Philosophy

Aristotle 's The Politics : The Nature of the Polis

Man is by nature a political animal ' - Aristotle

Laws of Nature

In his work The Politics , Aristotle makes several arguments meant to explain , praise , or criticize the prevailing social structures of his time . In the first book of the Politics , Aristotle makes many arguments with regards to the polis and its various components . For the sake of this , however , we will focus on four main points : 1 ) that man is a socio-political animal , 2 ) that the polis is a political partnership

that allows its citizens to partake of the good life , 3 ) that the rule of the master over the slave is justified , and 4 ) that the rule of the husband over the wife is naturally ed

The first book of The Politics provides us a view of Aristotle 's philosophical method . Aristotle operated from the assumption that the universe is a rational arrangement , with each portion of the whole performing a necessary function in keeping overall . To analyze an existing structure , one must first look into its origins , and then into its specific characteristics . Then , using reason , one will be able to determine for what purpose anything exists

Man as the Political Animal

There is no denying that man is a social animal no one person to live a full life without the participation of others . A corollary to this is that every social animal is necessarily a political animal as well Every form of interaction that we have with others is in effect a political event

Man , because it is the only animal gifted with rational speech , is the only entity able to communicate truth , justice , and goodness to his fellows . As Aristotle says

Nature does nothing in vain and man alone among the animals has speech . Speech serves to reveal the advantageous and the harmful , and hence also the just and the unjust

There is , of course , a reason why men can communicate such things , and it is to share with their fellow human beings , and therefore enable each other to live a life of goodness . Like his predecessors Plato and Socrates , Aristotle argued wholeheartedly for a life lived in accordance to virtue . In fact , happiness is to be defined as the proper activity of the soul in relation to unchanging , eternal virtue . This emphasis on `acting the part of the good man ' certainly echoes of what Socrates taught during his life and up to his death

The Origins of the Polis

Aristotle argued that the polis arose from sheer physical necessity , and is simply the highest form of human partnership . There are three primary levels of such partnerships : 1 ) the household , which is a partnership between a man , a woman , and their children , 2 ) the village , which is a partnership of many households , and 3 ) the polis , which is a partnership of many villages . The polis will eventually arise as the natural completion of the first two partnerships

The polis arises naturally because of a simple reason : the desire of men to live a good life . It was Aristotle 's contention that man can only live such a life in the polis , where his physical needs are provided for and he can engage himself in other pursuits , such as philosophy and politics . According to Aristotle , only beasts and gods do not need a polis

In addition to its other services , the polis allows a man to gratify his need for social interaction . As previously mentioned , man is a socio-political animal , and cannot exercise his complete humanity when in isolation . Thus Aristotle can claim that while coming into being for the sake of living , the polis exists for the sake of living well

On Slavery

The discussion about slavery is one of the most controversial of Aristotle 's works . In this portion of The Politics , Aristotle posits that some people are slaves by nature . The criterion for a natural slave is the lack of reason . Comparing slaves to other items of property , he goes on to say that slaves are to be classified as `animate ' property while land , tools , and such are `inanimate ' property

Aristotle , in accordance to the culture of his time , did not seem to believe in inherent human rights or dignity . Also in accordance with the culture of ancient Athens , he did not regard all men as free and equal Like the ancient Chinese , he assumed that everyone outside his own country were barbarians . Thus , most barbarians - if not all of them - were slaves by nature , and could be justifiably subjugated

There is one caveat to Aristotle 's thinking about slavery , and it is that some people , who are not slaves by nature , can become slaves in fact - usually due to military defeat and conquest . Aristotle categorically declares that this type of slavery is unjust

On the Status of Women

Another controversial issue in the The Politics is Aristotle 's conception of women . In various passages Aristotle states that the female is inferior to the male , and that the authority of the husband over the wife is naturally ed . However , the full meaning of his writings on this is still unclear - some commentators view it as a typically sexist text , other commentators see a touch of early feminism After all , Aristotle does draw a line between the status of women and slaves . While slaves are ruled by their masters in a `kingly ' fashion meaning the rule of the superior over the inferior , he avers that women are ruled in a `political , which implies a level of equality between the sexes . In another passage he states that women have the deliberate faculty , but simply lack the authority

The Politics : Interpretation and Arguments

The author believes that Aristotle makes excellent arguments when it comes to man 's nature as a social animal , as well as with regards to the origin of the polis . That man is a socio-political being is amply demonstrated in the way most people live their lives , and can be validated by any individual . As for the polis , it must follow that it arises from smaller organizations , just as modern nation-states are composed of a diverse and myriad group of smaller organizations . Indeed many of Aristotle 's statements of the city-state can still be applied to modern nation-states , except for the conception of the ideal citizen which is untenable considering the size of modern states

As for the argument on slavery , it is clear that Aristotle made some bad assumptions . The first was to assume that there are people who are naturally fitted to become slaves . The second was to assume that everyone needs to be ruled , and that those who lack the rationality to rule themselves should be ruled by others . Such assumptions are at odds with current views on human rights and self-determinism

Aristotle 's declaration that the slavery of those who are not natural slaves is unjust can be interpreted as being self-serving . He is saying that the enslavement of Greeks is unconscionable - but that enslaving non-Greeks is just , for the most part . Also , he seems to believe that it is people like him - i .e , those have highly developed deliberative faculties - who least deserve slavery . It is the author 's own opinion that no one should be enslaved , regardless of race , gender , or physical and mental characteristics

The author remains undecided on Aristotle 's views on women . While it is the author 's fundamental belief that women , taken in inferior to men , he regards a husband 's rule over his wife as proper and desirable , albeit with several caveats . First , while a husband is to exercise leadership over his wife and family , he must not be a tyrant and abuse his power . Second , if a woman is bound to perform certain duties for her husband , then it should follow that the husband should be bound to perform certain duties for his wife as well . Lastly , women should be respected and allowed to live life on their own terms , albeit within the bounds of marriage

Bibliography

Aristotle . The Works of Aristotle . Translated into English by W .D . Ross et al . Oxford , Clarendon Press , 1921

Plato . The Dialogues of Plato . New York : Bantam Books , 1986

The Bible . New International Version . Tyndale House Publishers , 1991

In the Ethics , Aristotle argues that the ultimate good of man should naturally flow from performing his function well . Therefore "the good for a man (happiness ) turns out to be an activity of the soul according to virtue

In Plato 's Dialogues , specifically the Apology , Socrates declared that A man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying he ought only to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong - acting the part of the good man or of a bad .for wherever a man 's place is , whether the place which he has chosen , or that in which he has been placed by a commander , there he ought to remain in the hour of danger he should not think of death or of anything but of disgrace

A natural slave is one "who participates in reason only to the extent of perceiving it , but does not have it

Aristotle , who would later become tutor to Alexander the Great , taught him as much . Alexander , when he had already gone on to Persia and seen its culture , would later write to Aristotle and gently reprove him of such a narrow view

This view is not unique to Aristotle . Most cultures and religious traditions (including Judaism , Christianity and Islam ) have long ascribed to women inferior rights and privileges . Aristotle 's views on women are the rule , not the exception , in humanity 's long history

In contrast slaves did not have the deliberate faculty at all , and they obviously had no authority

There are few exceptions to the rule that men love to interact with other men . Hermits and ascetics often choose to live in isolation , but this does not necessarily indicate a lack of social needs - just the denial of them

In Genesis 3 :16b , Jehovah declares to Eve that your desire will be for your husband , and he will rule over you ' In 1Corintians 11 :10 Paul argues that neither was man created for woman , but woman for man ' While the author adheres to such Judeo-Christian beliefs , he does not take such beliefs to the extreme . What worked in ancient Judea might not work for us at present . Women are essentially equal to men artificial arrangements such as the husband 's rule ' are intended to facilitate a well-ed family life , not suggest an inequality in status

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