Aristotle's Theory Of Excellent Regime

It can be traced back to the ancient Greece that philosophers have conducted intensive research on the regime. Plato divided regime into five types in his work "Utopia", among which, the rule under philosopher kings is the best. In his later period book of the "Laws", he started to consider that a mixed system of government is excellent. And Aristotle's regime theory accedes and develops from his teacher Plato. Most of the eight volumes of the "Political Science" focused on regime. He has discussed the regime forms of monarchy, aristocratic, the civilian, oligarchy and republican in succession. On the issue of which is the best form of regime, Aristotle reckons that there are best forms of ideal regime and practicable regime. He said that although the monarchy regime and the aristocratic regime sound good, but they are very difficult to achieve in general polis. Only the republican regime can be achieved in most polis. Therefore, the research on Aristotle's theory of excellent regime is of significance both in theoretical and practical. First of all, Aristotle's regime theory is an important source of the coming regime theories. Secondly, Aristotle's theory of regime is of great significance in the construction of constitutionalism in China today.This article focuses on Aristotle's excellent regime republican. The present article begins with Plato's theory of regime which is mainly embodied in three of his books "Utopia," "Politicians" and the "Laws". In "Utopia", Plato conceives an ideal polis that women is publicly owned, as well as children and property, however, such an ideal polis can only exist under the rule of philosopher kings. Not until his old age, Plato realized that the "Utopian" he envisaged can not be achieved in reality, then he proposed in the "Laws" the "mixed regime", that is, the combination of the wisdom of monarchy and freedom of democratic, so that a variety of power are of balance. Aristotle has criticized on Plato's viewpoint, and put forward the theory of excellent regime. From the essence of the polis, Aristotle points out that polis is the Community combined by a number of families and races to ensure a good life, and takes the self-sufficient perfect life as the goal. The nature of polis lies in diversity, which decides the diversity of regime that constitutes the essence of polis Then Aristotle discussed the purpose to establish a polis. He believes that man is a political animal by nature. Even if people do not need the help of others, they still want to pursue a common life, and the common interests will put them together, to enjoy a better life in accordance with their own deserve. For all Community or individual, this is the dominant purpose. But only for their own survival, the human should live together by forming a political community. And then, Aristotle discusses the core principle of polis, i.e. justice. Aristotle holds that the right regime should take the common interests of all citizens as a policy goal. A good background, Freeman's identity, wealth and virtue can be used as merited credentials for official competition.It is very natural to Aristotle that transfers the focus from polis into regime. "The identity of polis means the identity of the regime", which manifests that the regime of polis is the most fundamental issue, to study polis is bound to explore the regime itself and the types of regime. Aristotle divides the regime into ideal regime and the practical regime, the former is including the monarchy and the aristocratic. He amplifies the two types of regime and evaluates them, and then points out that in ancient polis, the people preeminent in virtue are rarely found, and the origin of the monarchy even earlier. Moreover, kings are generally relying on their glorious achievements, and only the kind person can make which. However, with regard to the growing of the people worthy matching the kings in virtue, they are no longer contented to be below others, and turn to seek some kind of republican institutions, and set up a corresponding regime.Why republican form of government is the best regime is the point of this article. Aristotle exposits the republican regime by analyzing it from the aspects of the foundation of justice, class and the rule of law respectively. In his view, the institutional arrangements for the good regime should be carried out on the justice, fairness and justice should be the nucleus principles of good regime polis has its own ground to distribute the elements of political rights, not the only one, but one of them. Therefore, the just distribution of all these elements must take into account instead of some singleton. Any regime that only takes one of these factors into consideration is not just government. On the contrary, any just regime must be mixed a variety of elements, reflecting a variety of claims, although these factors require may be different in claiming rights, or the extent and quality of their influence. Middle class is the most basic one and the most ideal one among all these classes, which can embody the qualities of moderation best for the middle class has its own advantages. First of all, compared to the rich and the poor, the middle class tends to be rational. Secondly, they rarely have the ambition. Thirdly, relatively speaking, middle class is more stable, and conducive to political stability. For a polis, only when they take the middle class as the basis, they can compose the best regime. On the merits and defects of the rule by man and the rule by law, Aristotle emphasizes that the rule by law is better than rule by one person. He said that people have feelings in nature which will cause emotional bias and corruption, and the law is not having feelings, the rule by law is the rational governance which exempts from all of the irrational passions. After the discussion on which is the best regime, the evaluation on the excellent regime theory of Aristotle is made in this article finally.This article is composed of three parts.Part one is about Plato's theory of excellent regime. Firstly, the different opinions on excellent regime in Plato's three books are discussed, and then on Aristotle's criticism of Plato's political theory, which leads to the discussion on the theory of Aristotle on the excellent regime.Part two is on Aristotle's theory of excellent regime. This part includes two aspects: (1) the nature, purpose and justice of polis. In short, polis is the combination of citizen which number is enough to maintain the self-sufficient life, and the regime is the nature of polis Mankind forming political community is not only for the survival, but also for the social and political life. Justice is the nucleus principles of excellent regime. (2) Aristotle's theory of excellent regime. This is the principle part of this thesis. Aristotle divides excellent regimes of polis into the ideal one and practical one. The regime which is ruling by one person is called as monarchy, and which is ruling by numerous kind citizens is defined as aristocratic regime. Monarchy and the aristocratic regime sound good, but they are only an ideal to most polis. Only the republican regime is the possible excellent regime which can be implementing in general. This article amplifies the advantages of the republican regime from three basic aspects of the foundation of justice, the basis of class and the rule of law.Part three focuses on the evaluation of Aristotle's theory of excellent regime. This chapter is mainly discussed the theoretical and practical meaning of Aristotle's theory of excellent regime.