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Single Idea 2818

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 4. Citizenship ]

Full Idea

The virtue of the citizen must be in relation to the constitution; and as there are many constitutions, there cannot be just one single and perfect virtue of the sound citizen.

Gist of Idea

The virtues of a good citizen are relative to a particular constitution

Source

Aristotle (Politics [c.332 BCE], 1276b28)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Politics', ed/tr. Sinclair,T.A. /Saunders,T. [Penguin 1992], p.179

A Reaction

This is very striking support for the view that Aristotle's account of the virtues in 'Ethics' is merely a description of conventions (Athenian, presumably), rather than an appeal to nature. However, see his account of the soul, and human function.

Related Idea

Idea 5246 Natural justice is the same everywhere, and does not (unlike legal justice) depend on acceptance [Aristotle]

The 35 ideas with the same theme [qualifications, duties and rights of a citizen]:

23561 People doing their jobs properly is the fourth cardinal virtue for a city [Plato]
1764 Diogenes said he was a citizen of the world [Diogenes of Sin., by Diog. Laertius]
22544 A citizen is someone who is allowed to hold official posts in a city [Aristotle]
2818 The virtues of a good citizen are relative to a particular constitution [Aristotle]
22545 A person can be an excellent citizen without being an excellent man [Aristotle]
22563 The middle classes are neither ambitious nor anarchic, which is good [Aristotle]
20874 A citizen is committed to ignore private advantage, and seek communal good [Epictetus]
23352 A citizen should only consider what is good for the whole society [Epictetus]
19892 Children are not born into citizenship of a state [Locke]
19893 Anyone who enjoys the benefits of a state has given tacit consent to be part of it [Locke]
19894 You can only become an actual member of a commonwealth by an express promise [Locke]
19854 We all owe labour in return for our keep, and every idle citizen is a thief [Rousseau]
19817 Citizens should be independent of each other, and very dependent on the state [Rousseau]
19840 A citizen is a subject who is also sovereign [Rousseau]
21067 A citizen must control his own life, and possess property or an important skill [Kant]
22777 Individuals must dedicate themselves to the ethical whole, and give their lives when asked [Hegel]
21791 Social groups must focus on the state, which must in turn respect their inclusion and their will [Hegel]
22795 People can achieve respect for their state by insight into its essence [Hegel]
23050 The ideal is a society in which all citizens are ladies and gentlemen [Green,TH]
23052 Enfranchisement is an end in itself; it makes a person moral, and gives a basis for respect [Green,TH]
24153 Humans are determined by community, so its preservation is their most valued drive [Nietzsche]
20371 Nietzsche thinks we should join a society, in order to criticise, heal and renew it [Nietzsche, by Richardson]
23822 We all need to partipate in public tasks, and take some initiative [Weil]
23843 Even the poorest should feel collective ownership, and participation in grand display [Weil]
23840 A citizen should be able to understand the whole of society [Weil]
22817 Citizenship involves a group of mutually supporting rights, which create community and equality [Miller,D]
23369 Some liberals thinks checks and balances are enough, without virtuous citizens [Kymlicka]
23370 Good citizens need civic virtues of loyalty, independence, diligence, respect, etc. [Kymlicka]
23373 Liberals accept that people need society, but Aristotelians must show that they need political activity [Kymlicka]
23375 Minimal liberal citizenship needs common civility, as well as mere non-interference [Kymlicka]
23376 Modern non-discrimination obliges modern citizens to treat each other as equals [Kymlicka]
23377 The right wing sees citizenship in terms of responsibility to earn a living, rather than rights [Kymlicka]
23116 Citizenship is easier than parenthood [Kekes]
20986 A person's voice may count because of their interests, or because of their good sense [Sen]
20542 Cosmopolitans reject the right of different states to distribute resources in different ways [Swift]