Między teorią a praktyką państwową. „Politeja” Arystotelesa

Abstract

The article attempts to present the Aristotelean concept of the State, its nature, constitutional features (political system) and its obligations with respect to citizens. Of specific concern should be politeia, which was called by him the most appropriate system. Politeia is a mixed system created from elements of aristocracy (oligarchy) and democracy. Moderation is a decisive feature of this system. According to Aristoteles politeia realizes in the best way the aim of the State such as happiness of the citizens and is most efficient in assuring stability of the state. Aristoteles avoided declaration of politeia as an ideal, and only righteous system. Being a realist, he takes into account all existing circumstances in which also other systems may be appropriate. However in each case such systems should satisfy certain conditions. From the considerations by Aristoteles, the author of the article reconstructs these conditions of a good system, giving them as a canon being the essential rule of politeia understood broadly as a state political system. These features are: — The aim of the state is happy life of its citizens — To assure efficiency of the system it must be backed by majority of citizens, — In each system the law must be absolutely observed, — Laws must be properly elaborated i.e. not contradictory with the feeling of absolute justice (aplōs) The author notes that the concept by the Greek philosopher despite its annchronism in view of contemporary system crisis is worth reminding. Apart from necessary functions of organization and defense matters it points to the necessity of realization by the state of ethic values — justice, happiness, virtue, friendship and carefulness and such bringing up of the citizens so that these value will be for them valuable and possible to achieve.