What is Aristotle’s Definition of ‘Politics’?

There are several key terms when it comes to political philosophy as politics, political science, political theory and political philosophy. They have used in different contexts and to define different aspects of politics. In the contemporary world, the study, which studies the theoretical aspect of politics, is called as ‘political science’ and its practical side represents by the term ‘politics’. As such, various terms have associated with the term ‘politics’. It is true that the term ‘political’ and its process play a key role in any given society. Therefore, in order to identify modern things which are related to political field one should have to have a clear understanding on the etymological meaning of the term ‘politics’ and its ancient usage. For that, this article focuses on the origin of the term ‘politics’. 

Aristotle has written many books based on various subjects. Mainly he has expressed his views on logic, ethics, and political science. His political ideas are prominent even in the contemporary world. One of his contributions is the things, which have done to the political field. Although the previous philosophers who have lived before Aristotle; Socrates, Plato etc, have expressed their ideas on things which are related with political field. Mainly, Plato has emphasized about an Ideal State. However, Aristotle should be credited for introducing the term ‘politics’ to the scope of politics. 

Etymological meaning of the word ‘Politics'

The term ‘politics’ has derived from the Greek term ‘polis’ that has used in the title of the book of Aristotle. It was a great political treatise. Actually, the term politics has formed by him with the word ‘polis’. Polis was the Greek word for city. From that, the term ‘politēs’ has used to define the term ‘citizen’. Old French term ‘politique’ derived via Latin and then in English it is used as ‘politics’. 

Moreover, in general, the term ‘politics’ is defined as the process that is used to access decisions which can be apply to a group of people or to a community.  Thus, it is a constructed way of governing system and a systematic way of putting things together.  The Greek term ‘politikā’ has meant as the affairs of the city states. It is also considered as the science of government. Politics is considered as “a treatise which is only a collection of long essays connected by short passages of transition” (Donald, 1965, p. 200).

According to Aristotle, it is a formal structure of a city state. The term represented the governing process of the state. It is true that Plato who was the teacher of Aristotle has expressed ideas on politics. However, the term ‘politics’ has come into practice after systematically using it for the first time by Aristotle. It should be stated that, “in all his works, but specially in the practical ones such as the Ethics and Politics, Aristotle sets forth the views of previous thinkers and popular opinion” (Donald, 1965, p. 200)

In the Greek period the term, ‘politics’ has used to study both theory and practice of the study of the city states. However, after the emergence of the national states in the modern era, the term ‘politics’ has used to describe the practical aspect of the governing system of a state. Politics can be defined as the practical process that implements the political power struggle in a community, which has politically systematized.

Aristotle has observed the implementation of 158 city states, which was there in the Greece contemporary to him, and he comparatively analyzed them to identify the better government by stating good and bad qualities of those governments. It is possible to assume that he studied the practical performance of the city-states in order to analyze the better government among them. Therefore, even in the Aristotle’s formation of the book ‘Polis’, the term ‘polis’ has used to represent the practical aspect of systematized governing systems. 

The Politics represents two stages in Aristotle’s thought. He thinks in the first that “political philosophy as the construction of an Ideal state upon lines already laid down especially in the states-man and Laws” (Sabine, 1950, p. 91). The second, that is, “it should deal with actual as well as ideal forms of government and it should teach the art of governing and organizing states of any sort in any desired manner” (Sabine, 1950, p. 91).

In addition, Politics as defined by Aristotle himself is a "practical science" because it deals with making citizens happy. His philosophy is to find the supreme purpose of life, virtue as he puts it. One of the most important roles of a politician, though, is to make laws, or constitutions. With this task I believe that Aristotle wanted the citizens well being and livelihood to be contemplated before any laws were made permanent. After the laws are put into place the politician's job is to make sure that that they are abided by. Aristotle believes that with the same constitution citizens will be the same over time, but if the constitution is ever changed, so will the citizen.

Aristotle’s Views on Politics

Aristotle’s politics can be found in his Nicomachean Ethics and in Politics. Nicomachean Ethics should be taken into account when studying Aristotle’s politics because according to Aristotle, the people who act morally will act as the same in politics. The book Nicomachean Ethics has indicated that,

“the end [or goal]  of politics is the best of ends; and the main concern of politics is to engender a certain character in the citizens and to make them good and disposed to perform noble actions” (Clayton, 2018). 

There are three main objectives of the book called Politics. They can be summarized as following. 

-“It completes the discussion of happiness, by showing what kind of political community achieves the human good (Books I, II and VII)”

-“It sets out moral and political principles that allow us to understand and to criticize the different sorts of actual states and their constitutions (mainly Books II and IV)”

-“It offers some proposals for improving actual states (mainly books V and VI)” (Craig, 1998, p. 430).

However, the prominent objective of Aristotle was to comparatively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the actual Greek city states and explain characteristics of an ideal city state. However, Plato’s political thoughts have affected to the political thoughts of Aristotle. Thus, “Aristotle wrote similar dialogues with equal grace in his earlier career while still strongly under Platonic influences” (Donald, 1965, p. 199).

It has claimed by Aristotle that, “in the Politics the results are not conclusive; for Aristotle realizes that in political questions certainty is not attainable” (Donald, 1965, p. 200). As it has mentioned by Aristotle, politics deal with the facts and actions.  Thus, the polis exists by nature. However, there arise questions on the nature of polis, its characteristics, its components, parts and its end. Before searching answers for the above-mentioned questions one should have an idea on the nature of a state. It should be stated that, “the state is an association which exists to unite and harmonize the functions of its members for their mutual benefit” (Donald, 1965, p. 207).

In the first book of Aristotle’s book, ‘Politics’ he discusses the nature of polis which is translated as city or political community. According to him, polis is not similar to other types of communities. It has a big difference from other communities as it is considered as the highest type of community that people have to make. Thus, he directs his philosophy towards human beings, as human beings are the core area of his philosophy. For him, human beings are naturally political animals. If someone goes away from politics, he should be either a God or an animal. Form this Aristotle wanted to say that human beings are naturally connected to politics. According to him, the structural regulatory of the polis is something that human beings are naturally had. They are given that formal structure naturally. 

According to Aristotle, ‘man is a political animal’. Inherently human beings have political thoughts. Thus, the political formation is with the existence of human beings. It has stated that, “the center of investigation must be the polis, for man is by nature an animal that lives in the polis; only in the polis can he find the good life, and justice is an element of the polis” (Donald, 1965, p. 203-204).

A human being becomes a human other animals is that the associationability that they have to live with other human beings in the society and to be ruled by laws and customs. Human beings have the capacity to govern each other. Therefore, there is no need of outside organizations to govern them as they have the ability to organize and govern by themselves. Aristotle saw that every state as an association that is formed with a good, virtuous purpose. According to him, human beings are naturally free political animal. This freedom is guaranteed naturally as it is a totally natural phenomenon. This capacity of formation of human beings is different from other animals. 

In Aristotle’s philosophy, man is in the core area. Therefore, his philosophy can be considered as humanism. Aristotle assumed that every community aimed at a highest good. In the state (polis) which Aristotle identified as the highest type of a community was also aimed at some highest goods. He claims in the chapter 1 of the first book that, “as all associations aim at some good, that association which is the most sovereign among them all and embraces all others will aim highest, i.e. at the most sovereign of all goods. This is the association, which we call the state, the association which is ‘political” (Arthur & Shaw, 1992, p. 463).

Thus, he says that human beings have the power of speech and the ability to form institutions.  Human beings are belong to families and several families are combined to make small villages. Then, several villages are combined to make the sate or the polis. Therefore, the state is same as operating a family. Thus, the state can be considered as a combination of individuals. For instance, the state is formed similar to the way that a human being is constructed with separate organs. It is the analogy of the body that has taken by Aristotle in order to emphasize the process of a state. The good or virtuous character of every human being is affected to establish that state. For Aristotle, “A state is an association of families and clans for the good life, and those ‘who care for the good government take into consideration virtue and vice in states. Whence it may be further inferred that virtue must be the care of a sate which is truly so called” (Donald, 1965, p. 208)

Aristotle has mentioned in the chapter 2 of the book 1 of Politics that, the state exists by nature. To illustrate, the union of a man and a woman is an essential requirement for reproduction. Nevertheless, this is not an issue of selecting a partner; this is a natural urge that human beings naturally have. This urge for reproduction does not only have within human beings. In addition, it does have within animals and plants. As such, it is equally essential “the combination of the natural ruler and ruled, for the purpose of preservation” (Arthur & Shaw, 1992, p. 464). 

Furthermore, Book 4 of the book ‘politics’ of Aristotle has defined the best type of a government as ‘polity’ which is considered as the constitutional government. Aristotle identified it as the least harmful government after analyzing 158 city-states. Aristotle found three good types of governments and another three, which is bad. 

A government which one person governs for the common good or for the general well of the public is called as a ‘monarchy’. However, the ruler should be both good and wise. When one person rules the city for the sake of their personal benefit, then it is called as a ‘tyranny’. Aristotle identified this government as the worst type of governments among others. When few intelligent people or the minority of the community rules the city, it is called as an ‘aristocracy’. For Aristotle, this should be considered as the best type of government after monarchical government as the few people who rule the city would be the qualified people among citizens. If the ruling minority rules the country only for the sake of themselves and their private benefit, then it is called as an ‘oligarchy’. According to Aristotle, even democracy is corrupted, as there are many corrupted people who have formed separate groups. 

Furthermore, ‘constitutional government’ is the one, which Aristotle proffered as it is only, operates based on the common interest of the people. To illustrate, there are the best qualified people among the other citizens in constitutional governments and they are in a position to operate a government with the consent of other people. Aristotle named that constitutional government as a ‘polity’. It has mentioned that, “political control exercised by the mass of the populace in the common interest: polity” (Arthur & Shaw, 1992, p. 471). Everyone who lives in the city have equal rights regardless of their social class. 

Conclusion

As it has mentioned by Aristotle, the center of his investigation has given to the polis where human beings; the animals who live naturally in the polis, as only the polis is  able to make a good life for them. Introducing the term ‘politics’ is one of the main contributions of Aristotle that has done to the field of politics. The term ‘politics’ has affected to various fields in the contemporary society and it has invented various new terms to the field of politics. Thus, politics is considered as the practical field of the political science. Therefore, every human being has to engage with politics with their birth in that particular country in the contemporary world. As such, the term ‘politics’ have a key role in the society. 

In conclusion, it can be stated that Aristotle has done a great contribution by inventing the term politics and this article has emphasized the way in which the term affects with Aristotle’s philosophy. 

Works Cited

Arthur, J., & Shaw, W. H. (1992). Social and Political Philosophy. New Jersey, United States of America: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Clayton, E. (2018). Aristotle; Politics. (J. Fieser, & B. Dowden, Editors) Retrieved November 30, 2018, from Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://www.iep.utm.edu/home/about/

Craig, E. (1998). Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Vol. VIII). London: Routlege Publications .

Donald, K. (1965). The Great Dialogue. London: Collier Macmillan Limited.

Ponton, Geoffrery; Gill, Peter;. (1993). Introduction to Politics. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

Sabine, G. H. (1950). A History of Political Theory. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Strauss, L., & Cropsey, J. (Eds.). (1963). History of Political Philosophy. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company.