Aristotle's Theories

does anyone know anything of Aristotle's theories of the state? specifically in what ways they were insufficient ??

we were supposed to do aristotle in higher philosophy but never because we'd already did plato and descartes but alot of what he sed was pretty much the basis of platos theories.

see next post

let me explain again:

hm....its like this: everybody's individual needs must fit human ethics and evryone should behave accordingly...the state provides the political structures for this. so you can still keep your individualism, but also be aware and act with people around you. you have freedoms, but restrictions are also neccessary

it also means that in order to have a satisfied community, people must have material wealth ... at least to an extent so they dont suffer from hunger or other basic needs. only then can a functioning state be developed

the problem is that everybody longs for more material wealth and superiority....people are never satisfied. thats the problem. in theory his assumption is great, but in reality it doesnt work like this

"zoon-politicon" (don't ask me if it's written like that) - means that humans are sociable beings what means that it's just natural for them to live together and build states. Aristoteles says that the whole society is based on this concept. That means a state should should it make possible for everyone to live the principles of virtue. The constitution depends on the way of government and for him the midle between monarchy and democracy (constitunional monarchy) is the best way. Greece was divided in different parts at his time named polis (don't ask me if there's a translation for that). Aristoteles prefered that coz he said that people there feel fine there.

That's all I can tell you about that. But aren't you sure that it's Platon that you want to know something about? I mean Aristoteles never had the chance to test his state in reality, Platon had and he failed hard.

if you wrote all this without taking a look into a book then i think i gotta call you insane- or overmotivated...

martin, i got this from the notes i wrote down in politics last year

Thanks everyone!

I have this from a website:


Politics is the highest form of human expression, according to Aristotle and the state is the highest form of politics. Because the state is the culmination of debate and speech, and it is the end result of man’s highest expression of sociability, it is that which distinguishes man from the animals. (In this thought, Thomas Jefferson agreed)

Aristotle proposed that there are six types, or forms of government that accomplish the distribution of political power. Three are good forms and three are considered “bad” forms, although in varying degrees. The most desirable form is the monarchy (rule by one), followed by aristocracy (rule by a few), followed by polity (rule by many).

The least desirable forms of government are tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy and these represent the “arch-types” or the perverted manifestations of the desirable forms.

The distinctions between “good” and “bad” forms have largely to do with economics and class-struggle (a theme echoed by Karl Marx fifteen centuries later) and the notion that tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy will always act in their own class interest rather than in the best interest of the whole society.

Aristotle’s is considered by many to mark the beginning of Western Traditional Political Philosophy partly because it is the first include the notion of plurality in politics. He also did not ignore the realities of life and of the human condition by insisting, as did Plato, that the “ideal” was the only reality.


Does that mean anything to anyone?

let's argue about that, shall we :P

It would be new for me that he sees democracy as "perverted manifestations" and I have heard "arch-types" in another context - as something that is in the people's nature - innated if you want so.