PO110 : Aristotle.docx
Document Summary
Aristotle was a greek philosopher who believed that humans are political and yet rational, and that he could find the best way to govern ourselves. He lived in a time of chaos (431 bc) and wanted to know how we could live a more stable life. Aristotle examined 158 political communities and classified them in terms of whether there was rule by a single person, rule by few, or rule by many. He found all of these were good forms of government if the rulers worked toward the common good and governed in a lawful manner. If they acted arbitrary for its own interests, their government could be seen as a bad or perverted government. Aristotle viewed democracy as a perverted form of government in which the poor, being the majority, governed in their own interest by taking away the property of the rich. Therefore, democracy didn"t work towards the common good.