Natural Superiority Justifies Aristocracy

Natural Superiority Justifies Aristocracy

After brainstorming for a couple of days as to what to write for this paper I found myself incapable of writing about anything regarding the ancient world. Every tempting topic was either not directly related to ancient history or the time frame. When the aristocratic system in Athens came into mind I proceeded to gather the necessary information to write an organized, coherent and informative essay. The research led me to reading about Aristotle's Politic; an extensive analysis on society and the constitutions of democracy, oligarchy and his favorite, aristocracy. To my surprise the reading led me to question why he favored the former system and not a direct democracy. The answer was in one of the preceding chapters. Thus, it was through this process of questioning that I arrived to the most offensive portion of Aristotle's moral and political thought yet the root to his predilection for the upper class.

Aristotle's preference to view life from an aristocratic perspective is expressed by his fundamental belief in the existence of natural difference in equality and inherited value among men. This is extensively supported by him justifying the institution of slavery. But ultimately serves as a platform to understand his view on political rights and the upper class responsibility to govern.

In the Rhetoric, Aristotle implies that there are humans naturally superior to others or as he refers to them, they are "naturally finer beings." To Aristotle nature consist of a hierarchy from simple objects to man and God . Depending on the level one belongs, the inferior levels will be the servants and one must serve the superior levels. Furthermore, men are born within this hierarchy for a specific end or purpose and it is their duty to fulfill their natural purpose or function. Aristotle called this responsibility for the fulfillment of the role, natural motion. Yet, motion can be evil or unnatural and that is when man or any form belonging in the hierarchy does not follow the inherit role. Perhaps this notion of inherited value or "finer being" is more practical in Politics.

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