Concept of tyranny in Aristotle’s Political Philosophy and its Political Implications
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This article aims to clarify the notion of tyranny in Aristotle’s political philosophy and its political implications in his philosophical ideas. Typically, scholars adhere to Aristotle's strict categorization of tyranny as the opposite of kingship. According to this article, Aristotle believed that extreme tyranny stands in direct contrast to pure kingship. Yet, opportunities for tyranny are present in nearly all actual forms of government. Understanding Aristotle's categorization of 'pure' and 'actual' forms of government is essential for gaining a better grasp of his teachings. It also acknowledges that all real forms of government have the potential to become extremely tyrannical (i.e. absolute monarchy, extreme oligarchy, and pure democracy). The extremism of these regimes is based on the concept of partial justice, which ultimately becomes the cause or origin of extreme tyranny. The last two parts of the paper discuss the issue of preserving tyranny from its extremism, the relation between tyranny and the end of polis or political association and human excellence (good life).
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