Critical Analysis on Aristotle's Classification of Government | For CSS, PMS, UPSC and Other Competitive Exams

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ARISTOTLE’S CLASSIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT

 

(1) Aristotle’s classification is unscientific and quantitative:

It is argued that his classification is not based on any scientific principle as it lays emphasis on quantitative rather than qualitative aspect. But this criticism does not hold good Aristotle, being a disciple of Plato, could not ignore its spiritual aspect. He has emphasized the aim f the state along with his classification. Burgess has rightly said that Aristotle’s classification is spiritual rather than numerical.

(2) Aristotle does not distinguish between State and Government:

Criticizing Aristotle’s classification, Dr. Garner has said, “Aristotle does not distinguish between state and government, with the result that his classification is the classification of states, while it ought to be of governments. This criticism of Aristotle is not justified because the distinction between the state and the government is a modem concept”. According to Burgess, “Aristotle’s classification is logical and the best, if his words ‘State’ and ‘sovereignty’ are substituted with government and Rule respectively”.

(3) Aristotle’s classification does not cover all the modem forms of Governments:

According to Seeley and Leacock, Aristotle could not conceive the modern ‘country-states’. His classification is of small city-states and not of big states. If his classification is accepted, we shall have to place Absolute Monarchy, Constitutional, Elected and Hereditary Monarchy in one and the same category.

This will bring similarity between the Monarchy as it prevails in Saudi Arabia and Great Britain, while both are not the same. Besides, modern forms of government are Parliamentary, Presidential, Unitary and Federal types. Aristotle’s classification does not include and explain these forms of governments.

(4) Democracy is not the worst form of Government:

According to Aristotle, Democracy is the worst form of government and he has used it in the sense of a Rule of crowd. This type of condition prevailed in Greece in Aristotle’s time, but this is not the condition in modern times. In modern times, the term democracy is used in a good sense and it is considered to be the best form of government.

(5) Aristotle’s cycle of change does not fit in with the development of modern state:

The cycle of political change given by Aristotle is applicable only to ancient Greece and Rome and not to modern states. For example, dictatorship of the Communist Party was established after absolute Monarchy in Russia.

In Germany after the First World War Emperor William II was dethroned and Democracy was established. Democracy also failed in Germany and Dictatorship was established. After World War II, Hitler’s Dictatorship was ended and Democracy was established again in that country’s one part (West Germany).

 (6) There is no place for mixed Forms of Government in Aristotle’s classification:

Modern governments are mixed governments. For example, Great Britain is Monarchy, and the government in that country is Unitary and Parliamentary. There is Federal, Parliamentary and Democratic Government m India. The U.S.A. is a democratic and the government in that country is Presidential and Federal. These forms of government have no place in Aristotle s classification.

(7) Aristotle’s classification is not applicable to ideocracy or theocracy:

According to Bluntschli, Aristotle’s classification is not applicable to Ideocracy or Theocracy, because in this type of government the supreme power is attributed to God or some other superhuman being or to an idea. The men who exercise authority are deputies or vice- regents of God on this earth.

(8) Aristotle’s classification is also criticized for differentiating between Aristocracy and Oligarchy, while modern political thinkers do not attach any importance to this difference. It is also not possible to say where Aristocracy ends and Polity begins.