Aristotle's Politics
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Reading and Writing Workshop
Aristotle’s Politics
Overview
This workshop explores Aristotle’s Politics through thematic sessions. Students will read excerpts from the text, engage in discussion and writing activities, and compare Aristotle’s political ideas with other public domain works.
Session 1: Introduction to Aristotle and His Political Philosophy
Focus: Who was Aristotle? What is Politics about?
Session 2: The Role of the Citizen
Focus: What does it mean to be a citizen?
Session 3: Forms of Government
Focus: Classifying constitutions and the “best” regime.
Session 4: Property, Wealth, and Justice
Focus: Economic organization and ethics in the city-state.
Session 5: Slavery and Natural Hierarchies
Focus: Aristotle’s defense of natural slavery and its implications.
Session 6: Education and the State
Focus: The role of education in the ideal state.
Session 7: Tyranny, Democracy, and Stability
Focus: How states fall apart and how they endure.
Session 8: Final Reflections and Comparative Writing
Focus: Applying Aristotle’s political philosophy today.
Overview
This workshop explores Aristotle’s Politics through thematic sessions. Students will read excerpts from the text, engage in discussion and writing activities, and compare Aristotle’s political ideas with other public domain works.
Session 1: Introduction to Aristotle and His Political Philosophy
Focus: Who was Aristotle? What is Politics about?
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book I – “The Household as the First Community”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D1 - Diogenes Laërtius. Lives of the Eminent Philosophers – “Aristotle”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0258:book=5:chapter=1
- Aristotle. Politics, Book I – “The Household as the First Community”
- Discussion: What is Aristotle’s vision of the state and its origins?
- Writing Prompt: Explain Aristotle’s claim that “man is by nature a political animal.” Do you agree?
Session 2: The Role of the Citizen
Focus: What does it mean to be a citizen?
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book III – “Citizenship and Constitutions”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D3
- Aristotle. Politics, Book III – “Citizenship and Constitutions”
- Discussion: How does Aristotle define a “good citizen”? How is it different from a “good man”?
- Writing Prompt: Describe how Aristotle’s idea of citizenship compares with modern notions of civic duty.
Session 3: Forms of Government
Focus: Classifying constitutions and the “best” regime.
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book IV – “Varieties of Government”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D4
- Aristotle. Politics, Book IV – “Varieties of Government”
- Discussion: What makes a government just or unjust? What is Aristotle’s “best practical” government?
- Writing Prompt: Compare Aristotle’s classification of governments to those in The Federalist Papers, particularly Federalist No. 10.
Session 4: Property, Wealth, and Justice
Focus: Economic organization and ethics in the city-state.
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book II – “Property and the Ideal State”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D2
- Aristotle. Politics, Book II – “Property and the Ideal State”
- Discussion: How should property be owned and distributed for justice and stability?
- Writing Prompt: Analyze Aristotle’s criticism of Plato’s idea of communal property (from The Republic Book V).
- Plato. The Republic, Book V
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plat.+Rep.+5
- Plato. The Republic, Book V
Session 5: Slavery and Natural Hierarchies
Focus: Aristotle’s defense of natural slavery and its implications.
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book I – “Slavery”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D1%3Asection%3D1254a
- Aristotle. Politics, Book I – “Slavery”
- Discussion: How does Aristotle justify slavery? How have others challenged this view?
- Writing Prompt: Respond to Aristotle’s theory of natural slavery from a modern ethical or historical perspective. Compare with Frederick Douglass:
- Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23
- Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Session 6: Education and the State
Focus: The role of education in the ideal state.
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book VIII – “Public Education and Virtue”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D8
- Aristotle. Politics, Book VIII – “Public Education and Virtue”
- Discussion: Why does Aristotle think education should be public and state-directed?
- Writing Prompt: Compare Aristotle’s educational views with those of John Locke:
- Locke, John. Some Thoughts Concerning Education
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48963
- Locke, John. Some Thoughts Concerning Education
Session 7: Tyranny, Democracy, and Stability
Focus: How states fall apart and how they endure.
- Reading:
- Aristotle. Politics, Book V – “Causes of Revolution”
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D5
- Aristotle. Politics, Book V – “Causes of Revolution”
- Discussion: What destabilizes governments? What advice does Aristotle offer?
- Writing Prompt: Compare Aristotle’s view of tyranny to that in Tacitus’ Annals (on Emperor Tiberius).
- Tacitus. The Annals, Book I
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0078%3Abook%3D1
- Tacitus. The Annals, Book I
Session 8: Final Reflections and Comparative Writing
Focus: Applying Aristotle’s political philosophy today.
- Reading:
- Review selected excerpts from Politics, especially Books I, III, and VII.
- Compare with excerpts from Rousseau’s The Social Contract
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46333
- Final Writing Prompt (Essay): Choose one of the following:
- How might Aristotle evaluate modern democracy?
- Compare Aristotle’s vision of the “best state” with Rousseau’s idea of the “general will.”
- Argue whether Aristotle’s political philosophy still offers guidance for today’s governments.