Democracy
In a direct democracy, the people vote and decide which policies are put into effect and which officials get to hold office.
Under democracy in Greece, not all people had rights (specifically women). All male citizens were granted equal political rights, the right to vote/participate in democracy and freedom of speech.
One advantage of democracy is that every vote is worth the same. Your vote is worth the same as anyone else's vote. Another advantage is that the people have more freedom because they decide who is and isn't in power and what gets done.
One disadvantage of democracy is that not all voters are informed to make the best decisions with their vote. If enough voters aren't informed, bad policies may be put in place. Another disadvantage is that the majority of voters have power over the minority, which can be a bad thing.
I think that people generally felt good under this kind of government. It's considered more desirable than a dictatorship and it allows more freedom to citizens.