ARISTOTLE, THE POLITICAL THINKER:
Aristotle was Macedonian. He attended Plato's Academy in Athens for about twenty years. He returned to Macedonia for a while, in part to tutor a young Alexander the Great, and then went back to Athens to found his own school, the Lycaeum. Though he spent most of his life and career in Athens, he was never an Athenian citizen, but more of a resident alien, with few political rights (he could not own property, for instance). Indeed, throughout his life, he was never a fully-fledged citizen of any Greek polis.
Citizenship in Greek city-states was usually limited to a minority of adult males. It included more responsibilities than the more passive matter-of-fact citizenship that is typical today. And it usually assumed that those who were citizens shared common goals, a common outlook, and a mutual interest in the success of the polis. Less like the partisans angling for power of today, citizens then were more like shareholders or board members of the political corporation, with a common desire for and criterion for its success.
Greece, for geological and other reasons, had been politically organized as multiple independent city-states. These often formed alliances and sometimes centrally-governed confederations (particularly in times of war). Some developed colonies, both as ways of finding new agricultural land and as ways of giving a restive underclass something to do at some distance from the ruling class.
There is a reference in the Politics to the assassination of Philip II of Macedon, which happened in 336 BC. So we know that at least some of the work was composed after the expansion of the Macedonian kingdom under Philip II which resulted in its dominion over Athens and much of the rest of Greece, subordinating Greece's many city-states to a foreign empire.
As a Macedonian and tutor to Alexander the Great, Aristotle was well-placed to be in the good graces of the political leadership of his time, until Athens challenged Macedonian power towards the end of Aristotle's life, and he went into exile from Athens to avoid the possibility of being attacked by anti-Macedonian Athenians.
ARISTOTLE'S CONTRIBUTION TO POLITICS:
- Classification of Political Systems: Aristotle classified political systems based on their forms of government and the number of rulers. He distinguished between monarchy (rule by one), aristocracy (rule by a few), and democracy (rule by many), as well as their respective corrupted forms: tyranny, oligarchy, and mob rule.
- Theory of Citizenship: Aristotle explored the concept of citizenship and the role of citizens in the political community. He emphasized the importance of active participation and civic engagement among citizens in the governance of the state. Aristotle's concept of citizenship laid the groundwork for later theories of democracy and republican government.
- Analysis of Constitutions: In his work "Politics," Aristotle analyzed different types of constitutions and their strengths and weaknesses. He examined the principles of political organization, the distribution of power, and the relationship between rulers and citizens in various forms of government.
- Doctrine of the Mean: Aristotle advocated for the doctrine of the mean, which emphasizes moderation, balance, and virtuous conduct in political life. He believed that the best form of government promotes the common good and seeks to achieve a balance between competing interests and factions within society.
- Ethics and Politics: Aristotle integrated ethics and politics in his philosophical framework, emphasizing the moral dimension of political life and the importance of virtuous leadership. He argued that politics should be guided by ethical principles and the pursuit of human flourishing (eudaimonia) for individuals and communities.
- Theory of Justice: Aristotle developed a theory of justice that emphasizes fairness, equity, and the rule of law in political institutions. He distinguished between distributive justice (fair distribution of resources and opportunities) and corrective justice (rectifying wrongs and restoring balance).