ARISTOTLE

CLASSIFICATION OF
STATES/
GOVERNMENT
By Zohaib Burki
Pakistan Institute of Competitive Studies
Introduction

 In his book “Politics” Aristotle has given a very interesting

classification of States. According to him, the constitution
of a state determines the end for which political authority
is exercised.

 Aristotle bases his classification of States on two principles

i) The number of rulers
ii) The aim of the rulers
 On the basis of these two principles he classifies 6 forms of states,
three good and three bad

Number of Ruler Good Form Bad Form

ONE Monarchy Tyranny
Few Aristocracy Oligarchy
Many Polity Democracy
Explanation

 A government can have as its ruler one, a few or many.

 But each of these forms of government can have a true or a

perverted form.

 When a government is functioning rightly, it governs for the common good

of all the people

 A government is perverted when its rulers for their own private gain or
interest.
Aristotelian Cycle of Political Change

 According to Aristotle government changes from time to time until it

remerges in its original form.

 In monarchy governmental power is exercised by single person for

public welfare. Buy after sometime, the ruler begins to misuse his
authority, he became tyrant.

 In due course of time citizens under the leadership of few educated, rich
and influential persons over throws tyrant king and establish aristocracy
 After sometimes the aristocrats become corrupt and begin to misuse
their authority and it is converted to oligarchy.

 The middle class rise in revolt and over throw the oligarchy and
establish a general body of citizens called constitutional polity.

 When the rulers in the polity become corrupt, polity is transformed

into democracy.

 This complete one cycle . This is called Aristotelian cycle of change

Aristotle’s best form

 After analysing the merits, demerits of all types of states Aristotle

told that polity is the best practicable government because it is based
on the rule of law and it is the state of the mixed constitution resting
upon the principle of balance of forces of oligarchy and democracy.
Criticism

 It is more quantitative than qualitative. He mainly distinguishes on

quantitative basis.

 This classification does not embrace various types of modern states.

For example; it does not cover federation and unitary states
parliamentary and presidential form of government.

 Democracy according to modern view is the best form of government

but Aristotle calls it a bad form of government.
 Aristotle says that one form of government exist at the same time. But it is not true,
we see that in one time, there are more than one form of government in a state.