Page 44 - DPOL201_WESTERN_POLITICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Western Political Thought

Notes between bashfulness and shamelessness, ready wit between buffoonery and boorishness, liberality
between prodigality and meanness, and proper pride between vanity and humility. Some virtues,
like truthfulness, did not fit into this scheme. Too much or too little exercise impaired bodily
functions. Likewise, too much or too little food or drink destroyed health. The middle path, or the
via media, was the one to be established as the general rule of right conduct and moral virtue.
Aristotle then listed the virtues that characterized a gentle person—courage, self-control, generosity,
magnificence, great- or high-mindedness, a nameless virtue between ambition and its lack, gentleness,
friendliness, truthfulness, wittiness and shame. These virtues constituted the golden mean.
Aristotle applied the principle of the golden mean to his analysis of the political and social structures
of the state, as evident from his extensive analysis of the “mixed constitutions” in the Politics. He
attributed the decline, or even the demise of a state, to disproportion. Structurally, this problem
was manifest in “pure” constitutions, for it excluded some classes and interests by
disenfranchisement, leading to factionalism, so rampant in Greece. Aristotle’s solution was to
balance the forces of exclusiveness with those of equality, quality with those of quantity, democratic
with oligarchic tendencies.
In addition to an ethically virtuous nature, a happy man required “external goods” like health,
wealth and friends. These were instruments for the exercise of one’s virtues. For instance,
friendliness could not be demonstrated unless one had friends. Friendship was the noblest of all
these external goods. It was more important than justice, for between friends justice was not
needed. Moreover, when individuals are just, friendship would still be beneficial. Perfect and fine
friendship was possible only among few, who were equal in status and stable in character. It
required time and effort to cultivate good friendships, in the same way as one could not be
generous unless one had wealth. For Aristotle, certain things, like birth in a good family, well-
behaved children, beauty and intelligence, add to happiness. Conversely, their lack dampened
happiness. While happiness implied contemplation plus virtue, it also meant external goods. He
was equally assertive that the pursuit of human excellence could not be in isolation, for humans
were social animals. Happiness increased when shared.
Aristotle placed great premium on education, as it trained emotions and impulses in persons, and
worked for good as defined by the legislator or the ruler. The task of education was to inculcate
moral, social and civic qualities in an individual, develop habits of good citizenship, and in a good
polis, good persons. Humans had to be taught to do the right thing. “The final aim of education in
goodness is to make our immediate judgement as to what is right to coincide with the spirit of
wise legislation”.
Aristotle described the ideal man as one who:
... does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which
he cares sufficiently; but he is willing in great crises, to give even his life, knowing that
under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live ... to confer kindness is a mark of
superiority. He does not take part in public displays... . He is open in his dislikes and
preferences, he talks and acts frankly ... . He is never fired with admiration .... He
cannot live in complaisance with others, except it be a friend ... he is not fond of
talking .... It is no concern of his that he should be praised, or that others should be
blamed. He does not speak evil of others, even of his enemies, unless it be to themselves.
His carriage is sedate, his voice deep, his speech measured, he is not given to hurry,
for he is concerned about only a few things; he is not prone to vehemence, for he
thinks nothing is very important. He bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace,
making the best of his circumstances like a skillful general who marshals his limited
forces -with all the strategy of war. He is his own best friend and takes delight in
privacy, whereas a man of no virtue or ability is his own worst enemy and is afraid
of solitude.

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