Similarities And Differences Between Aristotle And John Stuart Mill

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Aristotle and John Stuart Mill were two famous philosophers known for their studies in

politics. Aristotle believes the best form of government is a polis, while Mill believes a more laid

back structure is better. He believes the people should be ruled by the harm principles. Although

they have very different ideas on how the people should be ruled, there are many similarities

between the two.

Aristotle was a great philosopher from the BC era. He had very strong views on how the

political system should be held. He grew up in Greece under the rule of King Phillip II of

Macedon (Miller), but he believed the best political system would be a polis. A polis is ruled by

the people. It is formed naturally and is self-sufficient. To come to this
…show more content…
Forcing someone to do or not to do something is morally unacceptable. Mill was also

an advocate in free speech. He thought it was necessary for creativity, knowledge, and personal

growth. He believed it was important for the people of the state to debate public policy.

There are many similarities and differences between Aristotle and Mill. Both are well

known for their studies in political philosophy. They believed some type of government was

needed for the happiness and well-being of the people. Aristotle based his theory on the natural

rights of the people, while Mill used utilitarianism. Both believed people were naturally good.

Aristotle did not believe all people were equal. He thought slavery was natural and beneficial to

society. He states that slaves, women, and children were not considered citizens. Mill believes all

people were equal and was even considered a feminist. Aristotle wanted a more structured

government. He states humans are political animals. They both believed that government is

natural and their ideas have affected the many political systems used

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