And that's possible, but as a counter to that argument, let's consider three things. First, it's worth remembering that life under the Persians was pretty good, and if you look at the last 5,000 years of human history, you'll find a lot more successful and stable empires than you will democracies. Second, life under the Athenians wasn't so awesome, particularly if you were a woman or a slave, and their government was notoriously corrupt. And ultimately, the Athenian government derived its power not from its citizens, but from the imperialist belief that might makes right. It's true that Athens gave us Socrates, but let me remind you, they also killed him. Well, I mean, they forced him to commit suicide. Whatever, Herodotus, you're not the only one here who can engage in historical bias.