Studies of Western Philosophy often begin with the trio of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and it’s in the books like Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics that we are introduced to the city-states of Athens. 

Political structures which underpin democratic societies today began in Ancient Greece, with elections, hierarchies and definitions of citizens (who have the opportunity to vote). One of the earliest examples of a social contract is in Crito, where Socrates obeys the law of Athens and faces the death penalty, due to his acceptance of the justice system of the time. 

It’s within Plato’s Republic that he proposes the ideal society, where justice becomes the virtue that aids order and harmony, providing support for individuals as well as the general population. Aristotle’s take on justice within Nicomachean Ethics, investigates the ethical underpinnings of justice which is continued in his work Politics — however, the system within Ancient Greece only provides equality and opportunities for its citizens — educated, male and accepted by the city, rather than women or non-Greeks. 

While the limitations of the time and theories are obvious, the influence of their work, such as recognising that equality requires recognising that there are imbalances that require extra effort to allow equal opportunity, make their contributions an important part of the history of political philosophy.