Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

In the last two Books of the Politics Aristotle investigates the best politeia or constitution, that is, the best way of organizing a city (polis). These Books have puzzled some readers, mainly because an inquiry of this kind seems to presuppose an idealistic or Utopian approach to political theory, whereas Aristotle is generally seen as a practical, empirically minded, philosopher, deeply interested in the problems of existing cities and concerned to ameliorate their condition rather than to describe ideals that are unlikely to be achieved in practice. At one time it was fashionable to suppose that these Books represent an early Platonic phase in Aristotle's thought. This solution is less popular now, partly because of scepticism about the general idea that Aristotle began as a Platonist and then developed more distinctive philosophical positions and partly because it is clear that the investigation of the best city was always part of Aristotle's programme for political philosophy. However there are still difficulties in relating these Books to the more practically oriented discussions elsewhere in the Politics (Rowe 1991).It is sometimes assumed that Aristotle saw his best constitution as a model which might actually be used in founding a city. He does indeed stipulate that it should not assume anything “impossible” (VII.4 1325b37–9). But he also describes it as the constitution ... log in or subscribe to read full text