Aristotle: Aristotle: Virtue & Vice;Virtue & Vice;

Good & Bad GovernmentGood & Bad Government

VirtuousVirtuous ViciousViciousRestrained Unrestrained

Good Bad

They either:•Act with virtue but with difficulty or•Do vicious (bad) things but struggle to act virtuously

They need a government that will help them be good.

According to Aristotle:Most people are neither completely virtuous (good) or vicious (bad).They are in the middle.

Aristotle:Aristotle:Forms of GovernmentForms of Government

Good GovernmentGood Government Bad GovernmentBad Government

Monarchy (Best)

Aristocracy (Good)

Democracy (Poor)

Tyranny (Worst)

Oligarchy

Democracy(Mob Rule)

(Bad)

(Worse)

“Rule by One”

“Rule by the Best”

“Rule by the Many”

Rule for One

Rule for the Few

Everyone for themselves

decays into

decays into

decays into

Which form of Government does Which form of Government does Aristotle prefer?Aristotle prefer?

Why?Why?Good GovernmentGood Government

Monarchy

Aristocracy

Democracy

“Rule by One”

“Rule by the Best”

“Rule by the Many”

Why Aristotle prefers AristocracyWhy Aristotle prefers Aristocracy

Middle Class- neither very rich nor very Middle Class- neither very rich nor very poor (balance of poor (balance of interestsinterests))

Well Educated (able to use experience Well Educated (able to use experience in light of reason)in light of reason)

Property Owners (committed to Property Owners (committed to thisthis place, won’t run away)place, won’t run away)

Should be numerically larger than the Should be numerically larger than the rich and the poor combined (balance of rich and the poor combined (balance of powerpower))

Presentation RequirementsPresentation Requirements

Every person in each group must Every person in each group must present their fact sheet and one present their fact sheet and one questionquestion

At the beginning of the presentation At the beginning of the presentation each group must present a creative each group must present a creative skit that illustrates one important skit that illustrates one important aspect of their form of governmentaspect of their form of government

VirtuousVirtuous ViciousViciousRestrained Unrestrained

Good Bad

•Virtuous: Those who easily act with virtue (good)•Continent: Those who act with virtue but with difficulty•Incontinent: Those who do vice (bad) but struggle to act virtuously•Vicious: One who does vice easily

Aristotle divided human behavior into 4 Aristotle divided human behavior into 4 categories, from all good to all bad.categories, from all good to all bad.