Aristotle: The Relationship Between Slavery and Political

Aristotle: The Relationship Between Slavery and Political Government and Constitution

Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher as well as a scientist and social thinker. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the ancient world and his views on political theory still have influence today.

Central to all his philosophical thinking is the idea of reason and rationality. Aristotle's view that reason was the primary and most important aspect of human nature has important implications for his theory of the political constitution of society, and particularly for his justification of slavery. His thinking was based on the belief that the constitution and ordering of society as a political body should be based on the principle of reason and order that was to be found in nature.

Aristotle conducts his philosophical inquiries based on the presuppositions that the universe is a rational and ordered whole in which each part has a distinct purpose and function. Reason can discern a thing's purpose by looking at its origin and characteristics in order to determine the end for which it exists. (ClassicNote on Aristotle's Politics)

From this rational standpoint Aristotle developed his ethical theories which are concerned with the way human life and society should be run. This relates to his idea of the 'ultimate good', which refers to the greatest virtue and happiness for society and the individual. He argues that the "ultimate good for a human being is a life lived according to virtue and in contemplation of the highest truths of the universe ... Aristotle's political views are inextricably linked to his emphasis on virtue and reason in relation to the ultimate good for a human being."

The word 'politics' comes from the Greek word politikos which means 'pertaining to the city state'; therefore, for Aristotle political science is to advance the 'collective well-being of humans' (Bullen, P) within the society or city-state. The idea of society or community as being structured towards well-being is central to Aristotle's view of Politics. In this scheme of things there is a specific order and hierarchy of elements in a society which constitutes its effective structure.

For Aristotle, using reason and the idea of natural order, women and slaves have a specific place and function in society and they are more dependent and not as naturally free as men. In other words, the foundations of the political and governmental constitution of a country are based on a natural and rational order which reflects the greatest good for the society. Politics is therefore the art of creating and maintaining this constitution.

In Aristotle's view all people are not born equal in political terms and there is a difference between men, women and slaves in the society, which is reflected in the political constitution. This view of certain people as 'natural' slaves is one which would not be accepted in our contemporary society.

While all members of the human species share a common essence, end and characteristic activity, most are defective and unable to actualize that essence, end, and characteristic activity. They are either children, female, or naturally slavish. Although, children can become adults, females and natural slaves cannot become male or naturally free. (ibid)

Aristotle bases his view of slavery on a model of the natural world and views slavery as 'good' in the sense that people who are naturally intended to be slaves are much happier in this station within the structure of the political and social constitution of society. It should also be remembered that without slaves Greek society would not have been able to manage as effectively as it did both economically and intellectually, " ... slaves provide the leisure needed for the highest human activity" (Bullen P.); ... The economies of the Greek city-states rested on slavery and without slaves (and women) to do the productive labor, there could be no leisure for men to engage in more intellectual lifestyles. The greatness of Athenian plays, architecture, sculpture, and philosophy could not have been achieved without the institution of slavery. (Aristotle: Politics)

Aristotle justifies slavery in terms of reason. In order to justify slavery he places the slave in a rational position within the ordered structure of the society. His view is based on a belief in essential and innate differences and distinctions between people and their abilities. Slaves for Aristotle are "as different [from other men] as the soul from the body or man from beast ... " (ibid)

The are "slaves by nature ... For he is a slave by nature who is capable of belonging to another -- which is also why he belongs to another -- and who participates in reason only to the extent of perceiving it, but does not have it." (ibid) Once again, the emphasis rests on the justification of differences between people through the use of reason and logic.

Therefore in this sense slavery was a necessity for the society in practical terms. However, it also formed an essential part of the way that Aristotle viewed the necessary structure of the city-state in relation to the political body. If slavery was not institutionalized this would have meant, in Aristotle's view, that those who were rationally and 'naturally' meant to be slaves, would have no constitutional place in the society. And as they were not fit for anything else this would not lead to their happiness.