Athens was one of the greatest examples of city-states in Ancient Greece. It established the foundations of direct democracy based on certain restrictions to be able to vote and have decision-making power. In order to vote for legislation a person had to be a male citizen, adult, not submissive or a woman, foreigners were also excluded from participation. Related to Athens' social structure, male citizens had the greatest advantages regarding political and social rights, property ownership, participation, etc.
Those who belong to the aristocracy through ownership of lands or long ago inheritance are the ones in control of the political power. Then, a middle class of land-owners whose wealth was quite limited and business men, such as merchants, traders who were closely watched by the Athenian citizens who had some limited rights depending if they could ascend in Athenian society. Below, in the social structure there's women, children and teens, laborers, slaves and foreigners. The people in these diverse groups were not considered citizens with very limited rights unlike male aristocrats. Being dependent on others to survive was a key element to be disenfranchised from the decision-making process in Athens, which was the case for the afore mentioned groups.
