POLITICAL THOUGHT OF

ARISTOTLE
GREAT BUT UNGRATEFUL PUPIL OF PLATO

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ARISTOTLE (384-322BC)
Professor Maxey rightly (Political Philosophies, 1461)says:
"All who believe in new worlds for old are the disciples of Plato; all
those who believe in old worlds made new by the tedious and toilsome
use of science are disciples of Aristotle.“
• First known political Scientist
• To him the object of political science is to determine the best
practicable state
• With him ended the classic era of Greek Philosophy Dr Manisha
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BACKGROUND/ CONTEXT
• Aristotle (384-322 BC) was born at Stagira, then a small Greek colony
close to the borders of the Macedonian kingdom.
• His father, Nicolmachus was a physician at the court of Amyntas II.
• His Father’s occupation influenced Aristotle early to direct his interest to
biological sciences and thus ultimately his interest to Scientific method.
• 355 BC, established Lyceum , a school at Athens.
• Although not an Athenian, Aristotle lived in Athens for more than half of
his life, first as a student at Plato's Academy for nearly twenty years
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(367-347 BC), and later as the master of his own institution, the Lyceum,
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for about twelve years or so, between 335 and 323 BC
ARISTOTLE TIMELINE

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HIS WORKS & SOURCES:
WORKS: ETHICS, POLITICS
SOURCES:
• GREEK POLITY
• PLATO
THEORETICAL EXPOSTION:
• EMPERICAL APPROACH
• EVOLUTIONARY VIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION
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• REALISM Ropeta
STATE: ORIGIN & PURPOSE IN
ARISTOTLE’S PHILOSOHY
MAN

FAMILY

VILLAGE

STATE ( highest association in value & purpose)

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DEFINITION OF STATE:
Aristotle says: "But a state exists for the sake of a good life, arid not for
the sake of life only.”

“The state is the union of families and villages in a perfect and self-
sufficing life, by which we mean a happy and honorable life.” (Aristotle,
Politics III)

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PURPOSE OF STATE
• MAN ALWAYS SEEKS GOOD AND STATE MAKES IT POSSIBLE:
• REPRESENTS CULMINATION OF DEVELOPMENT
• STATE IS A NATURAL HOME – MORAL PERFECTION
• The state is not, Aristotle says, a unity which it is for Plato. Plato seeks
to attain unity within the state. Aristotle too seeks to attain the unity,
but for him, it is unity in diversity.

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FUNCTIONS OF STATE
• Highest ‘Natural’ Association
• Based on element of justice
• For Highest good of the community
• Self- sufficing life
• Provision of Opportunities
• Ensure moral, intellectual, and physical excellence
• “Man is essentially good”
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STATE AND CITIZEN
STATE

ALLOW TO EXERCISE THE CAPACITY HOW

OF INDIVIDUALS
By participating in discussions &
deliberations
About right and wrong , just and unjust
CITIZENSHIP Those who possess reason and participate in the deliberative
activity of STATE are citizens. Dr Manisha
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WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS?
• HAVE REASON BUT UNDEVELOPED. E.g.. Children
• HAVE REASON BUT LACKS AUTHORITY E.g. Women
• HAVE NO REASON AT ALL. E.g. slaves

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Citizens
• Capacity to rule and to be ruled
• Not be disenfranchised or exiled
• Leisure and Property
• Active member of the state
• Should not be a slave
• Only Young and Grown ups

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SLAVERY
SLAVES . CHILDREN OF SLAVES
. DEFEATED IN WAR

Since defeated, they are inferior

ruled by the superior

SLAVERY- A Natural institution

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IS GOOD CITIZEN EQUAL TO GOOD
HUMAN BEING?
• EACH POLITICAL SYSTEM PRINCIPLES, LAWS & RULES
SURVIVAL OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM DEPENDS

PEOPLE FOLLOWING THESE PRINCIPLES & LAWS

GOOD CITIZEN = GOOD HUMAN BEING

GOOD CITIZEN
ONLY IN BEST POLITICAL SYSTEM

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MAY NOT BE GOOD HUMAN BEING
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CLASSIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT
( BASED ON LAW)

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CLASSIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT
( BASED ON LAW

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WHICH POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEST?
MONARCHY – NOT PRACTICAL
• Hard to find one completely virtuous person.
• If there is one , he will be equal to God
• People don’t get chance to participate & exercise their modernity
ARISTOCRACY- NOT PRACTICAL
• Where most virtuous will rule
• Like PLATO, he believed, that ruling is an art and it should be performed by
those who are expert at it. Dr Manisha
• He feared that this small group will turn into corrupts & become oligarchs.
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WHICH POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEST
ARISTOTLE REJECTED
• TYRANNY
• OLIGARCHY
• DEMOCRACY

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WHICH POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEST
POSSIBLE
POLITY – RULE OF MANY FOR THE COMMON INTEREST
• ALL ARE VIRTUOUS, WILLING TO RULE & TO BE RULED
• NOT PRACTICALLY OBSERVED.
WHAT IS PRACTICALLY OBSERVED?
OLIGARCHY conflict DEMOCRACY
Too much wealth Too little wealth

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 WHICH POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEST
• When in power
Oligarchs safeguards each other’s interest Democrats
Rich will exploit poor Poor will exploit rich

unstable situation ( constant conflict )

revolution
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WHICH POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEST
• Too much Wealth MIDDLE POSITION too little wealth

no contempt Virtuous class No Envy

Middle class
( BEST SUITED TO RULE)
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POLITY
BEST PRACTICABLE STATE-
• Best is the ‘Best Possible not the Ideal’
• Mixture of democracy & oligarchy
• Ruled by middle class
• Best Possible is the ‘Best attainable under the circumstances’
• ‘Constitutional Polity is the Best attainable constitution’
• All other forms represent extremes of poverty and wealth
• Wealth brings arrogance & Poverty brings lack of capacity to
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CONSTITUTION: CRITERIA & VARIOUS
FORMS

“ A CONSTITUTION IS THE BASIC LAW DETERMINING THE ALLOCATION

OF POWER WITHIN THE STATE AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTION OF RIGHTS &
REWARDS”. ARISTOTLE

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CRITERIA OF CONSTITUTION
“THOSE CONSTITUTIONS WHICH CONSIDER THE COMMON INTEREST
ARE RIGHT CONSTITUTIONS JUDGED BY THE STANDARD OF ABSOLUTE
JUSTICE”.
“ THOSE CONSTITUTIONS WHICH CONSIDER ONLY THE PERSONAL
INTEREST OF THE RULERS ARE ALL WRONG CONSTITUTIONS OR
PERVERSIONS OF RIGHT FORMS.”

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VARIOUS FORMS OF CONSTITUTION
• MONARCHY IS THE BEST OF THE GOOD CONSTITUTIONS.
• TYRANNY IS THE WORST OF PERVERTED FORMS,

• ARISTOCRACY IS THE SECOND BEST OF THE GOOD FORMS.

• OLIGARCHY IS THE SECOND WORST OF PERVERTED FORMS

• POLITY IS THE POOREST OF THE GOOD.

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• EXTREME DEMOCRACY IS THE BEST OF THE WORST. Ropeta
ON COMMUNISM OF FAMILY
• UNITY OF THE KIND ADVOCATED BY PLATO IS APPLICABLE TO A
HOUSEHOLD RATHER THAN A POLIS.
• DAMAGE TO SANCTITY OF INSTITUTION OF FAMILY.
• NO ONE TO BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL.

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ON COMMUNISM OF PROPERTY

• AGAINST HUMAN NATURE.

• COMMUNISM CANNOT CORRECT THE EVILS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
• CRIME DOESNOT ARISE FROM UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION BUT ALSO
GREED.

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