Politics

Aristotle was born in Northern Greece in 384 BCE. His origin story began in Macedonia where his father was a doctor. His father and mother died when Aristotle was young, and the boy was raised by his older sister. Little is known about Aristotle’s early years. In 367 B.C., Aristotle arrived in Athens to study under Plato, the Greek philosopher who had been a student of Socrates. Plato ran a school called the Academy. There, Aristotle was introduced to an education on forms and was encouraged to apply inquiry to the world around him. Along with his predecessor, Aristotle developed a reputation as one of the greatest scientific and philosophical thinkers in the Western world. However, Aristotle was not always granted the same access as his peers.

While in Athens, Aristotle could not participate in political activity due to resentment against Macedonians. The philosopher considered political action as a vital component of achieving happiness, yet he was barred from engaging in politics while living in Athens. Plato had taught a theoretical approach to thinking about politics, but Aristotle’s ideas contrasted with his teacher’s. He viewed political knowledge as practical rather than theoretical, believing that politics provided a key to enacting virtue. Before composing the theories found in Politics, the philosopher traveled around Greece and gathered data from over 150 Greek cities. His observations influenced his theoretical framework. Aristotle’s type of data collection was an innovative approach to philosophy and theory.

Although Aristotle was not selected as Plato’s successor, the philosopher left an impression on everyone around him. After Plato’s death, Aristotle started his own school called the Lyceum. Aristotle was known for walking through the garden with his students, delivering lectures that combined science and philosophy. Aristotle tutored the son of King Philip II, who later became known as Alexander the Great.

Aristotle fled Greece in 323 BCE when anti-Macedonian sentiments put his life in danger. He died a year later and was buried next to his wife. Aristotle’s Politics is a continuation of his lectures detailed in Nicomachean Ethics. In both, the philosopher argues that the purpose of life is to achieve happiness through a virtuous life. He also suggests that moderation is imperative in both personal and political life, with virtue being the mean between two vices (sometimes referred to as “the golden mean”). Similarly, Aristotle argues that a political constitution should incorporate elements from other constitutions to ensure stability and permanence.

Aristotle’s theories about politics were in stark contrast to Plato’s, who emphasized communal politics and who favored theoretical principles over pragmatism. Aristotle developed a philosophy which sought to provide practical guidelines for how to develop a government that would present maximum benefit. His work discusses the theories and practical implications of those ideas, including ideal population numbers and how to conduct communal meals. Politics still resonates today, with the philosopher’s outline of political structures providing the foundation for modern political philosophy.