Chapter 10
Introduction to Chapter 10
Aristotle discusses the Cretan regime and its similarities to the Spartan system. While the Cretan regime shares many characteristics with Sparta’s, Aristotle argues that it is less refined and more flawed in several respects. He analyzes various aspects of the Cretan system, including its treatment of property, common messes, government offices, and military arrangements, comparing them to the Spartan system and critiquing their weaknesses.
1. Similarities Between the Cretan and Spartan Regimes (1271b-1272a)
1.1 The Influence of Crete on Sparta
- Aristotle notes that the Spartan regime is an imitation of the Cretan regime in many respects, but adds that newer regimes tend to be more developed than older ones.
- Lycurgus in Crete: According to tradition, Lycurgus, the Spartan lawgiver, spent time in Crete and adopted many of their laws, which were believed to have been first instituted by Minos, the legendary lawgiver of Crete.
1.2 Strategic Location of Crete
- Aristotle highlights the strategic position of Crete in the Mediterranean, making it an ideal center for rule over Greece and surrounding regions.
- Minos' Rule Over the Sea: Minos is said to have established naval dominance over the islands and engaged in foreign conquests, including an expedition to Sicily.
2. Key Features of the Cretan and Spartan Regimes (1272a)
2.1 Common Messes and Helots
- Both regimes rely on subject populations: the helots in Sparta and Cretan subjects who farm for the elite.
- Common Messes: Both Cretans and Spartans hold common meals. However, while Spartans called them “men’s messes,” the Cretans continue to refer to them by the same name.
2.2 Government Structure
- Cretan Council: The Cretan council, or senators, are comparable to the Spartan senate.
- Orderers vs. Overseers: In Crete, the orderers hold the same powers as the Spartan overseers, though the Cretans have 10 orderers compared to Sparta’s 5 overseers.
- Kingship: Crete once had a monarchy, but the kingship was overthrown, and the orderers now lead the army.
2.3 The Assembly
- Both the Spartan and Cretan assemblies are limited in power, having only the authority to ratify decisions made by the senators and orderers.
3. The Common Messes in Crete (1272a-b)
Aristotle praises the Cretan system of common messes for being more inclusive and better organized than that of the Spartans.
3.1 Public Contribution to the Common Messes
- In Crete, the common messes are supported by public resources, with food provided by the public land and contributions from subjects. This system allows women, children, and men to be sustained by the treasury.
- Spartan Common Messes: In contrast, Spartan citizens must make individual contributions to participate, and those who cannot afford to do so are excluded from the regime.
3.2 Control of Food Supply
- The Cretan legislator skillfully arranged for food scarcity to ensure that the people remain frugal, and also provided for relationships between men to control population growth. (Aristotle leaves the moral evaluation of this for another occasion.)
4. Critique of the Orderers (1272b)
4.1 Problems with the Orderers
- Aristotle argues that the Cretan orderers are even more problematic than the Spartan overseers.
- Like the overseers, the orderers are average individuals with significant powers, but unlike the overseers, they do not provide any benefit to the regime.
- Hereditary Rule: The orderers are elected from certain families, and senators are chosen from among those who have served as orderers, leading to an oligarchic concentration of power.
4.2 Lack of Audits
- Aristotle criticizes the lack of audits for the orderers, noting that they have too much power and rule based on discretion rather than written laws.
4.3 The People’s Lack of Participation
- The Cretan people remain quiet because they have no power and do not participate in the regime. This is different from Sparta, where the overseers are elected from the people, giving them a share in the most important office.
5. Instability and "Lack of Order" (1272b)
Aristotle criticizes the Cretan system for encouraging instability and personal rule among the powerful.
5.1 Expulsion and Resignation of Orderers
- The system allows orderers to be expelled by their colleagues or private individuals, and orderers can also resign mid-term. Aristotle sees this as a sign of instability, as it allows arbitrary rule.
5.2 "Lack of Order"
- The most severe problem in the Cretan regime is “lack of order”, a condition established by the powerful to avoid punishment or accountability. This leads to factional conflict and personal rule, undermining the political community.
5.3 Danger of External Attack
- Aristotle notes that this instability makes Crete vulnerable to external enemies, though its geographic isolation has historically protected it from attack.
6. Comparisons to the Helots and the Cretan Subjects (1272b-1273a)
6.1 Relationship Between Cretans and Their Subjects
- Unlike the helots in Sparta, the Cretan subjects do not frequently revolt, because the Cretans do not engage in external rule. However, recent foreign wars have exposed weaknesses in the Cretan laws.
6.2 Geographic Protection
- Crete’s isolation from foreign influence has served as a natural defense, much like a law expelling foreigners, protecting it from external threats and preserving its regime.
Conclusion: Weaknesses of the Cretan Regime (1273a)
Aristotle concludes his critique of the Cretan regime by highlighting its fundamental weaknesses:
- The lack of audits and the concentration of power in a few families creates an oligarchic system that undermines the political community.
- Instability and "lack of order" foster factional conflict and personal rule, leading to a breakdown in political unity.
- Despite these flaws, Crete has been preserved largely due to its geographic isolation, but recent challenges have revealed the regime’s vulnerability.
Aristotle ends by noting that further discussion of Crete’s weaknesses would follow, but he has covered the main points of critique in this chapter.
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