Work

Why Are Democracy and Oligarchy the Most Important 'Constitutions' in Aristotle's View and How Do They Fundamentally Differ?

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: škola mezinárodních a veřejných vztahů a AMBIS, Praha Why Are Democracy and Oligarchy the Most Important 'Constitutions' in Aristotle's View and How Do They Fundamentally Differ?Abstract: According to Aristotle, democracy and oligarchy are empirically the most widespread and analytically fundamental 'constitutions'.I analyse how in different places in his Politics Aristotle 'positively' defines and differentiates between democracy and oligarchy.At the same time, I substantiate in detail a new interpretation of Aristotle's view that significantly differs from the current interpretation.'Combining' the elements, procedures, and principles of democracy and oligarchy gives rise to mixed 'constitutions', a special place among which is occupied by the politeia or republic, which is the best regime 'for most states and for most people'.I show the ways in which it is possible, according to Aristotle, to form such a regime.Carl Schmitt and, later somewhat differently, Bernard Manin draw a link between Aristotle's mixed regime and the representative democracies of today.

Source: Czech Sociological Review

DOI: 10.13060/csr.2023.033

Author: Miroslav Novák

Institutions: University of International and Public Relations Prague, Ambis University

Language: English

Topic: Classical Philosophy and Thought

Subfield: Philosophy

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4378084704