BOOK II Chapter 4 The outcome of the Regime

Chapter 4

1. Difficulties of Common Ownership of Family Members (1262a)
   • Practical Issues: Common ownership of women and children creates several problems:
     • Outrages, involuntary homicides, voluntary homicides, assaults, and verbal abuse are more likely to occur in a community where individuals do not know who their relatives are.
     • Such crimes are considered more grievous when committed against family members than outsiders.
     • Only those who know their relatives can perform the lawful expiations (rituals for making amends), meaning that these remedies are not available in a community where kinship is unknown.
2. Inconsistencies in Plato’s Proposal
   • Contradiction: In Plato’s Republic, sons are made common, but love and certain improper behaviors between relatives (e.g., a father and son) are not explicitly forbidden.
   • Odd Reasoning: It seems contradictory that sexual intercourse is eliminated simply because the pleasure is too strong, without regard to the kinship between the individuals involved. This implies no distinction is made between improper relations within a family and those outside it.
3. Common Women and Children for Farmers vs. Guardians
   • Less Affection for Farmers: Aristotle argues it would be more logical for the farmers to have common women and children rather than the guardians:
     • Less affection would develop among those who share children and women, which would be beneficial for the ruled class (farmers), as they would be less likely to resist authority or plot against their rulers.
   • Opposite of Intended Effect: The arrangement of shared children and women has the opposite effect of what laws should achieve, as it would not create unity or harmony in the city.
4. Socrates' Argument on Affection and Unity
   • Affection is Important: Aristotle emphasizes that affection is the most important factor for promoting unity in a city, preventing factional conflict.
     • Socrates’ aim of making the city one is rooted in the belief that affection fosters unity.
     • Aristophanes' Idea of Love: Aristotle references Aristophanes’ discourse on love, which speaks of lovers desiring to become one out of affection.
5. Dilution of Affection in Common Ownership
   • Dilution of Relationships: In a system where kinship is diluted by common ownership of children and women, affection becomes weak:
     • Fathers and sons do not view each other as “mine,” which diminishes their bond.
     • The familial ties and affection are diluted like water added to wine, making them imperceptible.
     • This weakens the emotional connection between fathers and sons, brothers, and other family members.
6. Key Factors of Affection and Ownership
   • Two Key Factors of Affection: Aristotle identifies two primary factors that foster affection and care:
     • What is one's own: The sense of personal ownership over something or someone.
     • What is dear: The emotional attachment to something or someone.
   • Neither of these factors can exist in a society with common ownership of women and children, thus undermining the affection necessary for unity and harmony.
7. Uncertainty Regarding the Transfer of Children
   • Confusion in the Transfer of Children: Aristotle points out the logistical confusion in Plato's system regarding the transfer of children between farmers, artisans, and guardians:
     • The transfer process would inevitably reveal to some individuals who their real parents or children are, making the goal of anonymity impossible.
     • Those responsible for transferring and assigning children would necessarily know who belongs to whom, undermining the anonymity of kinship.
8. Increased Risk of Crime and Disorder
   • Crime and Disorder: As a result of this system, certain crimes, such as assaults, love affairs, and murders, would become more likely:
     • Without a sense of kinship, there is no inhibition against committing these acts because individuals no longer view each other as fathers, mothers, brothers, or children.
     • The lack of familial bonds removes a natural restraint against harmful actions.
9. Conclusion on Common Ownership of Women and Children
   • Summary: Aristotle concludes that the proposal for common ownership of women and children is deeply flawed and would not achieve the desired unity or harmony.
   • Transition: The discussion on this topic ends, and Aristotle suggests moving on to other aspects of political theory.

Key Themes in Chapter 4:

• Practical and Ethical Issues of Common Ownership: Aristotle highlights the practical difficulties and ethical concerns with Plato’s idea of common ownership of women and children, particularly in terms of crime, responsibility, and familial relationships.
• Affection and Kinship: Affection, which is fostered by personal ownership and familial bonds, is essential for the unity of a city. Common ownership undermines these bonds, leading to a weakening of social cohesion.
• Dilution of Relationships: Aristotle uses the metaphor of adding water to wine to describe how common ownership dilutes the meaningful relationships that hold a community together.
• Logistical and Social Challenges: Aristotle raises concerns about the logistics of transferring children between different classes, as well as the risk of increased crime due to the absence of strong family bonds.
• Inconsistencies in Plato's Proposal: He points out inconsistencies in Plato’s reasoning, especially in regard to sexual relationships and the weakening of familial care in a system of common ownership.

Aristotle’s critique of Plato’s Republic continues to emphasize the importance of individual responsibility and personal relationships as the foundation for a stable and harmonious political community.