Project Gutenberg #6762
Politics: A Treatise on Government
Aristotle
350 BCEAristotle's treatise on constitutions and civic life, prepared introduction plus book-and-chapter sections from Project Gutenberg plaintext.
Project Gutenberg #6762 Public domain in the United States Cover source Local typographic cover created for MojiMori from public-domain source metadata
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AI Summary
Chapter 98 — Book VIII, Chapter I Central question Why should the magistrate care about youth? Main argument Aristotle opens the education book by insisting that neglecting children harms the city. Youth education...
No one can doubt that the magistrate ought greatly to interest himself
in the care of youth; for where it is neglected it is hurtful to the
city, for every state ought to be governed according to its particular
nature; for the form and manners of each government are peculiar to
itself; and these, as they originally established it, so they usually
still preserve it. For instance, democratic forms and manners a
democracy; oligarchic, an oligarchy: but, universally, the best manners
produce the best government. Besides, as in every business and art there
are some things which men are to learn first and be made accustomed to,
which are necessary to perform their several works; so it is evident
that the same thing is necessary in the practice of virtue. As there is
one end in view in every city, it is evident that education ought to be
one and the same in each; and that this should be a common care, and
not the individual's, as it now is, when every one takes care of his own
children separately; and their instructions are particular also, each
person teaching them as they please; but what ought to be engaged in
ought to be common to all. Besides, no one ought to think that any
citizen belongs to him in particular, but to the state in general; for
each one is a part of the state, and it is the natural duty of each part
to regard the good of the whole: and for this the Lacedaemonians may be
praised; for they give the greatest attention to education, and make
it public. It is evident, then, that there should be laws concerning
education, and that it should be public.