In Aristotle’s “Politics” kingship becomes a major possibility for political rule towards the end of chapter three. Kingship is truly a constitutional form of governing. However, there are many provisions that come along when the rulers cater towards their self-interests, rather than the interests of everyone. The text explains kingship can range from commanders to the purest sovereign individual in every instance. There are arguments for and against kingship, and through the text the reader was able to explore those. To begin, kings or one ruler is more adaptable than laws in the majority of cases. However, it is entirely impossible for one person to deal with all the city's affairs. Moreover, a single individual is more susceptible than
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The first form of kingship proposed is from the times of the heroes. Where it is for certain based on law, and hereditary. The second form is the “barbaric” form of kingship. The barbaric form is particularly similar to the rule of household. The third form is dictatorship, or as the text puts it “elective tyranny”. This form strictly limits the voice of the population. The fourth is “permanent generalship” based on family, as in the Spartan regime. The last form of kingship for political rule occurs when one individual has absolute authority over all other matters. However, kingship may not be the best form of government because according to Aristotle ‘it may be more easily corruptible” (3.15, p. 95). Corruptibility is one of the arguments against kingship that is particularly persuasive because “when one person is overcome by anger or any other such passion, his judgment is necessarily corrupted, but it takes some doing for everybody to get angry…” (3.15, p. …show more content…
Furthermore, it could be stated that there really are no citizens in a strict formatted kingship, because in most cases kingship requires participation in ruling. In this style of government, the king would be the only one doing the ruling. Moreover, “it is clear one would organize a city under an aristocracy or kingship I the same manner and by the same means that a man becomes excellent” (3.18, p.100) In a varied sense, political rule, similar to kingship, is essentially democratic due to the rule of free and equal citizens over one another. Further, political rule is also distinguished in that it should be rule which looks for the common good, not for the advantages of the individual ruler. If the advantage of the individual ruler is the final goal, the type of rule is
The first form of kingship proposed is from the times of the heroes. Where it is for certain based on law, and hereditary. The second form is the “barbaric” form of kingship. The barbaric form is particularly similar to the rule of household. The third form is dictatorship, or as the text puts it “elective tyranny”. This form strictly limits the voice of the population. The fourth is “permanent generalship” based on family, as in the Spartan regime. The last form of kingship for political rule occurs when one individual has absolute authority over all other matters. However, kingship may not be the best form of government because according to Aristotle ‘it may be more easily corruptible” (3.15, p. 95). Corruptibility is one of the arguments against kingship that is particularly persuasive because “when one person is overcome by anger or any other such passion, his judgment is necessarily corrupted, but it takes some doing for everybody to get angry…” (3.15, p. …show more content…
Furthermore, it could be stated that there really are no citizens in a strict formatted kingship, because in most cases kingship requires participation in ruling. In this style of government, the king would be the only one doing the ruling. Moreover, “it is clear one would organize a city under an aristocracy or kingship I the same manner and by the same means that a man becomes excellent” (3.18, p.100) In a varied sense, political rule, similar to kingship, is essentially democratic due to the rule of free and equal citizens over one another. Further, political rule is also distinguished in that it should be rule which looks for the common good, not for the advantages of the individual ruler. If the advantage of the individual ruler is the final goal, the type of rule is