Dr. Clifford Angell Bates, prof. ucz., a native of Rhode Island, specializes in political science with a focus on political philosophy and theory, including comparative politics, international releations, literature and politics, and American constitutional thought. He is the author of Aristotle’s Best Regime (LSU, 2004) and The Centrality of the Regime for Political Science (WUW, 2016).
Household Management and Its Parts
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
1. The Relationship Between the City and the Household
City Composed of Households: Aristotle begins by noting that every city is constituted from households, making household management essential to understanding the city’s structure.
Parts of the Household: The household consists of both slaves and free persons, including:
Master and slave
Husband and wife
Father and children
Aristotle investigates these relationships to understand what each role is and how they should function.
2. Three Forms of Rule Within the Household
Mastery (Master-Slave Relationship): Aristotle identifies the mastery that a master exercises over the slave.
Marital Rule (Husband-Wife Relationship): He recognizes the union between man and woman, although he notes that this form of rule has no precise term.
Procreative Rule (Father-Children Relationship): The rule of a father over his children, like marital rule, has not been assigned a specific term. Aristotle considers them distinct forms of governance within the household.
3. The Controversy Over Household Management and the Acquisition of Goods
Debate on Household Management: There is debate on whether the management of the household (oikonomia) is the same as or a major part of household management.
Acquiring Goods: The art of acquiring goods is often seen as a crucial part of managing the household, but Aristotle questions whether this should be considered part of household management or a separate activity.
4. The Debate Over Mastery (Master-Slave Relationship)
Controversial Views on Mastery: Aristotle delves into the debate on whether mastery is a natural or unnatural institution.
Mastery as a Science: Some argue that mastery, like household management, political rule, and kingly rule, is a form of governance that can be studied and understood rationally.
Mastery as Unjust and Against Nature: Others contend that mastery is against nature, arguing that the division between slave and free person is a matter of law, not nature, and is an arbitrary, forceful division.
5. Summary and Questions Raised
Reevaluation of Traditional Views: Aristotle suggests that traditional conceptions of mastery, household management, and political rule might need revision and further investigation.
Underlying Question: Is mastery just or unjust? Aristotle questions whether slavery and mastery are natural phenomena or merely social constructs imposed by law and force.
Key Takeaways
The city, as the highest political entity, is composed of households, making the understanding of household management crucial.
Aristotle breaks down the household into three fundamental relationships—master-slave, husband-wife, and father-children—each governed by its own form of rule.
A major debate concerns whether the art of acquiring goods is part of household management or a distinct activity.
The issue of mastery and slavery is contentious, with views differing on its nature and justice.
Aristotle sets the stage for further exploration of these issues by questioning traditional assumptions about household management and the nature of rulership.
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