Ancient and Medieval Political Theory: Aristotle and Machiavelli

Ancient and Medieval Political Theory
Student Name
University Affiliation
Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Assignment Due Date
Ancient and Medieval Political Theory
Aristotle and Niccolò Machiavelli contributed significantly to the field of politics. Their writings changed the way people think about themselves and their contribution to politics. Today, the works of Aristotle and Machiavelli still have an impact on people’s understanding of politics and the role they should play in it. In political literature, the works of Machiavelli and Aristotle are studied extensively due to their sparring differences. In particular, how differences in human nature impact the political realm.
According to Aristotle, there are three kinds of individuals in a state. They include oligarchs, democrats, and aristocrats. Oligarchs believe that the end of the state is the accumulation of wealth by a select few, which is then used as an instrument of control and power over the majority (Aristotle, 1953). Democrats believe that the end of the state is where citizens have equal political rights. Aristocrats believe that the end of the state is where the best persons in the community play the role of leaders (Aristotle, 1953).
Aristotle notes that although oligarchs and democrats are two kinds of people who are always present in a state, they are not ideal in the political realm (Aristotle, 1953). The reason is that oligarchs make the mistake of thinking that people who have significant wealth should have superior political standing. As for democrats, they make the mistake of thinking that since all individuals in a state are of equal birth, they should have equal political opportunities (Aristotle, 1953). Hence, Aristotle...