A Critique of Democracy through Aristotle (and Plato)
2 pages
published 10/02/2007
 
 
section Table of Contents
 
 
  1. Introduction
  2. Comprehending democracy
  3. Aristotle: Five different types of Democracy
  4. Conclusion: The ideas of Aristotle and Plato
 
 
section Summary
 
 
Democracy is defined today as "a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system." In the time of Plato and Aristotle, there was a simple definition that was essentially "rule of the people," which is not far off from the modern day definition. However, in this ancient time, the government system of Democracy was something that was not held in high esteem by philosophers, scholars, and the like. In the following pages, I will analyze the reasons that both Aristotle and Plato thought Democracy to be a poor form of government, as well as explain the alternative forms of government that they believe would function more suitably. Upon completing the final paragraph, one will be able to understand how they viewed Democracy and why they believed it to be faulty.
 
 
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