While reading “Aristotle: The Polis, from Politics” I came to realize how important and beneficial would be to live in a society where the middle class would be the predominant. I came to realize that not only in the ancient times, but nowadays, the people with better looks, more money and better social status are more powerful and have more influence in the way the society is ruled than the ones that lack of these “qualities”. Aristotle mentions that the ideal state would be constituted by individuals who are equal and similar. This wouldn’t prevent the society from so much negative competition, envy and violence caused by the huge pressure that we have to obtain a higher social status. Like Aristotle mentions: “It has now become a habit among the citizens of the state, not even to care about equality, all men are seeking for dominion, or, if conquered, are willing to submit”. Why are we afraid of equality?
The idea that the state is created by nature is very interesting too. I never saw this point of view about our social structure. As Aristotle says, “A social instinct is implanted in all men by nature”, we were created with the ability to speak and with the need to coexist with others. And a state is formed by that relationship between individuals and the social needs and circumstances of each of them.
1 comment:
Actually if you look at the origin of our own country it WAS built upon developing a strong middle class. Throught history countries kill themselves because of class warfare, where the poor rise up and depose of the rich, and it becomes cyclical. In a country such as ours with a large and established 'middle' class, coupled with the ability to move from lower class, to middle, and middle to upper (the opportunity is there anyway) a buffer is created keeping the poor from rising up against the rich. However should the middle class shrink too much, you will see much more talk of 'revolt against gov't'.
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