The significance of Aristotle's understanding of politeia for contemporary democracy

Abstract

In this paper the author explores the rise of the concept of politics amongst by the Greeks which acquires its full expression in Aristotle's practical philosophy. Its central term is politeia, understood as the activity of free and equal citizens in the creation of good living within a community. Politeia is also an internal purpose which conducts all the state forms that arise in concrete political practise as "mixed constitution". Starting from this the paper explores some current attempts to make a relatonship between old and new politeia as mixtures. New politeia as a modem constitutional state is a mixture in which representation is the element of aristocracy, and the common vote right is the element of democracy. Care for the social and ethical totality of political representatives and the same for the citizens who vote and control them make the modern constitutional state comparable with Aristotle's politeia.