Political Science

Paper I

Lecture 6

Session (Live)
by
Hamdan Nazir
 Sequence of the Session:

Aristotle’s Political Thought

Biography,
Influence of Plato,
Aristotle and Realism,
State as Natural,
Functions of the State,
Rule of Law,
Theory of Revolution,
Ideal State of Aristotle
Plato Vs Aristotle
References
Q & A Session
 Biography

❑ Aristotle was born in 384 BC

❑ His father was physician to the king of Macedonia.
❑ When he was 7, he went to study at Plato’s Academy.
❑ Began as a student, became a researcher and finally a teacher.
❑ Was considered one of Plato’s best students.
❑ Plato died and willed the Academy to his nephew.
❑ Aristotle left and founded the Lyceum.
❑ Aristotle was a versatile genius. His knowledge was
encyclopedic. His most famous work, ‘The Politics’ is a
classical statement of Greek political thought.
Aristotle’s Method
❑ First Known Political Scientist (used empirical research)
❑ To Establish the best Practicable State
❑ Respect for Traditions and Customs
 Influence of Plato
Aristotle was the greatest of Plato’s pupils who studied in the ‘Academy’ for
20 years. This association was the factor most important in the shaping of his
philosophy. In following ideas, Aristotle is influenced by Plato.

❑ The man is by nature social. Hence he must live an associated life.

❑ The state exists for the moral perfection of the individuals.
❑ The educational role of the state in cultivation of virtues in the individuals
is of utmost importance.
❑ The good life could only be lived in a city state of moderate size.
❑ The right of exercising state-functions should be the monopoly of very few
capable citizens
❑ All manual labor should be done by slaves or non-citizens
❑ Democracy is not an ideal form of government.
❑ A mixed state is the most practicable state.

Though Aristotle is influenced by Plato is these ideas, yet he is not a blind

follower of Plato.
 Aristotle and Realism

❑ Aristotle was a realist. Plato was an idealist.

❑ Reality, knowledge and value exist independently of
the mind. Realism rejects the Idealist notion that only
ideas are real.
❑ Believed that form is within matter and change takes
place in matter.
❑ Believed that a relationship exists between science
and philosophy, and that the study of one leads to the
study of the other.
 State as Natural
❑ Aristotle said, “Man is a political animal, destined by nature for
political life.” This implies that “The state is a creation of nature
and man is by nature a political man. And he who by nature and
not by mere accident is without a state, is either above humanity, or
below it.”
❑ The solitary man is either a beast or a god; state is a natural
institution and not a conventional institution as enunciated by the
thinkers of social contract theory.
❖ Aristotle traced the origin of state to the gregarious instinct of man.
❖ The naturalness of state is clear from the fact that it came into being for
the bare needs of life and it continues for the sake of good life.
❖ The state stands at the top of the pyramid which springs from families
and villages. (Logical Development of Family)
❖ The state is an organism, according to Aristotle. Like an organism it is
composed of diverse parts interdependent on each other.
❖ The purpose of the state is not only to extend its dominion or enrich its
people, but to widen knowledge, promote virtue and to secure justice
to all.
 Functions of State

❑ The state is not merely an association of associations but it

is a highest natural association for pursuits of common life
of virtue.
❑ The state is based on the element of justice.
❑ It also aims at the highest good of the community for its
proper realization of demands and needs in it.
❑ The state functions to ensure a perfect and self-sufficing life
of all its components members.
❑ The state also ensures to fulfill all the natural needs of its
members and to provide opportunities to the individuals
for the attainment of moral, intellectual and physical
excellence.
❑ According to Aristotle, “Man is essentially good and the
function of the state is to develop his good faculties into a
habit of good actions.”
 Rule of Law
❑ Aristotle believed that Rule by law was better than personal rule
because law had an impersonal quality which the personal rules
lacked.
❑ Sabine paid tribute to Aristotle in these words, “the supremacy of
law is accepted by Aristotle as a mark of a good state and not
merely as an unfortunate necessity.”
❑ Justice means that every citizen in the state should abide by the
dictates of law and fulfill its moral obligation towards community
members. According to Aristotle there should be two kind of justice:
❖ Distributive Justice
It involves distribution of benefits and burdens, honor and
wealth. It deals with proper allocation to each person according
to his capacity and worth.
❖ Corrective Justice
It remedies unequal distribution of gain and loss between two
people. More like equity.

Aristotle emphasizes that reward and honors should not be offered

to the virtuous few but to others as who collectively contribute in
the welfare of the state and should be proportionately rewarded.
 Theory of Revolution
Decay and disturbance in political life brought crucial changes in the
Governments of the city-state in Greece. It made Aristotle to contemplate deeply
and to stress the causes of the Revolution and its remedies.

What is Revolution? To Aristotle, if any change occurs in the existing system or

constitution of the state, it means revolution. For example, if in the state the
constitution has changed from monarchy to democracy, it is a revolution.
Causes of Revolution:
❑ The main feature of revolution is to be the craving of men for equality.
❑ Strong desire for justice becomes another feature of revolution.
❑ Desire for gain and profit.
❑ Universal desire for honor and prestige
❑ The possession of sovereign power by an individual or group so as to create fear
and apprehension in the minds of the subject
❑ Undue priority and prominence of individuals caused great stir in the heart of the
subdued people
❑ Disproportionate increase of power and wealth in any part of the state
❑ Elections intrigues and moral degradation kept up in the selection of some people
❑ Carelessness shown in granting public offices to disloyal citizens and undue
favoritism shown to the individuals
❑ Too much power concentrated in one man or class of men for political gains
 Theory of Revolution (Contd.)
Revolutions in Particular kind of State:
1.Democracy: In democracies, revolutions are led by the policies of demagogues in
attacking the rich.
2.Tyranny or Oligarchy: In oligarchies, revolutions take place due to two reasons:
a)Oppressive or Totalitarian rule
b)Rivalry among the ruling dictators
3.Aristocracy: In aristocracies, revolution happens due to the policy of narrowing
down the circle of the Government. Aristocracy tends to become oligarchy,
through the undue encroachment of the richer classes.

Remedies for Revolution:

❑ Abundant political power should not be concentrated in the hands of one man
or one class of men
❑ The various classes in the state without any discrimination of color and creed
should be treated alike and with proper consideration
❑ Honors and rewards should be distributed as fairly as possible .
❑ Political offices should be within reach of every individual who is able.
❑ Bribes and other kinds of illegal gratification should be made impossible.
❑ Administration of public finances shall be open to public scrutiny.
❑ Proper education should be imparted to the citizens in the spirit of constitution.
 Remedies for Revolution: (Contd.)
❑ Political stability and internal solidarity can be gained by maintaining
proportionate equality.
❑ The habit of obedience and submission to law should be instilled.
❑ Aristotle also suggested various methods in making oligarchies and tyrannies-
stable which are to be followed by a tyrant.
❖ A tyrant must employ spies particularly females to trace out disloyal persons
❖ He should follow an aggressive policy abroad
❖ He should always warn people about constant fear of invasion from outside
❖ He should keep the people busy and never allow them to remain lethargic.
❖ He must extend enthusiasm in religion
❖ He should punish the guilty so that crimes must be ended for the peaceful
order in the state.
❖ He should increase the material well-being of the citizens.
❖ He should perish the intellectual life of the citizens to perish revolutionary
tendencies.
❖ He should adorn his city and must work for its glory
❖ He must have respect for the good.
 The Ideal State of Aristotle
Aristotle widely regarded as a realist, outlined his ideal state in book II, III, VIII of
his “Politics”. A comparison between idealism of Plato and Aristotle is best
illustrated by Sabine, “What Aristotle calls the ideal state is always Plato’s second
best”.
While Plato hails his ideal state to be good for all times to come, Aristotle accepts
limitations of his ideal state. Moreover, Aristotle, like his master, prefers monarchy.
But, he insists on the primacy of law not a philosopher king.
Features of the Ideal State:
❑ There is supremacy of law in his ideal state. He favours impersonal rule of law
which represents the wisdom of community since the ages.
❑ It is an ethical institution to develop the moral qualities of the citizens to
promote good and happy life of everyone.
❑ Private ownership allowed but common use of property was also encouraged.
❑ Aristotle’s ideal state is marked by division of labour where slaves are engaged
in agriculture, residents in commerce and citizens in political activities.
❑ Aristotle’s ideal state is the city state of the moderate size. Population should
be manageable.
❑ It should be self-sufficient, without any aggressive design against foreign
countries.
❑ There is a predominance of middle class that provides stability because it
possesses twin qualities of obedience and command.
Plato Vs Aristotle - Similarities
Plato Vs Aristotle – Contrasting Views
Plato Vs Aristotle – Contrasting Views
 References:
Political Thought from Plato to the Present By M. Judd Harmon
A History of Western Political Thought by J. S. McClelland
https://studylib.net/doc/6785563/plato-and-aristotle--the-
ideal-state
https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5885687.pdf
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/politics/aristotles-theory-
ideal-4594.php
Q & A Session