits only for a select few people – male citizens of Athens, while the rest were not full participants in the policy. The opposition in the democratic Athenian polis in the form of an oligarchy favored more conservative and harsh rule. Her rise to power was only possible through a conspiracy or external intervention. This democracy was based on the economy of the slave-owning system, and was also unacceptable for some of the Greek states, which prevented them from uniting in a permanent union.