Aristotle's Politics Book V, part 1: Republics (better quality) Interlinear Greek-English (1996) (original) (raw)

The Normative Significance of Aristocratic Constitutions in Aristotle’s Politics

This paper contends that, despite evidences, Aristotle’s view of aristocratic constitutions displays a heavily marked normative content. I argue that his understanding of aristocracy may be separated into four main strands: (i) an ideal type, based on the rotation of power of virtuous people over equally virtuous citizens (as evinced from a joint reading of Books III and IV); (ii) a type grounded on a fine blending of social classes, as emerging from a reading of Pol. IV, 7.1293b7-18 in the light of Politics IV,3.1290a24-29; (iii) a polity inclining toward oligarchy, which seems to lack any normative worth; (iv) an ‘aristocratic polity’, grounded on the political role of the middle class (Book IV.11). I shall propose that, in non-ideal conditions, type (iv) is the constitution which best accommodates (a) the need for stability and concord, (b) the search for an ideal of structural harmony and proportion among rulers and citizens.

Oligarchy or Elite Democracy? Aristotle and Modern Representative Government

New Political Science, 2013

Theories of elite democracy claim to show how representative institutions can govern in the common interest and maintain the confidence of the citizenry. Critics have brought attention to the problem of inequality in representative systems, but usually in terms of a participatory concept of democracy. Instead, this paper turns to Aristotle to evaluate representative government in terms of moderation and stability that should be favorable to the claims of elite democracy. Even allowing for a moderate degree of inequality, representative government should be considered a form of oligarchy. From this perspective, a wide range of audiences (not just participatory democrats) can recognize a crisis of political inequality and the need for participatory reforms.

Notes for a Discussion of Aristotle's Politics

These are some notes for a multi-day discussion of Aristotle's seminal work on the organization of cities, the realization of virtue, and other foundational issues in political theory.