Politics: A Treatise on Government by Aristotle

Translated from Greek by William Ellis, A.M.
1st issue of this edition 1912
Reprinted 1919, 1923, 1928

Introduction: by translator
A handbook for the legislator, a state doctor, rather than one who has the power to control the forces of society.
For Plato and Aristotle the natural state is the ideal state.

BOOK I
Chapter I
Every city is a society and every society is established for a good purpose.
Chapter II
Masters and slaves, equal adantages for both
The gift of speech prooves that man is a more social animal than the bees or any herding of cattle.
Justice is a political virtue, by the rules of it the state is regulated.  These rules are the criterion of what is right.
Chapter III
Family government
Chapter IV
Subsistence in a family.
Masters and slaves, husbands and wives.
Chapter V
Some men are slaves by nature, and others are free men.
Chapter VI
Some may be slaves as a result of a war.  Others are slaves by nature.  Then a mutual utility and friendship may subsist.
Chapter VII
A political state is government of free men and equals.
There is much difference between a free man and a slave.
Chapter VIII
A slave is a particular species of property.
Plants are created for the sake of animals and animals for the sake of men.
Chapter IX
Money was established as a necessary means of exchange>
Chapter X
Money making is two fold: for the service of the house or for retail trade.
Usury is most reasonably detested. Original purpose of money was for exchange.  Breeding of money: usury is money bred of money.  This is against nature.
Chapter XI
First and most proper parts of domestic management:
-  Skillful in the nature of cattle.
-  Advantages of keeping horses, or oxen, or sheep, or other
    livestock.
-  Comparative value of above things.
-  Agriculture should be understood.
-  Management of arable grounds and orchards.
-  The care of bees, and fish and birds.Merchandise and gaining money by exchange.
- 2nd method by usury.
- 3rd method - wages for work done.
Monopolies to gain money.
Chapter XII
Government of wives and children:
-  wife = citizen of a free state.
-  children = under kingly power of the husband.
Chapter XIII
The virtues of slaves, women, and children.

BOOK II
Chapter I
The polity of those states which are allowed to be well governed.  Things in common:
-  common place to live = a city.
-  wives and children and goods in common as per Plato and Socrates?
Chapter II
Reasons why families should be separate and not have all in common.
Chapter III
In upper Africa there are wives in common but deliver their children to their respective fathers guided by their likeness to them.
Chapter IV
With a common community there would be many improper intercourses betwen fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters, etc.
Chapter V
What manner property should be regulated - common or not.
But people should have education in common.
Disagrees with Socrates re common property, wives, etc.
Chapter VI
Discussion of Plato's book of Laws.
Chapter VII
Other forms of government permit:
-  an equality of goods.
-  forbidding the sale of property.
-  an equality of honours.
-  military provided.
Chapter VIII
Hippodamus designed a state :
-  10,000 persons
-  artisans, husbandmen, soldier
-  lands into 3 parts:
          -  sacred purposes
          -  public
          -  individuals
-  3 sets of laws
          -  assaults
          -  trespasses
          -  death
Chapter IX
-  no right way of managing slaves
-  some states women take it over if not well regulated.
-  ephori - judges nto wells selected.
Chapter X
Public meals often a problem.
Chapter XI
Comparison of 3 best cities:
-  Carthage - magistry of 104 persons
                      Aristocracy + Democracy
-  Crete
-  Lacedaemnia
Chapter XII
Laws of various cities

BOOK III
Chapter I
What is a city?
It is a collective body of many parts.
What is a citizen?
Not defined by a residence.
Complete citizen = having a share in the judicial and executive part of government.
A city is a collective body of citizens.
Chapter II
In common use a citizen can come from either a father or a mother. Others consider how many ancestors have been citizens. "A citizen is made by a citizen maker."
Chapter III
A city is no longer the same if its form of government changes.
Chapter IV
Virtues of a good citizen =
-  safety of the community
-  to know and do well
-  how to command and how to obey
Chapter V
Mechanics and other such are considered imperfect citizens in some states and not citizens at all in others.
Chapter VI
Only one form of government or more than one?
Only one for each state or city.
Chapter VII
Different kinds of governments and good points:
-  A kingdom - one ruler
-  A theocracy - a few rulers
-  A tyranny from a kingdom -only for the rich
-  An oligarchy from a theocracy - only for the rich
-  A democracy from a state - only for the poor
Chapter VIII
In oligarchy or democracy both will enjoy liberty, and from claims of liberty and wealth will arise continual disputes with each other re the lead in public life.
Chapter IX
Oligarchy vs democracy.
Chapter X
Where should supreme power be lodged?
Chapter XI
It seems supreme power be lodged with the many?
Best if according to their laws.
Chapter XII
How to determine what things are equal or unequal.
Chapter XIII
Who shall govern?
Ostracism rule for those too powerful, for a stated time.
Chapter XIV
The nature of monarchies?  Varies.
-  a king for life
-  bound by laws even if tyrants.
-  elective tyranny according to ancient rules regarding time.
-  hereditary monarchy.
Chapter XV
Kings vs aristocracy.
Chapter XVI
Absolute monarch.
Written laws.
Chapter XVII
A tyranny is not according to nature.
Chapter XVIII
Three sorts of government and best will be that administered by the best man.

BOOK IV
Chapter I
What sort of government is best and most correspondent to our with?  How best to preserve it.
Chapter II
Types and possible problems.
-  Kingly: becoming tyrannical.
-  Aristicratical: becoming oligarchical.
-  Free states:  becoming democratical.
Chapter III
Basically 2 forms: ruled by few or ruled by many.
Chapter IV
Best descriptions:
Democracy - when supreme power in the hands of freemen.
Oligarchy- when in the hands of the rich.
Many parts of cities and states:
1.  husbandmen - provisions
2.  mechanics - manual arts
3.  exchange men - merchants, etc.
4.  hired labourers or workmen
5.  men at arms
6.  distribute justice, council, civil wisdom
7.  the rich
8.  execute offices of the state
     governors of city or state
     office of senators
     office of judge
Chapter V
Species of Oligarchies:
-  census determines right to office
-  magistrates men of very small fortune
-  power in hereditary nobility
-  hereditary nobility not controlled by lay - a dynasty
Chapter VI
Species of Democracy:
-  meeting limits to qualify for government
-  everyone eligble for magistrates
-  every freeman right to govern
-  when cities become very large and everyone to govern.
Species of Oligarchy:
-  determined by the laws and enough freetime
-  men of moderate means with leisure time.
-  Few with large fortunes get laws changed to allow them to govern.
-  Some get laws changed to allow son to succeed upon rich man's death.
Chapter VII
Kingly form and aristocracy defined previously
A fifth form = a free state:
      Virtue not in their common case.
Chapter VIII
Free State - mixture of an oligarchy a democracy
Chapter IX
3 ways for two states to combine:
-  Laws combined
-  Rights to vote combined
-  Different laws of each adopted
Chapter X
A tyranny vs Kingly
- both established by law
- tyranny not responsible for conduct.
  object is his own advantage
Chapter XI
What form of government and what manner of life best for communities?
-  A happy life must arise from an uninterrupted course of virtue
-  Very rich
-  In between is best
-  Very poor
Chapter XII
Aristicratical government too much power to the rich.
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Public assembly
Offices of the state
Judicial department
Chapter XV
Choice of magistrates - by vote or by lot
Chapter XVI
Judicial - 8 different courts:
-  inspection of magistrates   -  contracts of great value
-  injury of the public              -   foreigners and murder
-  state causes                        -   strangers
-  magistrates and citizens    -   for small actions

BOOK V
Chapter I
-  alterations in government
-  destruction of each state, causes
-  means to preservation of a state
Chapter II and III
Causes of seditions and revolutions.  Examples
Chapter IV
More examples of revolutions
Chapter V
Causes of revolution in democracies
Chapter VI
Revolutions in oligarchies
Chapter VII
Revolutions in aristocracies
Chapter VIII
Preservations of governments:
-  nothing be done contrary to law
-  no credit to those who deceive
-  census problems
-  no one should have too much power
Chapter IX
Qualifications of officers of top departments of government
Education of children for the state.
Chapter X
Monarchies - corruption and preservation
Chapter XI
Preservation of monarchies:
-  depends on on power of the kings being kept in moderate
    bounds
-  keep everyone busy: pyramids example, or in a war
-  a king is preserved by his friends.
Chapter XII
An oligarchy and a tyranny are of all governments the shortest
duration.
A tyranny often changes to another form.

BOOK VI
Chapter I
Combinations of government
Many species of democracy
Different sorts of people
Chapter II
Democracy, equality and liberty: should elect by lot rather than by vote.
Chapter III
How to establish equality in a democracy?
By numbers, or by property, or ?
Chapter IV
4 kind of democracy:
-   Best - with mostly husbandmen, farmers, etc.
-   Next - mostly shepherds and herdsmen
-   Worst - mostly mechanics, exchangemen, and hired servants
-   Even worst - mostly tribesmen
Chapter V
Laws should be directed toward welfare of the state.
Chapter VI
How oligarchy founded?  On principles opposite to democracy.
Best:  government officers from better part of the people.
Chapter VII
Great number of horse = easy for an oligarchy to establish = military.
Oligarchy regulated by a census.
Chapter VIII
Magistrates - how many, what purpose?
-  same persons not to pass sentence and execute it.
-  guards of city and war.
-  priests, etc - care of religion and temple.

BOOK VII
Chapter I
External goods produce not virtue, but virtue produces them.
Chapter II
Happiness of a man and a city the same thing or different?
Chapter III
An active life is the happiest.
Same life happy for the individual is also happy for state and every member.
Chapter IV
Size of city
Chapter V
Size of a country
Chapter VI
Country and city best by the sea?
Chapter VII
Natural disposition of community members.
Chapter VIII
Things necessary to a city:
-  Food, arts, arms, revenue.
-  Religious establishment - a court
-  Personel to handle above.
Chapter IX
Priests in a class to themselves
Classes of people in  a city or country are usually in more than one class.
Chapter X
Husbandmen and soldiers should be separate.
Common meals in some cities.
Religious worship paid by the state.
Land - 1/2 to individuals, 1/2 to state.
Of state land - 1/2 to common meals, 1/2 for religious purpose
Chapter XI
A city needs good position for:
-  Health
-  Business facilities
-  Defense
-  Water
-  Wall protection
Chapter XII
Public tables for eating
Temples for worship
A large public square
A separate square for buying and selling.
Chapter XIII
What numbers and sort of people?
Chapter XIV
Education
Chapter XV
Reason and intelligence come with maturity.
Chapter XVI
Matrimony and nuptial contact.
Ages of a man and a woman.
Ages for having children
Best time to marry - women = 18, men = 37. Bodies at perfection
Winter best time to marry.
Chapter XVII
Food and care for children:
-  milk, not wine
-  cold weather good
-  do not teach untl age 5
-  disputes between boys contribute to their growth.
-  never in company of slaves
-  educate at home until age 7
-  forbid speaking forbidden speech
-  2 stages = 7 to puberty, puberty to 21

BOOK VIII
Chapter I
Main Education should be public.
Chapter II
Teach to improve reason and rectify morals.
Chapter III
For Boys:
-  Reading
-  Gymnastic exercises - to produce courage
-  Music
-  Painting
Chapter IV
Exercising to improve body.
Chapter V
-  Music - amusement and pleasure - tends to produce virtue.
-  To instruct, to amuse, or for vacant hours
-  Tends to improve manners and souls.
-  Connection between harmony and rythm.
Chapter VI
Good to sing and play instruments.
Good to learn the practical parts.
Chapter VII
Harmony and rythm in music.
Doric and Phrygian music
Lydian music very good for children.

Complete index at end.
Finished reading 6/6/2011.