Politics

Aristotle begins by explaining that his observations have led him to the conclusion that all political states are the results of community with an aim of good. His opening claim speaks to the heart of his philosophy. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle asserts that all people live in pursuit of good, which he defines as happiness through virtue. Politics echoes this sentiment. For the philosopher, politics are a means to advance a virtuous life. He views politics as a natural part of being human: Just as man and woman join in the natural act of reproduction, communities come together in the natural act of political government.

This idea corresponds with both the themes The Political Nature of Man and Politics as a Pathway for Good and Happiness. Aristotle outlines a conditional argument that suggests that because humans seek happiness through virtue and political governments are extensions of natural forms, then political governments have a goal of good for all. However, Aristotle’s views are also dependent upon justifying hierarchical structures, including slavery and the subjugation of women—Aristotle’s claims about human nature will therefore exclude parts of the population that traditionally were left out of the political conversation.

Aristotle claims that the hierarchy found in government in which some become rulers and others become ruled mirrors the hierarchies of power found in nature. He distinguishes between a statesman and others who hold positions of power. A monarch, for example, exercises total control, whereas a political leader works in accordance with the needs of citizens. Aristotle establishes that women and enslaved peoples are not fit to take the role of a political leader; for the philosopher, the position of these two groups of people is at the lower rungs of the hierarchical ladder. Women function within the household, and the household is the base of associations, or communities, that humans naturally form.

After the household, villages form. Many households come together to create the village. The philosopher claims that villages were the main type of community in ancient times, and that these villages were looked after by a king, or monarch. He asserts that this is why religion perpetuates an ultimate king to oversee the gods; humans design their gods after their own likeness. When many villages come together, this combination forms the city, or polis (See: Index of Terms). The narrative of humans moving from household to city is a natural one, as Aristotle argues that “man is by nature a political animal” (10). Humans are unique in their political nature within the animal kingdom. Aristotle suggests that this is due to their command of language: Although other animals can make noises, only humans can convey ideas, including those of good and evil.

Although the philosopher establishes that humans begin first with households, Aristotle asserts that cities are more natural to humans than individualism or even family. He supports this claim through analogy. He compares a city to a body. If the entire body is destroyed, then the individual parts of the body no longer have value. In this way, the city's needs take precedence over the individual's needs. Those who isolate themselves from the city and politics are categorized as either “beast or a god” (11). This is because isolation contrasts with the natural order of things. If human nature is centered on community, isolation indicates something anti-nature. Furthermore, because the aim of all politics is the same as the aim of all humans—to achieve ultimate good—those who live outside of the parameters of community are without virtue.

Before writing Politics, Aristotle traveled and collected data about various communities and political governments. His approach was unique at the time, for he sought to question his own values and make judgments based upon evidence. However, it is clear his opinions are also positioned within bias, perpetuated by the moral universe of his time. Women and enslaved peoples were not seen as part of the political body. The philosopher suggests that, to better understand the power structures and nature of political governments, one must examine the origin of politics: the household. He begins with the relationship between the head of a household and an enslaved person. Aristotle directly associates enslaved peoples with articles of possession, arguing that enslaved peoples do not have souls or the ability to reason. He claims that it is the nature of the enslaved person to belong wholly to another person. He justifies this claim by pointing to subjugation in nature and argues that even the soul has two natural forms, to be either ruler or ruled. Aristotle’s stance aligns with the theme Political Hierarchies as Natural Forms of Subjugation.

Aristotle takes great pains to establish a rationale for slavery within a community. His assertion that politics are an extension of nature means that he must also point to nature to account for slavery. Aristotle views it as the nature of man to pursue power and to conquer. He calls this aspect of human nature “acquisition,” an essential component of the household (23). He argues that all of nature exists to serve man, and that it is the nature of man to acquire possessions. Even war is a form of acquisition. However, acquisition can take on a life of its own, and humans may engage in unnatural forms of exchange in their desire to possess.

Aristotle then examines the marital relationship and likens it to the relationship between a political leader and the city. The philosopher argues that men are more naturally fit for leadership than women. However, the relationship between a man and a woman is different from the paternal relationship. Aristotle compares the relationship between a parent and a child to that of a monarch and citizens. Although the marital relationship is not necessarily equal, the husband is influenced by the wife. In a parental relationship, the parent exercises total power. Just as it is the aim of the household to do what is right and good for everyone, a government operates under the same moral compass.