Aristotle’s Theory of Citizenship. Explained.
For Aristotle, humans are by nature destined to live in a political association. He held the view that man is a political animal and he could reach the full potential of his life and personality only by participation in the affairs of the polis. Hence, he was dealing with the question of who could participate and who could not. This will be the basis of his definition of citizenship.
According to Aristotle, a state is a composite thing, an aggregate of citizens. However, not all who live in a political association are citizens. Aristotle defined citizens as those who are able to participate in the deliberative and judicial areas of government.
Aristotle believed that participation in the deliberative and judicial functions of the state demands a high degree of moral and intellectual excellence, which he termed as ‘virtue’. This is not found in all the inhabitants of the state. Thus, he argues that mere residence in the polis does not make a person a citizen.
In order to clearly understand what citizenship is and who can be regarded as a citizen, Aristotle first clarifies what citizenship is not.
- The slaves are not a citizen because they do not have deliberative faculty; they lack reason and courage.
- Women are not citizen because they do not possess virtues worth of citizens; they do not have the deliberative faculty and leisure time to participate in the affairs of the state.
- The resident aliens cannot be citizen because they are the citizens of other city-state.
- The mechanics and labourers are not citizens because they lead an ignoble life.
- Children too young for military service, and old men retired from duty may be citizens, but not full-fledged ones: they are a sort of semi-citizen. Children are not matured enough; old men are infirm, physically not suitable.
Aristotle gives some positive qualifications for citizenship as described below:
First, a citizen is one who can actively participate in the administrative, deliberative, and judicial organisation of the state. Citizenship signifies the enjoyment of political rights and duties. The Greeks regarded citizenship not as something guaranteeing rights but affording opportunities of service to the city-state.
Second, a citizen must be rich enough to have leisure. He should have no economic worries so that he may be able to participate in the affairs of the state actively. Thus, an essential qualification of a citizen is to have property. This was to ensure leisure, i.e. freedom from cares and worries from the necessities of life.
Aristotle’s Virtues of Citizen
According to Aristotle, a good citizen is one who could live in harmony with the constitution, and having sufficient leisure time to devote himself to the tasks and responsibilities of citizenship.
Explaining the virtues of a citizen, Aristotle says that the citizen should know both how to rule and how to obey. The idea of Polity is that all citizens should take short turns at ruling. It is an inclusive form of government: everyone has a share of political power. Citizens are all who share in the civic life of ruling and being ruled in turn. They must possess the knowledge and the capacity requisite for ruling as well as for being ruled. Aristotle believed in the dictum that he who has never learnt to obey cannot be a good commander. The good citizen ought to be capable of both.
Aristotle acknowledges that citizenship is defined differently in different places depending on the nature of the constitution.
CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF ARISTOTLE’S THEORY OF CITIZENSHIP
Most of us who are called “citizens” today would not be considered citizens by Aristotle, but merely as members of the population whom the citizens direct and use with very few privileges and responsibilities that properly attach to the notion of citizenship.
Thus, from the perspective of contemporary theories of citizenship, Aristotle’s concept of citizenship is too narrow and limited. It is an exclusivist theory of citizenship against the very spirit of egalitarianism.
Aristotle’s understanding of citizenship is also criticised as elitist and patriarchal. He excluded labourers and women from citizenship.
However, Aristotle’s theory of citizenship is not without significance. His emphasis on citizen’s obligation towards the state and the need of active participation of citizens in civic affairs have contemporary relevance.
Aristotle’s understanding of citizenship has inspired many contemporary scholars such as Hannah Arendt who has emphasised the concept of active citizenship and necessity of deliberative democracy.
Today, it is a widely accepted understanding that a meaningful democracy must involve citizens in the decision-making process. Political decisions should be the product of fair and reasonable discussion and debate among citizens. Such an understanding of active citizen participation in the government process began with the Greeks and Aristotle made a huge contribution to it.
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