Описание: Aristotle believed that the polis represented the ideal community for government - politics being literally 'matters pertaining to the polis. The best ways to rule the polis were via an enlightened monarchy or an aristocracy, but these had a habit of degrading into tyrannies and oligarchies. So he turned to a more limited form of the democracy advocated by Cleisthenes and Pericles. His 'polity' mixed the direct participation of citizens (excluding women) with election for roles that required technical expertise (e.g. in military or financial matters). The whole was underpinned with four principles that would render it proof against populist demagogues: 1: MODERATION. Solon's avoidance of extremes, particularly in wealth and individual expression. As the Delphic Oracle had prescribed: 'Nothing in excess.' 2: A STRONG MIDDLE CLASS to act as a balance between the tyranny of the poor (what democracy risked becoming) and the tyranny of the rich (the main pitfall of oligarchy). In Aristotle's words: 'The great preserving principle that the loyal citizens should be stronger in number than the disloyal' 3: A LEGAL SYSTEM that could withstand changes in the political climate: `as man is the best of animals when perfected, so he is worst of all when sundered from law and justice'. Laws should be adapted to suit changing conditions , but their purpose was to uphold the constitution, and this should change only rarely. 4: EDUCATION (paideia) to cultivate virtue (arete), fit citizens for participation in the government of the polis and imbue them with law-abidingness (eunomia). For Aristotle, the key to freedom was direct participation in the government of the polis - for all to rule and be ruled in turn. But such unmediated democracy could only be as good as the moral health of its participants. Provided they were properly educated towards arete, Aristotle believed that the people were as good or better than any elite claiming to rule in their interest. Excerpt from The Shortest History of Greece by James Heneage www.worldcat.org/oclc/1280049488
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