Middle Class In Aristotle's Politics

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In Aristotle's Politics, translated by Carnes Lord, a city containing three parts, the rich, the poor and the middle thrives the most in comparison to other regimes. The middle class acts in a way that benefits themselves without causing disruption to the society. They balance out the rich and the poor by preventing one side from taking too much control. Book V, chapter 11, starts by pointing out this division into three parts (1295a) and concludes the section with how the middle stabilizes society (1296b). From the beginning of the section, Aristotle displays the virtue of the middle since they are a mean that the society uses to provide a third entity that is not rich or poor. The middle is virtuous as they provided stability and peace to …show more content…
The rich and the poor are not satisfied unless they get what they want, while the moderate middle gains happiness with what they already have. Aristotle says if “the happy life is one in accordance with virtue and unimpeded” then the ‘middling’ lives the best life because they can obtain the virtue (1295a, 36). Everyone can choose virtue if they join the middling. Since the middle faction lives the better life, they are the best. The middle class does not concern itself with controlling the city, and they do not resist being ruled. Their natural ability to be ruled is opposite to the rich and poor factions to rule since when one “ is overly handsome, overly strong, overly well born, or overly wealthy- or the reverse of these things, overly indigent, overly weak, or very lacking in honor- it is difficult to follow reason”(1295b, 6). Having the advantage as the majority, or in control of the majority, allows one to take positions as the rulers. The rich historically rule with good fortune and wealth. As a result, the rich want to continue to prosper and the poor do not want to lose rights and they want what the rich have. In contrast, the middle group typically do not “desire those of others, as the poor do”(1295b, 30). The middle groups enjoys life with what they already own, and they live more peacefully as a result. When someone wants something they do not already have, they plot against others to get what they want, and in the opposite case, when they have what others want they are plotted against. The poor and rich plot against each other creating conflict. The three part society fit together because some naturally rule while the others naturally obey, and the middle keeps conflict of the rulers from

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