Which government did Aristotle prefer?

Aristocracy, in theory, is the next-best constitution after monarchy (because the ruling minority will be the best-qualified to rule), but in practice Aristotle preferred a kind of constitutional democracy, for what he called “polity” is a state in which rich and poor respect each other’s rights and the best-qualified …

What was Aristotle’s ideal form of government and why?

Aristotle considers constitutional government (a combination of oligarchy and democracy under law) the ideal form of government, but he observes that none of the three are healthy and that states will cycle between the three forms in an abrupt and chaotic process known as the kyklos or anacyclosis.

What is Aristotle’s ideal constitution?

Aristotle classified aristocracy as one of his “right” constitutions. Aristocracies are societies governed by a small group of men chosen because they are the “best.” In Aristotle’s view, aristocrats are men of wealth and leisure who have developed their minds so that they have superior intellects.

What is a constitutional government?

Constitutional government is defined by the existence of a constitution—which may be a legal instrument or merely a set of fixed norms or principles generally accepted as the fundamental law of the polity—that effectively controls the exercise of political power.

What makes a good man Aristotle?

For Aristotle’s claim is then that the best man is the man who exercises his rational capacities to their fullest extent to gain for himself the best life possible.

What are the 3 purposes of a constitution?

First it creates a national government consisting of a legislative, an executive, and a judicial branch, with a system of checks and balances among the three branches. Second, it divides power between the federal government and the states. And third, it protects various individual liberties of American citizens.

What is a negative form of government according to Aristotle?

All Government Types Have a Negative Form For Aristotle, democracy is not the best form of government. As is also true of oligarchy and monarchy, rule in a democracy is for and by the people named in the government type. In a democracy, rule is by and for the needy.

How has Aristotle described the nature of a constitution?

If the constitutions of different polities differ then it is a fact that the values and goodness will also differ. Again the goodness and values which the citizens uphold will also be of different kind. In this way, Aristotle has described the nature of a constitution. 3. Classification of Constitution:

What is political rule according to Aristotle?

The purpose of classifying the consti­tution in this way is that the principle of political rule is the maximization of the benefit of the ruled—the people. A man should not desire to hold power with an eye to his personal gain. This was the view not of Aristotle alone but of all leading Greek philosophers.

Is Aristotle’s conception of the citizen valid today?

Aristotle’s conception of the citizen would not be valid today. He failed to see the possibilities of representative government. Today we would say that the minimum requirement for citizenship is the power of voting for the representatives of the people who do the actual ruling in a democracy.