Essay About Ideal State And Features Of Citizens

U Know
Essay Preview: U Know
Report this essay
Aristotle discusses the ideal state and citizens. In his ideal state, Aristotle states about the features of citizens and answers the question of who sould be citizen? . The concept of citizen is very important in his ideal state, because according to Aristotle citizens have the fullest sovereign power, and it would be ridiculous to deny their participation in the state management. Aristoles inspiration is from biology. It depends on teleology. Teleology is about purposefullness.Everything has a purpose. So the form of the citizen is like that. Aristotle argues that citizens have a common purpose for the stability of association, because they are the most important part of society. According to Aristotle, a citizen is one who participates in giving judgement and holding office. For citizens membership on juries has no limitation or to be a member of an assembly. But there is no agreement as what constitutes a citizen generally. The citizens will necessarily vary according to the constitution. In a democracy, the all poor people could be citizens; however in an oligarchy the rich people are going to be citizens. It means in an oligarchy only rich people will give judgement and hold office. Aristotle states that resident foreigners and slaves are not citizens. Because citizens are a particular class of men, the others (slaves, foreigners, workers) dont have the function of ruling and being ruled according to Aristotle. Therefore the occupations of others are different from the citizens.Aristotle makes discrimination in society. Many people couldnt have right to be citizens because of their occupations or situations in society. Aristotle argues some virtues about the citizens and rulers. At first he states that the virtue of the citizen must be in relation with the constitution. There are many types of constitutions. In each constitution there are different virtues. For instance in Aristocracy courage is the main virtue but in monarchy wisdom is