In modern psychology, ostracism is the ignoring or rejection of a person by others. In general, this definition already fully reflects the essence of the phenomenon. Today, ostracism is a fairly broad concept that can be applied to the whole spectrum of social relations. Wherever there is a relationship between people, there is, to some extent, the ignoring or banishment of individuals. Thus, ostracism is what turns a person into a social outcast, a marginalized person. At the same time this concept has its roots, Which can be clearly traced.
Antique ostracism
The meanings of many terms came to modern European languages from the Ancient Greek. Antique state policies have given the modern world many political ideas and concepts. This area includes the original ostracism. This concept at the dawn of its existence also applied purely to the political sphere and was an instrument for preserving democratic rule in policies. Traditionally, a number of city-states had a nationwide system of government, when the most important issues in the life of the city were decided by the people's assembly of its citizens (excluding women, strangers and slaves) - eclecticism. The same people's assembly elected peculiar temporary bodies of government. This procedure was a preventive tool for avoiding the usurpation of power with The side of a citizen or a group of people. To ostracize any citizen, the popularity or political power of which was beginning to threaten the democratic principles of policy making. The procedure was conducted in January of each year. The chairmen of the Council of Five Hundred (a sort of parliament) regularly raised the issue of the need for ostracism to the public. If the decision was approved, then the procedure itself was conducted in the spring of the same year. On a certain appointed day, each of the eligible citizens brought with them a shard (hence the name), where the name of the person who, in his opinion, is a threat, was written and which should be expelled. Voting was secret. Every citizen went into the prepared space, protected from extraneous eyes, with a shard clutched in his hand, and put it in a special box. According to the results The counting of votes was carried out. The one whose name was most often mentioned in the inscriptions, had to settle all his affairs in the policy within ten days and leave it. The expulsion lasted, as a rule, ten years, although the term could be changed depending on how strong the threat from that person was. It was believed that during this period, an influential person will lose his popularity, and upon return will no longer threaten the democratic foundations of the city. At the same time, the exiles were not deprived of the rights of citizenship, nor the land plot (which every member of the community necessarily had), nor property. They were usually exiled in other polis of the peninsula, being there as non-citizens - metekami. Returning to their hometown, they were restored in all their rights and received property back.