Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe once said: "Whoever has a task to perform must know how to take sides, otherwise he is completely unworthy of it." While such quotes sound cute, they mean nothing. Glittering generalities and other forms of propaganda have existed for centuries. If one believes that the general definition of democracy is defined as a government elected or run by the people, for the people and in equal measure, then it can certainly be said that Cleisthenes succeeded in his task. However, the man's history in Greece and his short-lived legacy raise questions about the bigger picture of his effect on the people of Athens and democracy as a whole. This essay will argue that Cleisthenes, called the father of democracy, was the most desirable leader of his time in ancient Greece because he actively worked to create a secure and stable government before being elected to power. to both the upper and lower classes, and supported his people by having a say in the major and minor matters that occurred every day in their city. Cleisthenes' rise to power was anything but graceful. He was an alcmaenoid by birth and this meant that entering politics would be a normal path, but he could not be expected to revolutionize the entire political order after a tumultuous start. After overthrowing the Hippas, Cleisthenes was overtaken in the race to lead Athens by Isagoras who was supported by the king, who also favored previous political methods. At this time the country was practicing ostracism. This is the practice in which: “Every year the Athenian Citizens' Assembly voted, by show of hands, whether or not to hold an ostracism. If the Demos had voted to hold one, the ostracism would have taken place... middle of paper... Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Network. December 2, 2013. Fornara, Charles W. and Loren J. Samons. Athens From Cleisthenes to Pericles. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1991. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Network. December 3, 2013. Gill, N. S. "Solon." About.com Ancient/classical history. About.com, 2013. Web. 02 December 2013.Martin, Thomas R. Ancient Greece: From Prehistory to the Hellenistic Period. 2nd ed. New Haven: Yale UP, 2013. Print.Meiggs, Russell. "Clisthenes of Athens." Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2013. Web. 29 November 2013. Rodgers, Nigel. The complete illustrated history of ancient Greece. New York City: Sterling, 2013. Print."The Rise of Athenian Democracy and the Persian Wars." The Encyclopedia of World History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Reference to the Creed. Network. December 3 2013.