BOOK II Chapter 1 Reason and Order 1260b27

Chapter 1

1. Purpose of the Inquiry (1260b)
   • Aristotle’s goal is to study the best political community, one that is superior for those who can live in the ideal way:
     • The community that allows people to live as closely as possible to the life one would pray for (the good life).
   • To understand this ideal, Aristotle will investigate other regimes:
     • Both those that are currently in use in cities that are said to be well managed.
     • And those regimes proposed by thinkers as being in a fine condition (theoretical regimes).
   • The purpose is to identify what is correct and useful in these regimes, and to see if seeking something beyond them is warranted.
2. Justification for Investigating Other Regimes
   • Aristotle argues that investigating new regimes is not just the work of sophists (who merely argue for argument's sake).
   • This inquiry is necessary because the existing regimes may not be in the best condition:
     • The goal is to find ways to improve the conditions of political communities beyond what currently exists.
3. The Natural Beginning of the Inquiry
   • Aristotle begins by considering whether citizens in a community should share everything or nothing or some things but not others:
     • This is a fundamental question in understanding how a political community should be structured.
4. The Necessity of Sharing in a Community
   • Total isolation (sharing in nothing) is impossible in a political community:
     • A regime is a type of community, and communities must share something in common.
     • At the very least, citizens must share a location, since a single city occupies a single place, and citizens live together in that place.
5. What Should Be Shared in a Political Community?
   • Aristotle considers the question of whether citizens should share everything (as in Plato’s Republic) or only some things:
     • In Plato’s Republic, Socrates argues for the common ownership of women, children, and property.
     • Aristotle poses the question: Is it better for the city to be organized as it currently exists (with individual ownership), or should it follow the model where everything is held in common?

Key Themes in Chapter 1:

• Search for the Best Regime: Aristotle sets the stage for an investigation into the best possible political community, aiming to discover the superior regime that allows citizens to live the most desirable and virtuous life.
• Comparison with Other Regimes: Aristotle emphasizes the importance of studying both existing regimes and theoretical models to identify what works well and what does not, especially in light of ideal or proposed political systems.
• Sharing in a Community: The question of how much citizens should share—whether they should share everything or only some things—becomes a central issue in determining the structure of a political community.
• Plato’s Republic: Aristotle raises the issue of common ownership proposed in Plato’s Republic, particularly the sharing of women, children, and property, which he will critically examine in further chapters.

This chapter serves as the introduction to Aristotle’s critique of existing and proposed political regimes, and the inquiry into the ideal organization of political communities.