Politics is to be done by one or a few, not by many - Essay Example

Politics is to be done by One or a Few, not by many According to Aristotle, individuals who are naturally able to come up with a generation of powerful and leading members of a community for political positions are chosen to represent the highest point in government (Aristotle, 80). These members of a community with exceptional attributes and features make leadership associated with only one or a few but not many. On the other hand, citizens who submit to be governed by these special leaders are placed on political command which implies that they are adapted for aristocracy.

In addition to this, the leaders end up well-matched for constitutional freedom, existing naturally as a group capable of ruling and creating way for other well to do leaders (Aristotle, 81) Owing to this account, in case an entire family or one person turns out to be so preeminent leading to surpassing everyone else in a nation, then it is evident that they need to be royal families and ultimate to all. This is easily explained when one person stands and becomes a king of an entire country.

Aristotle further suggests that giving select individuals an opportunity to lead is not only acceptable to the basis of right, which the initiators of all nations, whether aristocratic or oligarchic or in addition democratic, are familiar with, but works with the already established leadership policies. In fact, it is not justifiable to kill, or ostracize or put to exile this kind of person or suggest that they should take their turn in being ruled (Aristotle, 196). It is therefore evident that the only remaining option is that they need to have superior power and authority that mankind need to obey them, not in turn, but as usual.

This means that royalty is respected with its wide range of form helping provide the answer to whether politics should be done by one or a few not by many. According to Plato in his book Republic, possibly published in the year 377, the 2 political parties/social classes that contended for authority in classical Athens as evident in many Greek city nations included the oligarchic and the democratic group p 9. The oligarchic attempted to come up with a nation that only proprietors of valuable amounts of wealth had a chance to vote and take public offices, whereas the democratic groups insisted persisted that every males have equal rights (Plato, 98).

It is only in the year 411 and 404 that the oligarchic members managed to establish a government that the few and rich ruled over a large number of poor people. The regime of oligarchs did not last for a year however it left tension flanked by oligarchs and democrats who were at all times taking part in the Athenian political events. Plato notes in his book Republic that every city comprise of “2 cities which are at conflict with each other.” (Plato, 101). As a result of democrats opposing to the idea of wealthy and opulent members of the community from taking leadership position, war broke out leaving many injured and other killed (Plato, 112).

Oligarchic citizens in Athens killed a large number of democrats and even forced other opponents into exile where killings further went on. Two Plato relatives took part in the bloody killings which include Critias and Plato’s cousin Charmides who later on became part of the ruling junta. On the other hand, Plato did not want to take part in Oligarchic political affairs due the extent which criminal activities were conducted despite the fact that his relatives kept on inviting him to join. In Machiavelli’s view, the theory of politics is to be done by one or a few but not many is still vivid (Machiavelli, 200).

Machiavelli was a Florentine political philosopher who was fond of history, music, poetry and romantic comedy playwriting (Machiavelli, 274). He was also a crucial person in realistic politics theory significant to European statecraft for the duration of the new beginning. According to Machiavelli when one notices human progressions, it is possible to find out that everyone who reaches immense authority and wealth, take advantage of either power or fraud and what they have accumulated either by illegal means or through violent actions p 277.

In addition to this, Machiavelli indicates that in order for them to hide the degrading means of achievement, the plan to make sacred with the deceitful title of honest achievements p 352. Others who either from gullibility or the desire to being reasonable keep away from this kind of fraudulent moves. They on the other hand, suffer by becoming slaves and impoverished against their wish. They remain faithful servants and honest citizens who cannot stop living in poverty while on the other hand the wealthy and powerful keep on indulging in illegal and fraudulent activities.

It is evident that God has put all human luck in the center man’s life and they are therefore obtainable rather by corrupt means than by industry (Machiavelli, 354). Finally, it is done by wicked and evil actions rather than by goodness and fairness. This is why men feed upon each other leaving those who cannot stand up for themselves troubled. Work cited Plato, G., M., A., Grube, C., D., C., Reeve Plato: Republic. Hackett Pub Co; 2nd edition 1992.