Politics

According to Aristotle, the end goal of human life is happiness, which is found in the application of reason. This life of good quality is not possible except within the confines of a city. Man needs the leisure and the social interaction that citizens in a polis enjoy in order to enjoy achieve this happiness. As a result, non-citizens are unable to attain true happiness or rationality and are thus less complete, less human than citizens. To realize his true human nature, man must take part in political life, and so, Aristotle concludes, he is a political animal.

Aristotle argues that private property is not the root of man's wickedness, but rather a manifestation. Because man's wickedness runs deep, eliminating private property will not make man better. Aristotle suggests instead that education and moderation will eliminate vice. He also points out that the important virtue of generosity would not be possible if there were no private property with which to be generous.

The ideal citizen is someone who best serves the ends of the city. Because there are many different kinds of constitutions, and each constitution calls for many different kinds of citizens, there must necessarily be many different standards for excellence in a citizen. However, there is only one universal standard for excellence in a man. Thus it is possible for a good citizen not to be a good man. The end goal of every city is to make a life of good quality possible for its citizens, but only the best citizens in the best city will be able to attain this end. A good leader, Aristotle suggests, is practiced at both ruling and being ruled, and so has all the necessary qualities that make a good man.