Political difference between Plato and Aristotle PDF

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plato and aristotle political differences. where differences, similarities, and present context are broadly discussed....

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Introduction Plato was an ancient Greek political philosopher and so was Aristotle. Plato (427 BC-347 BC) was born at Athens in Greece. He was student of Socrates who was another prominent Greek philosopher. Aristotle (384-322) was born at Stagira in Greece. He was student of Plato and took his education in Platonic Academy. Though he was a student of Plato he countered Plato’s thinking various times. Aristotle’s view of state was much more practical where Plato was mostly an idealist philosopher. Plato shared his political thoughts and thinking of state system in his famous book ‘The Republic’. There he revealed the structure of his state system. He said in ideal state the happiness of mankind depends on various components including general composition, upbringing, environment. He talked about three types of people including spirited, appetitive and rational. In the hierarchy of the state the philosophers will be the ruler, rationals would be the soldiers and appetitive will oversee economy and production. Plato’s education system was quite interesting. Here the philosophers and soldiers will take education for fifty years, and the appetitive will take education for thirty years. Plato’s state system has been criticized quite well. Aristotle shared his political thoughts and thinking of state system in his famous book ‘The Politics’. There he portrayed his state system. He considered mankind as political animal. He talked about natural instincts of state. Also talked about causal theory consisting of four causes such as; material cause, formal cause, moving cause and final cause. He also talked about teleological theories of state including six types of state system. Such as kingship, aristocracy, polity, tyranny, oligarchy and democracy where kingship’s deviant form is tyranny, aristocracy’s deviant form is oligarchy and polity’s deviant form is democracy. Aristotle’s theories are also criticized as well. Plato and Aristotle both have some similarities and differences in their state system theories too. Therefore, all the theories and others regarding the state system of Plato and Aristotle which are discussed very short above will be discussed in detail in upcoming chapters of this paper and an overview of relevancy of the state system theory of Plato and Aristotle in present time will take place at the very end of this paper, respectively.

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Md. Ashraful Islam. 19411098

Chapter: 1 1. Plato: Plato was a great philosopher and scholar who lived between the ages of 427 and 347 BC. He was a student of Socrates and later created the academy, the first recognized institution. "The Republic" is his most renowned work, and the "Theory of Form" is his most renowned theory. 1 This "Theory of form" expresses that the State's experience is constantly changing, illusory but the ideal form of State is unchanging and primitive. He also added that the real world is not the real "real" world. On the contrary, the ultimate reality lies outside our physical world.2 Plato was always interested in studying social phenomena like Politics, mathematics, logic, sociology, philosophy, literature, and so on. He intends to discover new laws and ideas which can be functions by human Society. He also tries expanding the boundaries of vest knowledge and the realization of human emancipation. Two events influenced Plato's thinking in his life: first, when his teacher Socrates was forced to drink a glass of poison, and second when the Peloponnesian War broke out between Athens and Sparta Time. After this incident, Plato left Athens, went to Megaera, Siren, Egypt, and Southern Italy for more than ten years, then returned and laid his academic foundation, which he named "Academic World." 1.1 Plato's Republic: Plato describes his political theory in The Republic. He argues that Society has three functions. 1. Reason: Rulers 2. Spirit: Soldiers 3. Appetite: Regular folks, laborers, and craftsmen

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All children would be reared and taught by the State in Plato's utopian society. Because the leaders in real democracy or an autocratic monarchy are untrained and hence unsuitable to rule, Plato maintained that this was the best approach to determining leadership.3

1.2 The political philosophy of Plato: Plato expresses his political philosophy through literature and dialogue style. He believes that literature writing style can express his views on politics clearly, and this literature writing style could address as poetic language. Plato likes the logical deductive method for expressing his opinion. Plato's political philosophy establish an attempt to define the justice and injustice matter. But Plato almost ignored the slave category and did not focus on the society layer.4 1.2.1 In case of state creation: Plato thought States created aim to the inadequacy of people as individuals, and the State establishes a connection with the individual. For Plato, the State is "a man of great proportions" (Ibid, p. 68). According to him, the State has more resemblance as an individual. Plato believes that this State is established because people as individuals are not enough to meet their needs. Consequently, we see that the creation of the State is mainly in two phases; first, the State acts more like an individual than a family. Second, state creation aims to show the fact that it is not enough for the individual to be an individual (Plato).5 1.2.2 Plato's ideal State A beautiful life is possible only in Society (country) and through it if Society is a natural institution. People are social and political animals. The State exists aimed to seek good healthy life. In Plato's most famous work, "The Republic," Plato put forward the ideal state theory. As a country, Plato put forward ideas on establishing an ideal federation, which should be the ruler of the ideal State and achieve justice in an ideal state. Plato found that the State is more suitable for discussing morals than the individual, not the individual, because, in a large country, a small country can easily see everything. Plato said that men are "bigger" than the sky of the country. The elements that make up the city match the elements that make up the individual's soul.

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Pythagoras's theory of human nature influenced Plato. Pythagoras divided human nature into three categories. I. Reason. ii. Courage; and iii. Hunger Plato said that a country is a living entity, a country represents the same characteristics on a larger scale, and an individual represents on a smaller level. The individual is part of the State. Similarly, since organs cannot live without a body, no individual cannot do anything outside the State. The State consists of classes and parts of these classes, and he creates his ideal State based on three main classes. The ruling class, which is well-educated in philosophy, oversees running the country. A military class with courage and physical power is needed to protect the State. However, a professional class is required to rule and deal with the State's regular or common everyday concerns. As a result, he based his ideal State on the three-primary governing, military, and producing classes.6 1.2.3 In case of forms of governance: According to Plato, democracy is a bad form of government, and he preferred the aristocracy for a good form of government. "The trial of Socrates" is one reason Plato hates democracy because he believes that his mentor Socrates was executed in injustice. This event was not the main reason Plato hated democracy most, but it has influenced his shaping mind on democracy. Just government, led by reasonable minds rather than those motivated by their lusts, aims to improve people's lives via education, protection, and day-to-day administration. On the other hand, Plato preferred aristocracy because it provided leadership positions for the most skilled and capable people. In that sequence, obey the sovereign, the civil law, and the natural law. We should not challenge the sovereign's judgment, but if he permits it, we should point out the flaws in his subordinates. In battle, protect the sovereign as you would be defended in peace.7

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1.2.4 In the case of gender relations: In areas where they have similar talents, Plato believes that husband and wife should have equal rights. Medicine is a good illustration of this. Men and women should have equal rights in the profession of medicine. 1.3 In the case of political theory: There are two basic theoretical examples of politics: idealism and realism. Plato's political philosophy is considered idealistic. With Plato's political philosophy, he noticed political changes. By changing the policy, Plato tried to redefine the concept and definition of justice and injustice. By changing the policy, Plato tried to redefine the concept and definition of justice and injustice.8 1.4 His other great works are: The Politicus or Statesman: Plato's Socratic conversation The Statesman, also known by its Latin title Politicus, deals with the definition of Statesman as opposed to Sophist or Philosopher. The Laws: It is Plato's final and longest discourse. The dialogue represented in the piece begins with the subject of who is credited with developing a civilization's rules. It has become a classic of political philosophy, alongside Plato's more commonly known Republic, because of its insights on the ethics of governance and law.9 1.5 Criticism: As shown in The Republic, Plato's Ideal State offers much lasting appeal and global significance, but it also has several flaws. In his organic idea of the Ideal State and its building. I. Plato showed too many similarities between individuals and nations. He was almost certain of both, and this identity led to confusion. ii. Plato failed to separate policy from politics. iii. According to the rules of communism and philosophy, Plato's ideal State is absolute and totalitarian. iv. In his ideal State, Plato did not notice and condemned the heinous slavery system.

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V. The mass production class or the hungry class is almost completely ignored; only the status of consumer goods producers is reduced. vi. Plato allowed the promotion of lower-class people to higher-level guardians but did not provide any education for this class, which may lead to such propaganda. His bronze and iron man destroyed into bronze and iron. vii. He underestimated his intelligence and character. viii. Plato's system violated human nature in promoting the communism of property and wife. This kind of communism will become very intolerable and lead to corruption. The temporary marriage arrangement of his parents is invalid. Plato's concept of justice leads to functional specialization, which hinders personal development due to personal and social poverty. X. In the ideal State of the sketch, Plato ignored the most important needs of the community. xi. He did not provide any conventional physique for his ideal State. xii. Regarding the appointment of officials, there are almost no laws to establish courts and punish criminals.10

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Reference: 1. HISTORY. 2019. Plato. [online] Available at:...