That is, the citizens are a group of persons exercising the political rights. Noble and good life is happy life.Īny analysis of Aristotle’s conception of citizenship reveals that the definition of citizenship centres around the exercise of political rights. The state is a self-sufficient unit and this self-sufficiency is not for the purposes of life alone, but for good and noble life. According to Aristotle, the polis or state is not a mere assembly of persons at a certain place. Naturally, the citizenship is also bound to differ. The constitutions of the states differ and also their nature and functions.
Mere participation in the offices of the state is not a criterion of citizenship. He who has the power to take part in the deliberative or judicial administration of any state is said by us to be a citizen of that state and, speaking generally, a state is a body of citizens sufficing for the purposes of life. Let us see how Aristotle has defined citizenship. Therefore, it has many parts and the citizen is one such part. The state, we have already pointed out, is a composite whole.
He asks what is state? Polis or citizen and politeia or constitutions are the two constituent parts of state.Īs regards the definition of state he observes that there is no unanimity of definition. It begins with the observation of polis or state.
These two discussions constitute the kernel of Greek political thought. The major part of this book is devoted to the analysis of constitutions and citizenship. Aristotle’s Book III of Politics is regarded by many as Aristotle’s best work on politics.
0 kommentar(er)
