This is useful, because all societies must evolve their governing ( A remarkably modern idea.) “ If the people are not utterly degraded, although individually they may be worse judges than those who have special knowledge, as a body they are as good or better.” Part of the reason Aristotle liked democratic systems is that he believed in the wisdom of crowds. Their friends, or through any other political influence.” Seem to predominate too much through their wealth, or the number of

Therefore they ostracize and banish from the city for a time those who Societies, containing rich and poor and not much in between.įor democracy, “ equality is above all things their aim, and Therefore, for him there was no clear cut best system: “ None of the principles on which men claim to rule, and hold other men in subjection to them, are strictly right.” Democracy vs. Polityįor Aristotle, democracies were very polarized These better systems, however, are reliant on a quality of character in leadership that is uncommon. Livable societies, unlike tyranny, which no free man in his right mindīut he also aims to demonstrate that there are better ways to govern. Interest of those who hold the power, they are capable of producing It is important to note that Aristotle did not consider oligarchiesĪnd democracies as inherently bad. Whether they be few or many, that is an oligarchy, and where the poor

Wherever men rule by reason of their wealth, Power and thus he spends a lot of time discussing them.įor the real difference between democracy and oligarchy One of us may chose to run for an office of the state.Īristotle argued that oligarchies and democracies are the most commonįorms of government, with much in common except their allocation of Remain the same: Our vote is our means of exercising our rule, and any Many could directly rule via participation in open councils.Īlthough our democracies are much larger now, the core concepts It is important to note that in Aristotle’s time, states wereĬomparatively smaller than they are today. Monarch only oligarchy has in view the interest of the wealthy ĭemocracy, of the needy: none of them the common good of all.

Tyranny is a kind of monarchy which has in view the interest of the Interest, whether to the one, or the few, or of the many, are Interest but governments which rule with a view to the private Which the one, or the few, or the many, govern with a view to the common The true forms of government, therefore, are those in While those in the second row were the “defective and perverted forms” Those in the first row he referred to as “true forms” of government,

Aristotle view on democracy