ARISTOTLE VIEWS ON GOVERNMENT & ITS CLASSIFICATION AND ARISTOTLE'S CYCLE OF GOVERNMENT OR ARISTOTLE'S POLITICAL CYCLE

ARISTOTLE VIEWS ON GOVERNMENT & ITS CLASSIFICATION

1. On the basis of his study of 158 constitutions, Aristotle has given a classification that became a guide for all the subsequent philosophers who ventured to classify governments.
2. The basis of Classification was

           a) Number of Rulers
           b) Purpose or objective of the intention of Rule i.e. in the interest of Public or in self- I
               interest.

1. For him, the rule of one and for the interest of all is a monarchy and if the rule of one I is for self-interest then it is tyranny.
2. The rule of the few and for the interest of all is an aristocracy, and if the rule of few is for the self-interest of the ruling few then it is an oligarchy.
3. The rule of many and for the interest of all is a polity, and if the rule of many is in the interest of those who are ruling then it is democracy.

1. According to Aristotle, Monarchy is the best form of government because it is the rule of philosopher-king, however, it is not best practicable. The monarchy will eventually convert into Tvrannv which is for Aristotle is the worst form of Government.
2. On the other hand, Polity is the rule of the middle class in the interest of people thus, it is best practicable.
3. He also considered democracy as the second-worst rule after tyranny, as it is rule of many ignorant poor people.

Polity is best practicable-- Reasons.

1. Rich do not trust poor, poor do not trust rich. But both will trust the middle class. Poor suffer from ignorance and rich from arrogance. Neither poor nor rich are in the habit of obedience to the law.
2. The middle class has a reason and moderate wealth. They have been many examples of great lawgivers like Solon belonging to the middle class.

Thus, polity avoid the two extremes -

The extreme of richness and extreme of poverty, The extreme of arrogance and ignorance and it is based on the principle of  Golden mean. '

ARISTOTLE'S CYCLE OF GOVERNMENT OR ARISTOTLE'S POLITICAL CYCLE 

1. As we know that Aristotle Studied the 158 Constitution of his time and classified the Government on the basis of a number of rulers and the Purpose or objective of the rule.
2. Based on his observation he predicted that any political system moves in a particular cycle.
3. Monarchy is followed by Tyranny; Tyranny will be followed by Aristocracy; Aristocracy by oligarchy; Oligarchy will be followed by Polity and polity by democracy and after sometimes democracy is again replaced by Monarchy and the cycle goes on.

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