Justice in Aristotle's "Politics" Analytical Essay by scribbler
Justice in Aristotle's "Politics"
A review of Aristotle's philosophy on justice and equality as they exist in democracy and oligarchy.
# 152196
| 1,383 words
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| 2013
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Description:
This paper outlines Aristotle's major ideas in his "Politics" regarding justice and equality in a democracy and an oligarchy. The paper explains how Aristotle introduces the variation between oligarchy and democracy, addresses the role of equality in a democracy and points out the flaws of democracy and oligarchy. The paper shows how according to Aristotle, the best form of rule--the one most aligned with just treatment--is that done by virtuous men who implement noble actions, who combine in a polity the good aspects of both democracy and oligarchy, while steering clear of their flaws. The paper references Aristotle's "Politics" in a footnote to the paper.
From the Paper:
"Having discussed wealth-getting and household management (book one), and property, political constitutions, and law-giving (book two), Aristotle turns to a consideration of different forms of government. First he introduces the variation between oligarchy and democracy through the different kinds of citizens and bases in different forms of authority, the one on aristocracy and the other on constitution. In Aristotle's view, both forms are perverted (1279b7). They do not have the common good of all citizens in view, but only the interests of the rulers. In the case of oligarchy, government pursues only the interest of the wealthy. By contrast, democracy is a perversion in its excessive focus on the needy. He writes, "For the real difference between democracy and oligarchy is poverty and wealth" (1279b8). His final formulation is this: "But the form of government is a democracy when the free, who are also poor and the majority, govern, and an oligarchy when the rich and the noble govern, they being at the same time few in number" (1290a4). Clearly, this prioritizes the socio-economic definition. We may ask, then, how he compares justice in democratic and oligarchic forms."Cite this Analytical Essay:
APA Format
Justice in Aristotle's "Politics" (2013, January 11)
Retrieved December 03, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/justice-in-aristotle-politics-152196/
MLA Format
"Justice in Aristotle's "Politics"" 11 January 2013.
Web. 03 December. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/justice-in-aristotle-politics-152196/>