Comparing Plato, Aristotle, and Locke on Society's Origins

Comparing Philosophers on Society's Origins

Plato, Aristotle, and Locke had different views on how society originates. They considered whether society is derived from nature or from a different source. Aristotle believed that humans are naturally inclined to form families, which then join together to form clans, and eventually, societies. This bonding process is driven by a natural necessity, with no clear transition between the natural state of man and the constitution of a society.

Plato, however, argued that the State should meet a default model based on pre-existing ideas of justice and right, not nature. Locke initially saw the natural state as one where individuals are driven by their desires, leading to conflicts and a state of war. However, he later changed his approach, arguing that civil society arises from the need to protect property, including the lives of individuals, their goods, and the means necessary for life achieved through work.

A key difference between Locke and Plato is their position on the law. Locke believed that power should be legitimate and rational, requiring a neutral instance to establish rational standards. This instance, independent of the executive branch, would enact laws that the government must adhere to. Plato, on the other hand, started from an ordered pattern of state functions, where citizens were naturally inclined to govern, defend, and produce. Locke, however, focused on ensuring the property rights of individuals who have come together to form a community.

Therefore, the State, according to Locke, has no more right than that given by its creators, acting as a referee in conflicts between owners and using coercive force against those who violate those rights. Plato saw an identity between society and state, with no recognition of individuality by the State. The individual is buried under the demands of the community. Locke, influenced by modernity, derived the community and the state from the natural need to preserve individual property rights and the freedom to choose the means to achieve them. This consolidation of ownership was key to the development of liberalism and capitalism in England, while Plato believed in an immutable State, not subject to change.