Aristotle.

 384 – 322, age around 62. At the age of 17 he enrolled in Plato’s academy.
 He was teacher of Alexander. Founded his own School Lyceum in 335.
 Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, Metaphysics, poetics, and Prior analytics.
Intro of
 He studies in Academy for 20 years.
Aristotle
 His father Govt. Doctor or physician.
Aristotle influenced by Plato in following ideas: Nature of man, State exists for the moral perfection of the
individuals, educational rule of the state.
 Inequality is natural
 Inferior is subjected to rule from superior
 Slaves are mentally weak and physically strong.
 Division of work.
 Citizenship is most important characteristic of a free man.
Theory of  Slaves are of two types. Natural and War slaves.
Slavery  Man is only animal with the ability to reason and to communicate.
 Slaves are living property and natural elements of the household.
 Slaves by birth, they look at others for directions and commands.
 Slaves superior to beasts, and freeman superior to slave.
 Slave by law: Slaves made by men in war. They should not be made slaves because they possess superior
excellence.
 State is a plurality not unity. It is never a singular entity.
 The education of guardian class will inculcate in them a feeling of superiority.
Aristotle
 Child of all gets love from nobody. Making a family of the whole state is impossible through communism of
as a critic
wives.
of Plato
 Property is essential source of pleasure and virtue.
 Neglecting of lower class will divide state into hostile camps.
 Plato idealist and Aristotle was anactulist.
 There is no page in Aristotle’s philosophy which does not bear the impression of Platonism.
 Man without state would no longer be a man but a beast. Ideal state was base of both the philosopher’s
thoughts.
Aristotle  Family: State must regulate marriage from the angle of age limit, state must regulate population, state
as the must ensure the education of family members, and social restrictions are justified.
greatest  Property: Private property must exist but must not be unlimited.
Platonist  Justice: A life of common action is impossible without justice. Justice as functional and therefore moral.
 Education: It is all about bring virtue and happiness and state is responsible for education of individuals.
 Ideal state: Aristotle tried to construct the ideal state on the lines suggested by Plato in his Laws.
 State must give place to law instead of personal rule of the most virtuous and leered person.
 Aristotle was a faithful discipline of Plato.
 Education is a aim to find purpose of life
 Education is name of attaining goodness: goodness of intellect and goodness of character.
 “Education is creation of sound mind in sound body”.
 Aim of education should be to make good citizens and to bring virtue and happiness.
 Gymnastics not only for perfection in athletics but also to develop the spirit of sportsmanship.
Aristotle
 Teaching of mathematics, physics and astronomy is necessary.
on
 Education Stages: (Cradle (7 years), Primary (7-14 years), Secondly (14-21).
Education
 Cradle stage: Education private, proper diet, no labor and educated by moral stories.
 Primary stage: Light exercises; learn reading, writing, painting, music etc.
 Secondary stage: 14-17 (training if forms of government, serious study in painting, music, writing, and
arithmetic) and 17-21 (Military training) and then the individual left alone to pursue his career.
 Education will make a balance personality.

Origin, function and nature of state.

 Fundamental characteristic is human being.
 State aims at highest good.
 State: Association, highest form of community, supreme good.
 State is kind of “koinonia” (community & association)
 State is not association of isolated individuals, but an association of individuals already united as members of
smaller groups, i.e. it is an association of associations.
Intro  Family is base of state. It is pride of ideal state.
 State supreme association: Apex of social evolution and highest moral perfection of nature of man.
 State: Family, Village, City. Family for preservation of life and comfort of companionship. While state for
good life and not for the sake of life only.
 State is prior to man himself. “Without the civilizing influence of speech and organized association he would
be merely an animal, not a rational animal” Aristotle.
 State is an association of men for the sake of the best moral life. Aristotle.
Functions  Man has real meaning in state. (Human body example). A hand or eye has no meaning when separated from
 the body which they belong.
of state
 Function of state is positive in as much as it develops the good qualities of man and virtues.
 Origin of state is unsatisfactory
 Ambiguous theory: State prime, but same time he considers state as an organ for the promotion of good life
Criticism
of individual. It does not clear whether the state is an end or means.
 Promoter of totalitarianism.

Aristotle’s classification of state.

 He studied more than 158 constitutions to put forward this theory.
 Most lasting classification of state till date.
 Aristotle said, “Constitution and government have the same meaning”.
Intro
Classification: Quantitative and qualitative.
Pure Government: Aims at the common interest of all the people.
Corrupt Government: Serves the private or self-interest.
 Monarchy, Aristocracy, and polity.
Monarchy: One performs rules for the good of community under law. Best form of government according to
Aristotle.
Aristocracy: Few people rule for the good of all.
Polity: Many persons rule for the interests of all.

 Each form has its perversions.

Classifica
Monarchy = Tyranny (If one person rule for the interest of his own.
tion of
Aristocracy = Oligarchy (If few wealthy rule for their private interest)
States
Polity = Democracy (If many (poor) rule for their interests, not the interest of all)
 Borrowed from Plato’s statesman.
 For Plato, it is law abiding or lawless, but for Aristotle it is the end they serve.
Cycle of State:
 Governments are not static but dynamics.
 First form of government is monarchy. Monarch falls prey to greed and selfishness and gets degenerated into
tyranny.
Criticism  Classification is out of date from modern scholar’s point of view.
on theory  Question of Aristotle’s definition of democracy.
of state
 Two meaning: 1. Small or big change in constitution, 2. Constitution remains same and ruling power is
transferred.
 Causes of Revolution: Inequality, property of opponents, hatred among the people, unpleasant experience or
Aristotle
treatment, changes in class structure of society.
concept
 Prevention of Revolutions: Offices of state must be open to all, obedience to law, educated citizens in terms
of
of constitution, Power should be given to middle class, Rulers should not make money from their offices,
revolution
Keep before the danger of foreign attack, Accounts of treasury should be public, moderation in the exercise
of power.