Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
2
Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages؛ Allameh Tabataba'i University (ATU),, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Although in many political and historical texts no clear distinction is made between the political and the social, and each is used for all kinds of phenomena and relationships in the collective life of human beings, in the current century political thinkers have paid considerable attention to the distinction between these two concepts. (For example, Hannah Arendt in her book "The Human Condition" and Carl Schmidt in his essay "The Concept of the Political Matter"). In fact, contrary to what it may seem at first sight, the "political matter" is not realised in every human society and it is not possible to look for examples of this concept in every human society throughout history with an abstract general definition. Trying to understand this distinction is a problem that this article tries to address with reference to Aristotle's philosophy and the history of the establishment of the Greek city-states; because according to the claim of this article, in the history of the West, the "political thing" happened with the realisation of political society in the Greek city-states - which coincided with the beginning of the history of the culture and civilisation of the West. Understanding this event, which is expressed in the form of perfection in Aristotle's philosophy, is of considerable importance for understanding the history and contemporary culture of the West. Contrary to what is often thought, there is a fundamental distinction between the political and the social, and this distinction, at the moment of the formation of the political society in ancient Greece, was noticed by the philosophers of that period. In Aristotle's works, the formation of the Greek Polis and its distinction from the communities before it is of fundamental interest, and a plan of political society is expressed in his efforts. The importance of this distinction is due to the fact that with the emergence of the political society, the life and social relations of the Greek people underwent a fundamental transformation.
Methodology
In this research, an attempt has been made to analyze the historical study of the formation of Greek city-states by referring to Aristotle's opinions.
The findings of this study are discussed in the following topics:
The political matter refers to the deeply human and inherent aspects of man; Contrary to the social matter which is related to the natural aspects of human social life.
The political society in ancient Greece was formed with the emergence of Greek city-states, and with this event, the life and social relations of the Greek people changed and took a political form.
In Aristotle's works, the formation of the Greek Polis and its distinction from the communities before it is of fundamental interest, and a plan of political society is expressed in his work.
Aristotle's idea of the "political animal" is an attempt to describe the new life brought about by the establishment of the Greek Polis.
The Greek polis was not formed simply by the development of previous social relations; Rather, it came about with a break from those relations and brought about a fundamental change in the life of the Greek people.
Analysis
In the history of the West, the "political matter" occurred with the realization of the political society in the Greek city-states - which coincided with the beginning of the history of Western culture and civilization. Understanding this event, which is finally expressed in Aristotle's philosophy, has significant importance in understanding the history and current culture of the West. According to Aristotle, man seeks "good" in political society; Something that cannot be observed in other types of Human communities.
Result
The emergence of the Greek Polis and the formation of the political society in it is a fundamental change in the life of the Greek people. With the formation of the Greek Polis, the first political society emerged in Greece, which had a distinct identity from the social life before it. With this event, the political matter becomes the basis of people's life and collective relations. This means that from now on, all human relations will be formed in the context of the city and its political relations: morals and virtues can be acquired in the city and thinking becomes possible in the city. Political society is a society that is formed not only based on basic and natural needs, but also based on a desire beyond natural necessities. Humans build political society to seek something beyond their animal needs; In pursuit of something that is unique to humans and can only be achieved in the city.
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