Aristotle & M.N. Roy: Political Thought on Democracy
Aristotle & M.N. Roy: Political Thought on Democracy
Aristotle: Father of Political Science
Aristotle is called the father of political science because he studied politics through observation and practical reasoning. He believed that humans are political beings who can achieve their highest moral and intellectual development only within the state, whose purpose is to promote the good life.
Slavery and Greek social context: His justification of slavery was based on the idea of natural slavery, where some people lacked rational capacity and therefore benefited from being ruled, reflecting Greek social conditions.
Classification of constitutions: Aristotle’s classification of constitutions is one of his major contributions. He identified:
- Correct forms: monarchy, aristocracy, and polity — forms that serve the common good.
- Corrupt forms: tyranny, oligarchy, and extreme democracy — forms that serve selfish interests.
He preferred polity because it balanced rich and poor and ensured stability.
Causes and prevention of revolution: His views on revolution emphasized that revolutions arise due to inequality, injustice, class conflict, and misuse of power. He suggested preventing them through:
- a strong middle class,
- fair laws, and
- moderation in public life and rule.
Citizenship and the best state: For Aristotle, a citizen is one who participates in law‑making and public decisions, making citizenship an active and functional concept. His best state is one ruled by the middle class because it avoids extremes and promotes virtue, education, and good laws.
Justice and mixed constitutions: Aristotle’s idea of justice includes distributive justice, which gives benefits based on merit, and corrective justice, which restores fairness when wrongs occur. Although he criticized extreme democracy for instability, he appreciated its values of freedom and participation and believed that mixing democratic and oligarchic elements created polity, the most stable and practical constitution. In this way, Aristotle’s political philosophy remains influential for its balance, realism, and focus on virtue and stability.
M.N. Roy: Radical Humanism and Organised Democracy
Philosophical core: M.N. Roy’s political philosophy represents a unique blend of humanism, rationalism, and democratic values. Moving away from orthodox Marxism, Roy developed the idea of Radical Humanism, where the dignity, freedom, and development of the individual are central.
Roy believed that democracy should not be limited to elections or party politics but must become a way of life based on reason, cooperation, and moral responsibility. His views on democracy were deeply ethical: real democracy is not just counting votes but empowering individuals, encouraging critical thinking, and preventing concentration of power in any form.
Organised Democracy: To overcome the limitations of traditional parliamentary democracy, Roy proposed the concept of Organised Democracy. He argued that political parties often manipulate people, so true democracy must be built from below through a network of small, decentralised committees or local bodies. These committees, formed voluntarily, would:
- discuss problems,
- make decisions collectively, and
- encourage people to participate directly in public affairs.
This bottom‑up model ensures that power remains dispersed and citizens remain active, not passive.
Economic Democracy: Roy also emphasised Economic Democracy because political freedom is meaningless without economic security. He believed economic power should not remain concentrated in the hands of the state, capitalists, or party elites. Instead, economic decisions should be decentralised and controlled by cooperative groups, workers’ associations, and local communities. Economic democracy ensures fair distribution of resources, protects individuals from exploitation, and supports human development.
Overall, M.N. Roy’s political philosophy presents a vision of a society where democracy is participatory, power is decentralised, and individuals enjoy both political and economic freedom. His emphasis on reason, human dignity, and grassroots organisation makes his ideas relevant even today.