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Unit 4: Aristotle’s Theory of Revolution

science in this epoch. However, Aristotle’s scientific shortcomings should not mislead one into Notes
forgetting his great advances in the many scientific fields. For instance, he founded logic as a
formal science and created foundations to biology that were not superseded for two millennia.
Moreover, he introduced the fundamental notion that nature is composed of things that change
and that studying such changes can provide useful knowledgeof underlying constants.
4.2 Household (Slaves, Women and Property)

The household was important in Aristotle’s political philosophy, for it fulfilled the basic and
important functions of an individual, namely the instinct of self-preservation and procreative
functions, and for the satisfaction of economic needs. It trained the young ones to be good citizens
by inculcating civic and moral virtues. Hence “of the two lesser communities, the household and
the village, which are parts of the polls and precede it in time, the household is much more
important in Aristotle’s ethical and political theory”.
Aristotle, like Plato, realized that private interests of the members of a household might clash with
those of the polis as a whole. It was for this reason that he attached considerable importance to the
training of the inmates of the household and to the organization of the household:
Every household is a part of a polis. The society of husband and wife, and that of
parents and children, are parts of the household. The goodness of every part must be
considered with reference to the goodness of the whole. We must therefore consider
the government (of the whole polis) before we proceed to deal with the training of
children and women—at any rate if we hold that the goodness of children and women
makes any difference to the goodness of the polis. And it must make a difference.
Women are half of the free population: children grow up to be partners in the
government of the state.
The key figure was the head of the household, the father, who acted as a link between the political
community and his household. Being a citizen and a full member of the polis, he was also the
master of his house, his family and property. He exercised control over the household in three
ways: as a husband over his wife, as a parent over his children, and as a master over his slaves.
The fourth component of a household was “acquisition”. Each of the other three relationships,
involving the head, required a different kind of ruling.

Slavery
Aristotle discussed at length the relationship between the master and the slave. He tried to explain
the relevance and use of slavery, an institution that was universal. Greece was no exception.
Unlike Plato, who ignored the institution, Aristotle defended slavery both from the point of view
of the slave and the master, the householder. Many feel that Aristotle endorsed and systematized
Plato’s views on slavery. Plato protested against the enslavement of Greeks by Greeks in the fifth
book of the Republic. In the Laws, he recognized the need for legislation for slaves. He clubbed
them with children, for having imperfectly developed minds. Personally, Aristotle recommended
less harshness towards slaves. He also rejected the enslavement of the Greeks, but thought it
proper for barbarians who were by “nature” slaves.
Greeks regard themselves as noble not only in their own country, but absolutely and
in all places; but they regard barbarians as noble only in their own country—thus
assuming that there is one sort of nobility and freedom which is absolute and another
which is only relative... just as man is bom of man and animal of animal, so a good
man is born of good men.
Aristotle distinguished between animate and inanimate instruments in a household. The slave
was an animate instrument intended for action and not for production; unlike artisans, a slave did

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