Aristotle And Locke Compare And Contrast Essay

Albeit Aristotle and Locke lived 2,000 years apart, their periods in history were similar. Both eras were marked by wars, tyrannical figures, and political and social instability in ancient Greece and medieval England. However, there was one major difference in their epochs, religion. The Greeks practice polytheism, while Christianity was practiced in Europe during Locke’s time. The social and political environment influenced their opinions about ethics and morality. The goal of this essay is to identify the similarities and differences between their views on government and politics.
Their thoughts on the best type of government were similar. Albeit both states were controlled by monarchs, the people or subject had freedom and rights under law. Aristotle thought the best form of government was a polity or constitutional government; however, a polity was non-existent in Aristotle’s time. Correspondingly, Locke

Leaders should be virtues and just. They differed in the methods that a good and moral leader would be groomed. Aristotle’s method was by teaching the future leader from a young age all the way through late adult hood. The curriculum would cover math, the sciences, ethics, rhetoric, and of course philosophy. Locke saw religion as main method of creating good and moral leaders and education as an auxiliary method.
Aristotle did not consider all people equal; Locke and Aristotle had differing views on citizenship in their respective polity or commonwealth. He, Aristotle, argued that only certain people should participate in the political process. This contrary to Locke’s ideals that all people were created equal. Moreover, Aristotle did not consider all inhabitants of a state as citizens; he did not think women, aliens, or vulgar people, to name a few, should be granted the rights of citizens. According to Locke, all members of a society had equal rights, except for