Chapter 4
1. Clarification of Democracy and Oligarchy
- Democracy and Oligarchy Misconceptions:
- Aristotle starts by correcting the common misconception that democracy exists wherever the multitude has authority and oligarchy wherever the few rule.
- He gives an example: If a majority of citizens are wealthy and exclude a minority of poor citizens from ruling, it would still not be considered a democracy.
- Similarly, if a few poor citizens ruled over a majority of wealthy citizens, it wouldn’t be classified as an oligarchy.
- Proper Definition of Democracy and Oligarchy:
- Democracy occurs when free persons (typically the poor) have authority.
- Oligarchy occurs when the wealthy (usually few in number) have control.
- The distinction lies not just in numbers but in the character of authority—freedom versus wealth.
2. Key Characteristics of Democracy and Oligarchy
- Wealth vs. Freedom:
- Aristotle explains that many people are free, while few are wealthy, which is why democracies tend to have a larger ruling group and oligarchies a smaller one.
- He further highlights absurd cases, like using physical attributes such as height or good looks to determine rule, which he dismisses as illogical but illustrative of how different standards of preeminence create regimes.
- Ruling Few vs. Free Majority:
- He notes that a regime is not a democracy simply because a few free persons hold power over many who are not free (as in Apollonia and Thera).
- Similarly, if the majority of wealthy citizens rule through numerical superiority, this still doesn’t constitute democracy, as seen historically in Colophon.
3. Regime Types Are Based on Various Combinations of Power
- Democracy Defined by Poor Majority:
- Democracy occurs when the free and poor, who form a majority, control the regime.
- Oligarchy occurs when the wealthy and better-born hold power and are few in number.
- Number of Regimes and Their Variations:
- Aristotle has previously spoken about the variety of regimes. He now turns to why there are even more regimes than those typically discussed.
- This reasoning starts from the understanding that cities are composed of multiple parts and not just one.
4. Comparison to Animal Classification
- Animal Anatomy Analogy:
- Aristotle draws an analogy to the classification of animals. Just as animals have various parts (e.g., mouth, stomach, limbs) that can combine in different ways to create multiple types of animals, cities also have multiple parts (e.g., farmers, laborers, warriors) that can combine to form different regimes.
- Each of these parts plays a role in the constitution of a city and must be considered when analyzing regime types.
5. The Many Parts of a City
- Necessary Parts of the City:
- Aristotle lists several parts of a city:
- Farmers, who provide sustenance.
- Artisans, involved in necessary or luxury crafts.
- Merchants, engaged in trade and commerce.
- Laborers, providing manual work.
- Warriors, who defend the city and prevent enslavement by invaders.
- These groups are essential to the self-sufficiency of the city, a key characteristic of a properly functioning city.
- Aristotle lists several parts of a city:
- Critique of Plato’s Republic:
- Aristotle critiques Plato’s Republic, which reduces the city to just a few necessary roles (e.g., farmers, artisans), ignoring the city’s more noble goals beyond just survival.
- A true city requires a warrior class for defense and others to assign justice and deliberate on political matters.
6. Other Essential Elements of a City
- Wealthy and Public Service:
- Aristotle identifies the well-off who perform public service through their wealth as another important part of the city.
- Additionally, there must be individuals who are capable of ruling and holding offices to administer the city, which is essential for its functioning.
- Judicial and Deliberative Elements:
- A city also requires those who can judge in matters of justice and those who can deliberate on political issues, which are crucial for maintaining a fair and functional regime.
- These elements, particularly the military and judicial components, are more important to the city than the mere fulfillment of basic needs.
- The Missing Part of the City in Politics IV.4 account.
- The Politics IV chapter 4 listing of the parts of the city leaves one missing. We can figure this missing or unnamed part only if we look at a similar list of the parts of the city in Politics VII, chapter 8 where he mentions the “divine” which is not mentioned in Politics VI listing of the parts.
7. Wealth and Poverty as Key Divisions
- The Wealthy and Poor:
- Aristotle highlights the wealthy and the poor as the two primary opposing parts of the city, with the wealthy being few and the poor being many.
- This opposition often leads to the creation of regimes based on wealth (oligarchy) or poverty (democracy).
8. Varieties of Democracy and Oligarchy
- Many Forms of Democracy and Oligarchy:
- There are not only different forms of democracy and oligarchy, but also variations within each based on the composition of the city’s population.
- For example, among the people (the democratic group), there are farmers, artisans, merchants, laborers, and even seafarers (who engage in fishing or trade by sea).
- Among the wealthy (the oligarchic group), divisions arise from wealth, good birth, virtue, and education.
9. Types of Democracy
- First Type of Democracy: Equality:
- The first kind of democracy is based on equality, where both the poor and wealthy have an equal share in the regime. Neither group is preeminent, and they both participate in governance equally.
- Other Types of Democracy:
- A second type of democracy is based on property assessments, where offices are open to those who meet certain financial qualifications.
- Another form is where all citizens of unquestioned descent participate in governance, but law rules.
- There is also a type where all citizens participate regardless of wealth, but again, law rules.
- Finally, there is a form where the multitude rules directly, with decrees rather than laws holding authority, and popular leaders emerge to guide the people.
10. Dangers of Democracy without Law
- Democracy as Tyranny:
- Aristotle points out that when a democracy is ruled by decrees instead of laws, it risks becoming a form of tyranny, with the people acting as a collective monarch.
- In this scenario, popular leaders become influential by persuading the masses, similar to how flatterers influence a tyrant.
- Comparison with Tyranny:
- Both tyranny and this form of democracy share characteristics: they undermine laws, rely on decrees, and elevate leaders who flatter the ruler (whether the people or a tyrant).
- This is a corrupted form of democracy, where the laws no longer have authority, and the people rule in a despotic manner.
11. Conclusion: Law as the Basis for a True Democracy
- Law vs. Decrees:
- Aristotle concludes that where laws do not rule, there is no true regime—not even democracy.
- For a democracy to function as a regime, laws must have authority, and decisions should be made by officials, not just by popular vote.
- A system where decrees govern is not a proper democracy but a deviation from it.
Key Themes and Concepts in Chapter 4:
- Clarification of Democracy and Oligarchy:
- Democracy is not just about numbers but about the poor and free ruling, while oligarchy is about the wealthy ruling. The defining characteristic is who holds power (freedom vs. wealth), not just the majority or minority in control.
- City Composition and Regime Types:
- Cities are composed of various parts, and these differences give rise to different types of regimes. Just as animals have different parts that combine to form different species, cities have multiple components that combine to form different regimes.
- Variations of Democracy:
- Aristotle identifies several types of democracy, ranging from equality-based systems to those where the multitude rules by decree rather than law. He warns that when the rule of law is replaced by decrees, democracy can devolve into a form of tyranny.
- The Role of Law:
- Laws are essential for a true democracy. A system where the people rule by decree is not a proper regime but a corrupted form of democracy, akin to tyranny.
This chapter emphasizes Aristotle's nuanced understanding of democracy and oligarchy, critiquing simplistic definitions and stressing the importance of law in maintaining a true regime. By exploring the many parts of the city and their roles, he underscores the complexity of political structures and the variety of regime types.
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