The State forms the basis of Aristotle's political thinking. When Aristotle writes about the State, it is the Greek city-state or “polis” that he has in mind. The State comes into existence for the bare ends of life, but it continues in existence for the sake of the good life. So the State is a necessary means to a valued end. The goal of the State is providing a good life for its citizens, a life of happiness based upon virtue. In the absence of such a state, citizens cannot live moral lives, since man is a political or social animal by nature.

Like every other community, the State exists for a purpose or end. In the case of the State this end is the supreme good of man, allowing for the cultivation of citizens' moral and intellectual life. In order to fulfill himself in this life, man must activate his social life, which requires existence within society. The State must be considered the instrument by which man may attain his goal. So the purpose of the State is that of ethical training for the benefit of its citizens.

Just as the highest virtue of the individual is intellectual activity, so the highest duty of society is that of achieving and making the proper use of a state of peace. Man's natural condition is not one of war, as the Spartans thought, but one of peace.

Different Types of Government

Like Plato, Aristotle declared his preference for aristocracy, which literally means “rule by the best or excellent.” This would not be a government based on the arbitrary rights of an individual — as with the divine right of kings — but a government under the leadership of one person who is by nature and education best qualified for the task of governing. But Aristotle added the qualification that the actual form of government is not crucial. Any form of government is good whose primary consideration is public welfare. Corrupt governments are those that, on the contrary, place the private concerns of the rulers above the public interest.

Aristotle again shows the influence of his teacher Plato in the types of government he chooses to discuss. Aristotle discusses six types: monarchy, aristocracy, polity, tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy. He maintained that the first three forms of government were good and laudable for having the welfare of their citizens at heart. By contrast, the other three are defective: in these rulers seek their own personal gain first. This is the reason that Aristotle ultimately prefers control by one or more intellectually and morally superior person (monarchy) or by a few such persons (aristocracy).

Government Not for the Good of All

As commonsensical as Aristotle made his preference for aristocracy seem, whole sections of the population would of necessity be excluded from his government. Since women, children, and slaves were considered inferior, they were shut out from the process of government. Aristotle regarded slavery as a natural phenomenon and thus condoned the practice.

In fact, he saw the justification for slavery as being rooted in nature rather than nurture. He regarded slaves as those who lack intellectual endowment and so prefer to be ruled rather than command. The slave also prefers to follow rather than think for himself. The master, on the other hand, thinks and acts for himself. He is also executive in nature, not passive, and he issues orders and assumes responsibility. Together, each augments the happiness of the other. Apart, unhappiness results, for they work together in unison and they must work harmoniously in their respective, natural roles.