Ancient Political Theory Aristotle’s Politics. Aristotle 1. Recap 2. The Problem of Faction 3....

Ancient Political TheoryAncient Political Theory

Aristotle’s Aristotle’s PoliticsPolitics

AristotleAristotle

1.1. Recap Recap

2.2. The Problem of FactionThe Problem of Faction

3.3. Aristotleian and Madisonian Aristotleian and Madisonian SolutionsSolutions

4.4. Polity of Mixed GovernmentPolity of Mixed Government

I. RecapI. Recap

1.1. Aristotle’s Understanding of the Aristotle’s Understanding of the PolisPolis– Authoritative AssociationAuthoritative Association– Authoritative GoodAuthoritative Good

2.2. Human NatureHuman Nature??– DefinitionDefinition– ImplicationsImplications

I. RecapI. Recap

3.3. Classification of ConstitutionsClassification of Constitutions– Definition of: Definition of:

StateStateCitizenCitizen Constitution Constitution

– Classification SchemeClassification Scheme– Evolution of the PolisEvolution of the Polis

The Problem of FactionThe Problem of Faction

Collapse of the Greek city-state Collapse of the Greek city-state systemsystem

End of self sufficiencyEnd of self sufficiency Which constitution is best?Which constitution is best?

– Criteria of the best Criteria of the best polispolis– Teleological understanding of realityTeleological understanding of reality


Monarchy?Monarchy?– No: we want the No: we want the

highest level of highest level of communal activity communal activity possible. Monarchy possible. Monarchy won’t allow thatwon’t allow that


Democracy?Democracy?– No: remember our No: remember our

inegalitarian inegalitarian understanding of understanding of nature; therefore nature; therefore unlikely that the unlikely that the virtues will be virtues will be distributed evenly distributed evenly through the through the populationpopulation

The Problem of FactionThe Problem of Faction Aristocracy?Aristocracy?

– Yes. Yes. – Why?Why?

Allows for public Allows for public participation in reasonparticipation in reason

Power will be diffused Power will be diffused through the group through the group rather than rather than concentrated in a concentrated in a single individualsingle individual

Likely that will be able Likely that will be able to have moral virtue or to have moral virtue or goodness in this goodness in this restricted group of restricted group of peoplepeople


Evolution of the polis problemEvolution of the polis problem How to prevent the decay or at least How to prevent the decay or at least

stave off the decay.stave off the decay. How do we account for the collapse How do we account for the collapse

of these regime types?of these regime types?


Answer?Answer?– The existence of factions within the The existence of factions within the

body politicbody politic Why do factions arise?Why do factions arise?

– Need to re-examine the organization of Need to re-examine the organization of the polisthe polis


What is the first necessity of the What is the first necessity of the polis?polis?

– Need to sustain mere life in order to Need to sustain mere life in order to begin to pursue the good lifebegin to pursue the good life

ButBut– The production of mere life creates The production of mere life creates

class differences which makes pursuit class differences which makes pursuit of the good life untenableof the good life untenable

How or Why?How or Why?


If we assume that:If we assume that:– Scarcity exists, and thatScarcity exists, and that– Talents and luck are unevenly Talents and luck are unevenly

distributed in the population, thendistributed in the population, then In the division of labor of the city, we In the division of labor of the city, we

will inevitably get an inegalitarian will inevitably get an inegalitarian social system, with the population social system, with the population divided into distinct and competing divided into distinct and competing classesclasses


The Power of the Rich:The Power of the Rich:– The wealthy have a natural common The wealthy have a natural common

interest in protecting wealthinterest in protecting wealth– Oligarchic faction is inevitableOligarchic faction is inevitable– Claim to power?Claim to power?

Since wealth is necessary for Since wealth is necessary for polispolis to run, to run, and wealth is built on inequality, it is and wealth is built on inequality, it is permissible to treat unequals permissible to treat unequals asas unequals. unequals.


Power of the Poor?Power of the Poor?– In a city, likely to have many more In a city, likely to have many more

people who are poor rather than richpeople who are poor rather than rich– Power of numbersPower of numbers– Ideological claim?Ideological claim?

Since Since demosdemos (the people) defend the city (the people) defend the city and the wealthy who live there, then each and the wealthy who live there, then each group contributes equally important group contributes equally important functions to the functions to the polispolis, so that justice then , so that justice then means allowing everyone into the ruling means allowing everyone into the ruling classclass


How to settle between the two?How to settle between the two? Aristotle argues that at one level, Aristotle argues that at one level,

both groups seem to be right, but both groups seem to be right, but that at a deeper level both are wrongthat at a deeper level both are wrong

Both forget that the aim of the Both forget that the aim of the polispolis is not simply mere life, but the good is not simply mere life, but the good life (III, ix, 1280b29-1281a2)life (III, ix, 1280b29-1281a2)


The city needs an aristocratic factionThe city needs an aristocratic faction Not necessarily wealthy, but a small Not necessarily wealthy, but a small

group concerned with the good group concerned with the good (moral virtue)(moral virtue)

Unfortunately, such people are Unfortunately, such people are relatively powerless (not necessarily relatively powerless (not necessarily rich and not a majority)rich and not a majority)


Life of the polis will degenerate to Life of the polis will degenerate to the Lowest Common Denominator the Lowest Common Denominator (pursuit of mere life) where either (pursuit of mere life) where either the the demosdemos or the oligarchs rule, and or the oligarchs rule, and pursuit of the good life is lostpursuit of the good life is lost

So… need to determine how to So… need to determine how to control factionscontrol factions

Aristotle Aristotle vsvs Madison: Madison:Madison’s ViewMadison’s View

Recall your U.S. Recall your U.S. politics course…politics course…

Madison argues that Madison argues that factions are a factions are a function of human function of human nature (we’re nature (we’re selfish) mixed with selfish) mixed with liberty (people free liberty (people free to associate and to associate and pursue self interest)pursue self interest)


Madison argues (Madison argues (Federalist #10Federalist #10) that ) that there are 2 ways of controlling there are 2 ways of controlling factions:factions:– Stop by controlling causes (either by Stop by controlling causes (either by

denying liberty or enforcing equality)denying liberty or enforcing equality)– Legitimize factions and let ambition Legitimize factions and let ambition

counteract ambitioncounteract ambition Institutionalize factional strife within the Institutionalize factional strife within the

framework of governmentframework of government


Note: this doesn’t really encourage Note: this doesn’t really encourage anyone to act in the interest of the anyone to act in the interest of the group as whole, only to pursue group as whole, only to pursue narrow selfish endsnarrow selfish ends

Is it really desirable to let every Is it really desirable to let every faction or group participate, faction or group participate, regardless of the end pursued?regardless of the end pursued?


What happens when What happens when an evil faction takes an evil faction takes hold?hold?– American Nazis vs. American Nazis vs.

Weimar GermanyWeimar Germany In the U.S., we throw In the U.S., we throw

up our hands and up our hands and allow every group to allow every group to participateparticipate

Inherent danger in Inherent danger in that… Aristotle’s that… Aristotle’s solution?solution?

Aristotle Aristotle vsvs Madison: Madison:Aristotle’s ViewAristotle’s View

Both Aristotle and Madison share a Both Aristotle and Madison share a constitutional mechanism for controlling constitutional mechanism for controlling faction, but differ on their conceptions of faction, but differ on their conceptions of what constitutes the good lifewhat constitutes the good life

Keep track of the distinction between what Keep track of the distinction between what is good for self and what is good for the is good for self and what is good for the wholewhole

Aristotle argues that we need at least a Aristotle argues that we need at least a minimal commitment to a conception of minimal commitment to a conception of the good lifethe good life


His solution? His solution? ““The first and obvious point to make is The first and obvious point to make is

that if indeed we do understand the that if indeed we do understand the causes of their [i.e., Constitutions’] causes of their [i.e., Constitutions’] destruction, then we understand also destruction, then we understand also the causes of their preservation. For the causes of their preservation. For opposites are productive of opposites, opposites are productive of opposites, and destruction is the opposite of and destruction is the opposite of preservation” (V, viii, 1307b26)preservation” (V, viii, 1307b26)


His solution? His solution? – Given that we have two different factions, what Given that we have two different factions, what

can we do?can we do? Options are constrained by the raw material we have Options are constrained by the raw material we have

to work with to work with Don’t allow officeholders a financial gain in holding Don’t allow officeholders a financial gain in holding

office:office:““It is most important in every constitution that the legal It is most important in every constitution that the legal

and other administrative arrangements should be and other administrative arrangements should be such that holding office is not a source of profit”such that holding office is not a source of profit”

-- V, viii, 1308b3I-- V, viii, 1308b3I Implication: only oligarchs will ruleImplication: only oligarchs will rule Pay people to votePay people to vote

– Demos can control the rulers Demos can control the rulers

The Polity of Mixed GovernmentThe Polity of Mixed Government

People will choose their rulers on the People will choose their rulers on the basis of which are the “best” basis of which are the “best” oligarchsoligarchs

Aristotle argues that we need to try Aristotle argues that we need to try to mix the oligarchic and democratic to mix the oligarchic and democratic elements together so that once we elements together so that once we assemble the government, it is assemble the government, it is neither democratic nor oligarchicneither democratic nor oligarchic


In this way we can try to get the In this way we can try to get the oligarchs to act more like aristocrats oligarchs to act more like aristocrats

Why?Why?– In order to gain votes they’ll need to In order to gain votes they’ll need to

appeal to the interests of the other appeal to the interests of the other class. They’ll need to offer a vision of class. They’ll need to offer a vision of the good life for the city as a whole.the good life for the city as a whole.


This system is necessary because a This system is necessary because a decent society can be preserved only decent society can be preserved only through the moral quality of the through the moral quality of the citizenrycitizenry

So we should reject the Madisonian So we should reject the Madisonian model because it encourages model because it encourages factions without also encouraging the factions without also encouraging the development of an idea of the good development of an idea of the good lifelife


So Aristotle’s vision of the best So Aristotle’s vision of the best regime is the regime is the politypolity – a political – a political association which attempts to form a association which attempts to form a just regime with less than perfect just regime with less than perfect peoplepeople

Aristotle’s Conservatism:Aristotle’s Conservatism:Rule of LawRule of Law

Before moving on… one quick Before moving on… one quick question.question.

Why control faction at all?Why control faction at all? Why not just support the right faction Why not just support the right faction

and set up a classless society? and set up a classless society?

Ancient Political Theory Aristotle’s Politics. Aristotle 1. Recap 2. The Problem of Faction 3....

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