* Aristotle says that all associations are developed to achieve some good objectives and state is a big association which comprised of all other types of associations including family. He says that man is a political animal and the good life can only be achieved if a man spends his life as a citizen of the state. * In economic relations he defends institution of slavery, holding of private property but do not like excessive capitalism.
He considers that everyone needs to be ruled and those who lack the rationality to rule themselves need to be ruled by others.He also opposes the enslavement of other Greeks as he believe them at least some what rational being while the non-Greeks are inferior barbarians. However he also want sufficient rationality for the slaves to carry out orders of their masters. * Aristotle says that city or state is closely related and are identified through its constitution and citizenship. * While elaborating about different kinds of Governments, Aristotle says that there are three just and three unjust types on the basis of benefits to everyone or colleting it for the ruling class respectively.When the ruler king is good it is monarchy but it is called tyranny if the ruler is bad.
When the elite ruler class performs better it is aristocracy but it becomes oligarchy if the ruling class support only those in power. Similarly when the masses rule good it is polity but it is democracy if they rule bad. He considers polity as best form which is least susceptible to corruption provided that the laws are given higher authority than the governing body. He also defends that all citizens are accountable and written laws have greater authority than the ruling class. He also gives the idea of distributive justice that a citizen should be given benefits according to the services he renders for the well-being of the state.
* Aristotle also discuss about features of the Ideal state. To him good life is primarily based on rational consideration and the idea state has to arrange the circumstances leading towards happy life through rational consideration. He also mention that an idea state should be self-sufficient and also located near the sea shore to avail trade opportunities.In such a state the young citizens will serve in military, the middle age citizens will be in government while the older citizens will take care of the religious matters. The noncitizens laborers will be engaged in farming and craft work. * Aristotle considers education as important for the well-being of the city state.
He prefers pub,ic education instead of private tutoring. His recommended curriculum consists of reading and writing, physical education, music, and drawing.He though that this curriculum will help citizens in both working and playing and free-time will also allow them pursue good-life. * Regarding citizenship he advocates for active role of the citizen in state matters being a holder of public office holder.
Public office is an important feature of the citizen. Again he consider the men as administrative citizen of the state, while women, slaves, foreigners and noncitizen laborer are meant only to workout manual tasks to running the city. He consider well-being of the community as a whole above the well-being of the individual. It is in contrary to the modern concept of individual freedom and privacy.
* Distributive justice is the idea that honors and wealth should be distributed according to merit, so that the best people get the highest rewards. In this idea he ignores that the rich person have more opportunities to get merit while the women, slaves and noncitizens even have no opportunity.
