Aristotle And Aristotle's Three Types Of A Good City

1660 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Aristotle's view on virtue

Aristotle describes three different types of political states, two of which do not meet the criteria of an excellent city, and one that best suits the citizens to live a self-sufficient and excellent life. Aristotle begins to describe the city-state as a city in which free citizens share in ruling not to merely rule over citizens but to rule over them for the sake of the city. As for the sake of the city is to live a good life and be in pursuit of excellence. The virtue, in this sense, drives the citizens to live a good life around justice because their virtues constitute that that is the greater good of being a citizen of an excellent city. On the other hand, Aristotle describes an alliance that is any two or more nations that co-exist through …show more content…

As a tyrant is in control of every aspect of every citizen’s life, it does not give the citizen the flexible feature of being self-sufficient, forcing to follow the law for the ruler’s sake and not for the city’s sake. Hence, Aristotle says that “…it is unlawful to rule without regard to justice or injustice, and domination might be unjust” (313). Justifying that a ruler forces a citizen to follow the law for the ruler’s sake, Aristotle claims that it is not “the doctor’s…take to force his patients…if he fails to persuade them” (313). A tyrant-ruled city, again, does not pursue happiness as an end, but pursues the tyrant’s own sake as an end. The excellent city-state, then, gives its citizens free will, being that they are free citizens, to follow their laws in pursuit of virtue; as this virtue is the aim to happiness and happiness is their …show more content…

First, the citizen must self-preserve the city not for his own sake, but for the rest of the community. This requires the free citizen to contribute in the politics of the city. To be involved in politics will involve having some virtue, although not complete virtue. Aristotle makes this conclusion that “someone can be an excellent citizen without having the virtue that makes someone an excellent man” (299). Only as long as he is being ruled as a virtuous citizen, however, will he be an excellent citizen, for the “good citizen must have the knowledge and ability both to rule and be ruled” (301). If we say that he is a citizen of the city-state, but does not learn the virtue of being ruled, he will not understand virtues of his citizens of which he rules, if he were to somehow be involved in politics. Because in order to be a citizen of a city-state, one must share in ruling. Once his year of ruling in the assembly is over, then how will he know how to be an excellent citizen with a purpose to benefit his city if does not have the virtue of being ruled? Consequently, this will only produce a mediocre citizen (even a mediocre assemblyman) rather than an excellent citizen. The excellent citizen, not the mediocre citizen, is the sole reason why a city is

Show More
Related

  • Athens Vs Rome Dbq Essay

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    In document E and F you learn that Athens follows this basic idea, while Rome strays from it. Document E states that Athens allows for all of its citizens to participate and hold a seat in its assembly. One the other hand, Document F explains that Roman Senate did not allow the public to attend, and the seats were inherited, making the entire system corrupt. Athens citizens were more involved in the government than Rome’s citizens, making Athens government more effective for everyone to be able to voice their

    Read More

  • The Old Oligarch: Revealing Athens as a World Class City

    1008 Words  | 3 Pages

    "It might be suggested the ability of the allies to pay tribute is the strength of Athens" (The Old Oligarch, I, 15). Indeed. It is this characteristic in particular of the Delian League that leads it to be rightfully called the Athenian Empire. If each state had maintained its own fleet, and sent it to join the League in its expeditions, they would have held on to a significant measure of independence. Instead, a critically large enough portion of the league members abdicated control over their own military (by their own choice or by force) and simply paid cash to Athens, giving that city the ability to maintain an empire through the use of military might.

    Read More

  • Comparing Government In Republic By Plato And Leviathan

    966 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Plato’s reasoning he explains that everyone is born with innate qualifications that make them more fit than others for a certain occupation. He suggests that in this way each person’s function will be completed thoroughly. The same theory applies when deciding how the city with be ruled. Only people who possess superior traits will have the power to rule. These people will pertain to the highest ranking class of the state called the guardian class.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Livy Book 2

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    Summary # 1: In Aristotle, Book VII, Chapter 2, Aristotle illustrates what are the characteristics of an ideal city. Aristotle starts by making a comparison between a city and human what they need to be happy. He states that for both they need internal virtue in order to have happiness. The man focus of Aristotle in this chapter is all about what is the most worthy way of life and which regime is the best.

    Read More

  • Aristotle's Argument of the Polis

    1743 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... against him. With regard to the second objection, Aristotle can begin by accepting that whereas it is indeed true that the parts prior to the whole or the polis - the single associations, respectively - do not contain the virtue for the achievement of eudaimonia in themselves alone, it is through the conjunction of them all that the capacity for this virtue emerges. Indeed, the parts of the city-state are not to be taken distinctively. For instance, whereas five separate individuals alone may not have the capacity to each lift a 900 lbs piano, the five together, nonetheless, can be said to be able to accomplish this. Similarly, it is the city-state with all of its parts that can achieve the good life. In any case, it remains that humankind is essentially political since it fulfills the function of reason, and this function is best performed under the city-state.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Thrasymachus' Argument in The Republic

    651 Words  | 2 Pages

    'And each makes laws to its own advantage. Democracy makes democratic laws, tyranny makes tyrannical laws, and so on with the others. And they declare what they have made - what is to their own advantage - to be just for their subjects, and they punish anyone who goes against this as lawless and unjust. This, then, is what I say justice is, the same in all cities, the advantage of the established rule. Since the established rule is surely stronger, anyone who reasons correctly will conclude that the just is the same everywhere, namely, the advantage of the stronger.'" Plato, Republic, Book 1, 338

    Read More

  • Agamemnon as a Tyrant as Described by Plato's "The Republic"

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of Plato's goals in The Republic, as he defines the Just City, is to illustrate what kind of leader and government could bring about the downfall of his ideal society. To prevent pride and greed in leaders would ensure that they would not compromise the well being of the city to obtain monetary gains or to obtain more power. If this state of affairs becomes firmly rooted in the society, the fall to Tyranny begins. This is the most dangerous state that the City become on i...

    Read More

  • Plato vs. Machiavelli

    1692 Words  | 4 Pages

    A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both of whom had very different ideas of government's role in the lives of its people. For Plato, the essential service of government is to allow its citizens to live in their proper places and to do the things that they are best at. In short, Plato's government reinforces the need for order while giving the illusion of freedom. On the other hand, Machiavelli proposes that government's primary concern is to remain intact, thereby preserving stability for the people who live under it. The feature that both philosophers share is that they attempt to compromise between stability and freedom, and in the process admit that neither can be totally had.

    Read More

  • Utopia and Il Muqaddimah

    597 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... an entire community can fall apart, by doing his job the ruler ensures his success, “this can be improved only through the equitable treatment of people with property and regard for them, so that their hopes rise, and they have the incentive to start making their capitol bear fruit and grow. This, in turn, increases the ruler’s revenues in taxes” (Khaldun 1734). A ruler must know that subjects have an important role and he does as well; however, he must never confuse this role because it leads to his downfall as well as those who look up to him.

    Read More

  • Plato Republic Democracy

    1270 Words  | 3 Pages

    Socrates evaluates four city constitutions that evolve from aristocracy: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. As a result that these four types of cities exist, four additional types of individuals who inhabit them also exist. Although these city constitutions evolve from aristocracy, Socrates deems aristocracy to be the most efficient, therefore the most just, of the constitutions because the individuals within it are ruled by the rational part of the soul.

    Read More

  • Influnce of Human Nature and Politics in a City

    1631 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ublic is the guardians the highest class. Politics influence on human nature constrains its natural upbringing for an individual. As discussed in the republic, the guardians needed to be educated and trained in a manner that fit the good of the society and anything bad was excluded. The main function of this was to raise loyal guardians that will think best for the city. Therefore, it is human nature that brings politics together, where through human nature a community is made and through that community different ideologies emerge. If there was no community, Socrates himself would have not talked about this issue creating a best city. For this reason, it is not only the human soul that creates the city but also the community’s ideologies create it.

    Read More

  • The Republic - Book 1 - Theme Of Justice

    2360 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...s are a paradigm case of those in control. The essence of ruling is, therefore, to be unjust and that is why a tyrant is a perfect ruler. He always knows what is to his advantage and how to acquire it. Thrasymachus’ view of justice is appealing but therein lies a moral danger and this is refuted by Socrates.

    Read More

  • Justice and Moderation of the Soul in The Republic, by Plato

    3023 Words  | 7 Pages

    In his philosophical text, The Republic, Plato argues that justice can only be realized by the moderation of the soul, which he claims reflects as the moderation of the city. He engages in a debate, via the persona of Socrates, with Ademantus and Gaucon on the benefit, or lack thereof, for the man who leads a just life. I shall argue that this analogy reflecting the governing of forces in the soul and in city serves as a sufficient device in proving that justice is beneficial to those who believe in, and practice it. I shall further argue that Plato establishes that the metaphorical bridge between the city and soul analogy and reality is the leader, and that in the city governed by justice the philosopher is king.

    Read More

  • Good Citizen vs. Good Man

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    The good man and the good citizen are not one and the same. What can be said about one cannot be necessarily said about the other. It is essential for the good man to be a good citizen. It is not, though, vital for the good citizen to be a good man. This distinction is important to make, because it helps one understand that the qualities a good man possesses far supersede those of a good citizen. A good citizen does what is best for the community, his city. As long as he is no harm to his surroundings, and cares for the improvement and betterment of his city, he is a good citizen. Who a person is doesn't greatly affect what kind of citizen he will be. What if a man is a secret murderer? If we were to say that he only kills people outside of his city, would he be affecting the city in any way? If he was a great politician and lived this secret life as well would he still be a great citizen? The answer is yes. This is because the good citizen doesn't have to care about others. He can allow his desires to overpower his calculating. He doesn't have to have a well-ordered soul. In other words, he doesn't have to be a good man. Aristotle chooses to search for the difference between the good man and the good citizen by examining and analyzing their virtues. He concludes that, "Hence, the virtue of a citizen must be suited to his constitution.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Justice In Plato's Republic

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Plato’s Republic, the main argument is dedicated to answering Glaucon and Adeimantus, who question the reason for just behavior. They argue it is against one’s self-interest to be just, but Plato believes the behavior is in fact in one’s self-interest because justice is inherently good. Plato tries to prove this through his depiction of an ideal city, which he builds from the ground up, and ultimately concludes that justice requires the philosopher to perform the task of ruling. Since the overall argument is that justice pays, it follows that it would be in the philosopher’s self-interest to rule – however, Plato also states that whenever people with political power believe they benefit from ruling, a good government is impossible. Thus, those who rule regard the task of ruling as not in their self-interest, but something intrinsically evil. This is where Plato’s argument that justice is in one’s self-interest is disturbed. This paper will discuss the idea that justice is not in one’s self-interest, and thus does not pay.

    Read More

More about Aristotle And Aristotle's Three Types Of A Good City

Open Document