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1-Page Summary of Politics

Aristotle believed that the polis was the best form of government. In order to achieve a good life, which is our purpose in life, we need to be part of a community. Aristotle thought that humans are “political animals,” meaning they need political communities to survive and thrive. He also felt that private property was necessary for people to live well because it allows them to use their resources without fear of losing them all at once. However, he did not like capitalism because it allowed one person (the capitalist) to have too much control over others’ lives and property.

Aristotle criticized other constitutions and theories. He then concluded that no present city or theory is ideal. Aristotle identified three good kinds of cities: constitutional government, aristocracy, and kingship. The bad kinds are democracy, oligarchy, and tyranny. A good constitution treats everyone equally while unequally treating people differently according to their contributions to society. A constitutional government with sovereign laws is the best kind of constitution; however, in cases where there is an outstanding group or individual who can improve the city more than anyone else can, aristocracy or kingship might be preferable instead.

Books IV-VI look at practical questions related to the political structure of ancient Greece. Aristotle examines different forms of government and remarks on the value of a strong middle class that can mediate between the opposing interests of rich and poor.

In cities, the government is usually divided into three functions: deliberative, judicial, and executive. Regardless of who is in charge at any given time, it’s important to include everyone else in those discussions so that they feel like they have a voice. If one group feels excluded from all decisions that affect them (even if only temporarily), then there will be conflict between different factions of people within the city. Education and respect for others are key to maintaining stability over long periods of time. Constitutions change when large groups oppose what’s currently going on and institute new ways of doing things based on their own ideas about justice and equality.

The goal of a city is to help its citizens achieve happiness. They can do this by exercising their speculative reasoning, which will lead them to the good life. To that end, Aristotle recommends keeping the city small and self-sufficient with its citizens participating in government and military service as well as owning land. Education should be directed toward developing skills so they can live a good quality life, encouraging moral goodness and cultivating the mind.

Context

The Greek world was made up of city-states that had their own governments. The citizens were the adult males who governed the city, while slaves, women and children did all the work to provide for society. Because of this division of labor, there was a lot of free time available for people in ancient Greece. This allowed them to pursue intellectual endeavors which produced incredible art and architecture during that period.

The Greeks were very proud of their accomplishments and had a low opinion of people who weren’t Greek. A person’s identity was closely tied to citizenship, so exile from one’s polis was considered worse than death. Everyone in a city knew each other, because they all took part in public office together. The Western system of representative democracy is different from the way things were done in ancient Greece: everyone voted for themselves instead of electing someone to speak on their behalf.