In ancient Athens, the birthplace of democracy, politics literally meant the life of the polis (city‐state). Citizens gathered in the agora to debate, vote and make laws. Yet the term citizen was defined very narrowly: only free, adult men were considered citizens . Women, children and slaves were not included and therefore had no voice . USHistory.org emphasises that only about 20 percent of Athens’ population – free men born in the city – enjoyed the rights and responsibilities of citizenship . The rest of the inhabitants were excluded from the democratic experiment . This historical fact explains the provocative statement “Only free men can engage in politics.”
The historical roots of political freedom
Classical political philosophy linked freedom to participation. Aristotle argued that participation in civic life was necessary for virtue and happiness, but he simultaneously justified slavery and saw manual labour as degrading. Slaves, he wrote, were “living tools” who provided their masters with the free time that makes it possible to engage in politics and philosophy . Since household labour and economic production were handled by women and slaves, free men had the leisure to deliberate and rule. The Greek word scholê, from which we derive school and scholar, meant leisure – being at rest without constraining work and having free energy and free time . Philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle believed that this leisure should be used to engage in the activity of divine nous – intelligence, reason and mind . In other words, politics, philosophy and the pursuit of truth were seen as the highest uses of one’s free time.
This linkage between freedom and civic engagement helps explain why ancient democracy was limited to free men. Politics requires time to attend meetings, learn issues, deliberate and serve in office. Those bound by hard labour, debt or servitude simply did not have that time. Freedom, then, was not just a legal status; it implied economic independence and leisure. Without these resources one could not fully exercise the duties of citizenship.
From exclusion to inclusion
Today we rightly reject the sexist and classist exclusion of women, slaves and foreigners. Nevertheless, the ancient insight that freedom enables political engagement remains relevant. When modern researchers study political participation, they still highlight free time, money and civic skills as key resources. People working multiple jobs or struggling to pay bills often lack the energy to follow the news or attend meetings. Conversely, citizens with secure incomes and discretionary time are more likely to vote, protest, run for office or volunteer in civic groups. In effect, the resource model of participation echoes the Greek realization that leisure is a prerequisite for politics .
The difference is that democratic societies now strive to expand freedom so everyone can participate. Modern democracies define citizens broadly and seek to remove barriers to participation – through universal suffrage, public education and laws protecting time off for voting. While ancient Athens forced citizens who skipped assemblies to pay fines , today we face the opposite problem: apathy born of overwork, cynicism and distraction. In many countries voter turnout hovers below fifty percent, not because people are excluded by law but because they feel powerless or too busy.
Freedom as an internal and external condition
The phrase “Only free men can engage in politics” invites reflection on the inner meaning of freedom. It’s not only about legal status; it is about liberating oneself from fear, ignorance, addiction and the tyranny of busyness. The ancient notion of scholê emphasized free time for contemplation . In our age, that might mean turning off the endless social‑media scroll, stepping away from consumerist pressures and reclaiming time for civic life. It might also mean becoming financially independent, learning new skills, and refusing to let anyone or anything colonize our mindspace. As Aristotle wrote, we work in order “to be in scholê” and make war to make peace . The ultimate goal is not toil for its own sake but freedom to live wisely and participate meaningfully.
A call to joyful participation
What does this mean for us? It means politics is not a grubby game for elites; it is a joyful expression of our shared humanity. To engage in politics is to care for the common good, to have a say in decisions that shape our lives and those of future generations. Each of us can strive to become “free” in the deeper sense – cultivating independence, learning continuously, securing time for reflection and connection. We can support policies (like shorter workweeks, living wages and civic holidays) that give everyone the chance to participate. And we can embody the ancient spirit of scholê by using our free time not just for consumption but for deliberation, creativity and communal action.
So let’s take the ancient warning as a modern inspiration: only free people can engage in politics, and we can all work to free ourselves and each other. When we claim the freedom to learn, to speak, to build community and to vote, we honor the legacy of those early democrats while expanding it. Politics then becomes not a burden but an exhilarating adventure – a collective journey toward a more just and joyful world.