BOOK II Chapter 2 The Regime of Platos Republic Common Wives and Children

Chapter 2

1. Critique of Common Women and Children (1261a)
   • Aristotle critiques the proposal in Plato’s Republic of having women and children held in common:
     • He argues that there are many difficulties with this arrangement.
     • The reason Socrates gives for such legislation does not follow from his own arguments and logic.
2. Socrates' Premise of Unity in the City
   • Socrates claims that the city should aim to be as unified as possible, becoming a single entity.
   • However, Aristotle argues that this goal is impossible and undesirable:
     • As the city becomes more unified, it would cease to be a city and instead become a household or even a single person.
     • The city, by its nature, is an aggregation of different parts and people.
3. Difference Between City and Household
   • The city is made up of diverse elements, while a household or individual is more unified.
   • As unity increases, the city loses its essence:
     • A household is more unified than a city, and an individual is more unified than a household.
     • Therefore, making a city excessively unified would destroy its nature as a city.
4. Diversity and Differences in the City
   • A city is not only made up of a large number of people but also of people who differ in kind.
     • A city is different from an alliance or nation:
       • An alliance exists for mutual assistance and may be composed of similar people.
       • A city, on the other hand, arises from differences among its members.
     • Example: A nation like the Arcadians, who live scattered in villages, differs from a unified city.
5. Reciprocal Equality in Cities
   • Aristotle asserts that reciprocal equality preserves cities, echoing his earlier discussions from the Ethics:
     • Even among free and equal citizens, all cannot rule at the same time.
     • Citizens take turns in ruling, maintaining balance by sharing power over time.
6. Rotation of Power
   • In a well-functioning political community, citizens rotate through different roles of authority:
     • This is similar to shoemakers and carpenters exchanging places rather than always performing the same tasks.
     • Rotation allows everyone to share in both ruling and being ruled.
7. Permanence of Rule
   • While rotation of power is necessary where citizens are equal, Aristotle believes it is better when the same people rule if possible:
     • In cases where this is not feasible due to equality among citizens, power-sharing arrangements, such as ruling in turns, imitate the ideal scenario.
8. Excessive Unity Destroys the City
   • Aristotle reiterates that making a city excessively unified is harmful:
     • A city’s good is what preserves it, and excessive unity destroys the city.
     • The self-sufficiency of a city lies in its ability to encompass a multitude of people, forming a community.
9. Self-Sufficiency and Unity
   • Aristotle concludes that a household is more self-sufficient than an individual, and a city is more self-sufficient than a household:
     • Self-sufficiency increases with the number of people in a community.
     • Therefore, a less unified city is more desirable because it is more self-sufficient and capable of sustaining itself.

Key Themes in Chapter 2:

• Criticism of Plato’s Republic: Aristotle critiques the proposal for common women and children in Plato’s Republic, arguing that such arrangements do not follow logically from Socrates' arguments and would lead to the destruction of the city's nature.
• Unity vs. Diversity in the City: The city, by its nature, must be made up of diverse elements, and excessive unity threatens to turn it into something less than a city, like a household or individual.
• Importance of Reciprocal Equality: Cities thrive on reciprocal equality, where citizens share power by taking turns in ruling, maintaining a balance of authority.
• Rotation of Power: Aristotle argues for the rotation of leadership roles in political communities where citizens are equal, as a way to ensure fairness and maintain the city’s structure.
• Self-Sufficiency and Moderation of Unity: A city’s self-sufficiency is enhanced by its diversity, and Aristotle concludes that a less unified city is more desirable than one that is excessively unified, because it can better sustain itself.