Aristotle Quotes

Philosopher

Aristotle, a renowned Greek philosopher, is one of the founders of Western philosophy. His thoughts covered a wide range of fields, including ethics, logic, politics, and had a profound impact on the world.

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All Men Virtue Ifs Soul States Action Should Philosophical People Government Mean May Nicomachean Ethics Way Law Form Inspirational Justice Character Doe

Famous Aristotle Quotes

“Men agree that justice in the abstract is proportion, but they differ in that some think that if they are equal in any respect they are equal absolutely, others that if they are unequal in any respect they should be unequal in all. The only stable principle of government is equality according to proportion, and for every man to enjoy his own.”

Ifs Thinking Men Should Government Law Enjoy Justice Principles Equal Agree Every Man Abstract Proportion Stable

Author:Aristotle

“The real difference between democracy and oligarchy is poverty and wealth. Wherever men rule by reason of their wealth, whether they be few or many, that is an oligarchy, and where the poor rule, that is a democracy.”

Men Real Reason Government Differences Wealth Poor Poverty Democracy Oligarchy

Book:Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 2: The Revised Oxford Translation

Source: Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 2: The Revised Oxford Translation

“Aristocracy is that form of government in which education and discipline are qualifications for suffrage and office holding.”

Government Form Discipline Office Aristocracy Forms Of Government Qualifications Suffrage

Author:Aristotle

“Governments which have a regard to the common interest are constituted in accordance with strict principles of justice, and are therefore true forms; but those which regard only the interest of the rulers are all defective and perverted forms, for they are despotic, whereas a state is a community of freemen.”

States Government Form Interest Community Justice Common Principles Regard Tyrants Rulers Strict Defective Freeman Common Interests

Book:Aristotle's Politics: Writings from the Complete Works: Politics, Economics, Constitution of Athens

Source: Aristotle's Politics: Writings from the Complete Works: Politics, Economics, Constitution of Athens

“The legislator should direct his attention above all to the education of youth; for the neglect of education does harm to the constitution. The citizen should be molded to suit the form of government under which he lives. For each government has a peculiar character which originally formed and which continues to preserve it. The character of democracy creates democracy, and the character of oligarchy creates oligarchy.”

Should Doe Character Government Form Attention Democracy Youth Citizens Direct Constitution Harm Suits Preserves Neglect Peculiar Forms Of Government Legislators Oligarchy

Book:The Essential Aristotle

Source: The Essential Aristotle

“They should rule who are able to rule best.”

Should Government Able

Book:Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 2: The Revised Oxford Translation

Source: Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 2: The Revised Oxford Translation

“A state is not a mere society, having a common place, established for the prevention of mutual crime and for the sake of exchange. Political society exists for the sake of noble actions, and not mere companionship.”

States Government Action Political Common Crime Mere Sake Noble Mutual Companionship Prevention

Author:Aristotle

“A democracy exists whenever those who are free and are not well-off, being in the majority, are in sovereign control of government, an oligarchy when control lies with the rich and better-born, these being few.”

Wells Government Political Lying Born Democracy Rich Majority Sovereign Oligarchy

Author:Aristotle

“A democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth, no property, and vulgar employments.”

Men Hands Government Democracy Birth Lows Property Employment Vulgar

Author:Aristotle

“To the size of the state there is a limit, as there is to plants, animals and implements, for none of these retain their facility when they are too large.”

States Government Animal Limits Plant Size Facility

Author:Aristotle

“Democracy is the form of government in which the free are rulers.”

Government Form Democracy Rulers Forms Of Government

Book:The Essential Aristotle

Source: The Essential Aristotle

“That rule is the better which is exercised over better subjects.”

Government Subjects

Book:The Essential Aristotle

Source: The Essential Aristotle

“When there is no middle class, and the poor greatly exceed in number, troubles arise, and the state soon comes to an end.”

Ends States Government Poor Numbers Class Trouble Middle Arise Middle Class Exceed

Book:Politics

Source: Politics

“Good laws, if they are not obeyed, do not constitute good government.”

Ifs Government Law

Book:Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens

Source: Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens