I'd hesitate to call it real power as well. You could not just go against someone of let's say senatorial class or god forbid, the Emperor himself, without substantial (military) backing and/or being an untouchable demi-god yourself.
Today you can take the government itself to court and actually win.
There is to my knowledge no historical precedent for the amount of practical power the common citizenry has over the powerful classes today.
I'd hesitate to call it real power as well. You could not just go against someone of let's say senatorial class or god forbid, the Emperor himself, without substantial (military) backing and/or being an untouchable demi-god yourself.
Today you can take the government itself to court and actually win.
There is to my knowledge no historical precedent for the amount of practical power the common citizenry has over the powerful classes today.