Political Agreements and Disagreements between Plato and Aristotle - Essay Example

Aristotle, on the other hand, does not buy the idea of a perfect society, instead, he focuses on accomplishing betterment and completeness in the existing society. According to Aristotle, politics should be based on generally accepted laws, norms, and customs. Plato in his political philosophy divides the community into three distinct classes; the producing class; then the supplementary class; finally the elite category of Rulers or Guardians. Rulers are assumed to be the wisest ones, who are capable of understanding and performing in absolute good of the society.

Along with this Plato advocates the abolishment of private property rights for the producers and supplementary class, and simultaneously conserves the idea of having a family of the Rulers and Guardians only. (Hacker, Andrew. Political Theory: Philosophy, Ideology, Science. New York: Macmillan) Aristotle, on the other hand, has also segmented society into three subsections, based on existing trends in society; firstly oligarchy; secondly, polity; and finally democracy. When placed on a continuum Polity is a moderate ion of oligarchy and democracy, with added features of both types and claimed it to be the best way to govern a society.

In polity people who hold some private property are a part of the governing body, as was in an oligarchy, but simultaneously, property qualifications were kept low enough for a majority of a population to have a share of it and be part of the government as is the gist of democracy. According to Aristotle polity was the most preferable type of government because it consisted of a majority of the middle class where people shared a similar frequency and frame of mind, which in return shall give birth to a more stable and well-administered state.

(Political Agreements and Disagreements between Plato and Aristotle) Aristotle believed that a good society was one where there was rule of law and constitution was the supreme authority, set by the general public, and the relation between government and state must be of liberty and freedom and not that of a ruler and servants.