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Solon first came to prominence around 54BC when he was awarded archon for his patriotism when the Athenians were fighting a war with Megara for possession of Salamis. It was later that he was elected eponymous archon in response to the civil unrest of the times. Solon used the legislative power that accompanied this position to institute a number of economic and political reforms that would abolish exclusive aristocratic control of the government, substitute a system of control by the wealthy, and introduce a new and more humane law code. It was these reforms, that Bury claims that he 'not only laid the foundations, he shaped the framework' of Athenian democracy.
In Athens, monarchy had been succeeded by the rule of the eupatridae or aristocracy, who oppressed the farmers until they threatened a revolution. The eupatridae were the large landowners in Athens and held the important offices of state. According to Ehrenberg, the eupatridai 'formed a more or less united front of the wealthy and powerful against those who had no political rights, the free peasants and the landless.'
The conflict between the two 'parties' rose until the aristos realised that they would lose more in a revolution than if they voluntarily gave up some of their privileges. Thus was Solon instituted as a mediator and was easily accepted by both parties due to his aristocratic birth and sympathy towards the poor. Solon himself claimed to have saved 'those who held power and were admired for their wealth' from the consequences of a revolution. As Solon believed in moderation and in an ordered society in which each class had its proper place and function, his solution was not revolution but reform.
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Despite, however, Solon being given sole power, he was not a tyrant. The orthodox Greek tyrant was associated with redistribution of land and cancellation of debts. Solon did cancel debts although he did not redistribute all the land, and left the rich in possession of the land the hektemoroi had previously worked for them. In this respect Solons rule differed from tyranny. Solon's own poems refer directly to his disapproval of tyranny, claiming that he did not wish to dishonour his 'good repute by laying hands on a tyranny of cruel violence' and expressing his opinion that' people through their ignorance fall into the servitude of rule by one man'.
It is said of Solon by Andrews, that 'in the crisis which called him to power, there is no doubt that he stands on the side of the poor'. Indeed, Solon's first concern was to relieve the immediate distress caused by debt, which he did through his main economic policy called 'seisachtheia' or the 'shaking of the burdens'. By this policy he cancelled the debts of the poor and prohibited for the future all loans secured on the borrowers person. He refused however, to go to the length demanded by the poor and redistribute the land. As stated by Bury, the measures of the seisachtheia 'hit the rich hard, and created discontent with the reformer, while, on the other hand, he was far from satisfying the desires and hopes of the masses.' His actions did however create freedom for all peoples, rich and poor and place the needed value on wealth that would redefine Athenian government and citizenship so as to create the foundations of democracy.
Solon's new political constitution 'broke the aristocratic monopoly in a peaceful manner' (Andrews) and implemented an aristocracy based on wealth. In this new system he divided the citizens into four income groups, each being eligible for the ecclesia and heliaea. Henceforth, political privilege was allotted on the basis of these divisions rather than birth, which allowed less-established families to work their way up economically and achieve positions of political leadership.
It is thought that Solon was the first to admit the thetes to the ecclesia, which was entitled to pass laws, elect officials, and hear appeals and he also raised the value of their vote. In allowing the thetes to be involved in the Assembly and the Courts, Solon was effectively providing them with a political education that would serve them in the future, particularly regarding developments to a democratic government. Although the higher powers of government remained in the hands of the aristos, the establishment of a representative government involving each class in Athens encompassed the basic ideals underlying the future democracy.
Solons next great contribution to the future of Athenian democracy was the installment of his new code of laws. The first written code at Athens, that of Draco was still in force and was so severe that his laws were said to have been written in blood rather than ink. Solon revised every statute of Draco's laws, except that on homicide and made Athenian law altogether more humane. These laws were the basis of the reforms of Solon and developed the moral values needed in a democratic society. Solon's code, however supplemented and modified, remained the foundation of Athenian statute law until the end of the fifth century, and parts of it were embodied in the new codification made at that time.
Solon's reforms bear great significance for Athenian democracy. Through his laws, the development of representative government involving the entire demos and his economic reforms, which produced the criteria of political involvement, allowing movement among the class groups, Solon set up a class and government system that was partial to the development of a democracy as he infused them with the founding principles on which a democratic government could be based. In this way Solon is aptly named the 'father of Athenian democracy'.
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