Husband and Wife, Father and Child

Chapter 12

1. Three Parts of Household Management

• Aristotle identifies three parts of household management: mastery over slaves, paternal rule over children, and marital rule over the wife. He notes that the latter two involve free persons, unlike slaves.

2. Different Types of Rule over Wife and Children

• The husband's rule over the wife is political, implying a form of partnership where the husband holds authority. The father's rule over children is kingly, based on affection and seniority.

3. Political Rule Over the Wife

• Political rule in the household mirrors the alternation of power seen in political offices, with the husband perpetually in the superior role, reflecting what Aristotle views as the natural order.

4. Kingly Rule Over Children

• The father's rule is likened to a king's rule, marked by affection and natural authority stemming from age and wisdom, akin to the divine authority of Zeus over his offspring as depicted by Homer.

Key Themes in Chapter 12:

• Household Management: Outlines the three distinct forms of rule within a household—mastery, paternal, and marital—each governed by different principles and purposes.
• Political and Kingly Rule: Discusses the husband's political rule over the wife and the father's kingly rule over children, emphasizing natural hierarchies and the dynamics of authority.
• Natural Hierarchies: Reinforces the concept of natural superiority, asserting that men are naturally predisposed to lead over women, and elders over the younger.
• Distinctions of Ruler and Ruled: Even in relationships of fundamental equality, distinctions are maintained through forms of address, appearance, and privileges to uphold authority.