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Does Aristotle's "Aim of Man" support a free market society or a socialist society?
My personal opinion is that he supports a free market society because all humans have a different grasp on what their definition of happiness is, and success is different among people.
2 Answers
- 9 years agoFavorite Answer
I agree Aristotle's ideas lead us to capitalism; but your analysis that it's because we all have a different concept of happiness doesn't convince the socialist.
"Man should establish an object of the "good life" at which to aim, and organize life in view of this particular end. This reflects on the value of planning, and considers a man who does not plan as lacking wisdom because of the simple lack of planning, as well as the lack of an aim. Since Aristotle agrees that there exist a plurality of ends and goods, this leads us to the notion of priority and the need for planning. This sets man apart from animals because they are able to plan for a final good."
http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/uc_baka...
For Aristotle, happiness is not of the 'joyful' variety necessarily. It is moral happiness found in the rational activities of man as exemplified by his concept of 'man qua man'. "‘Qua’ is a technical expression Aristotle uses to indicate an aspect under which something is to be considered." http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/433/arintro....
The late 20th century Aristotelian philosopher Ayn Rand was an avowed advocate of capitalism, based on her understanding of the nature of individual sovereignty derived from previous Aristotelian thinkers. Capitalism is the only economic/social system that protects the individual's right to be free of government interference. That is why the civilization we live in cannot be called 'capitalistic'. Rand called it a 'mixed economy'.
- AnnLv 45 years ago
Capitalism and socialism are not mutually exclusive concepts. For sometime now the USA has had a hybrid capitalist/command "socialist" economy. There are over 20 different socialist schools of thought. So it would depend on how socialism is implemented and whether it's genuine socialism or not. (the people in control of the means of production) The time is not there...YET.