Essay on "How Does Political Philosophy Identify the Good Regime?"

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Defining a Good Regime

Early Philosophers

Early philosophers like Aristotle and Plato each characterized their versions of ideal government and governance in their own words in works such as Ethics and Meno. Their ideals were formed through a close critical examination of what is right, and what it means to be a just leader, or politician. The question of what exactly makes a good regime, according to these philosophers, is dependent on the ideals that the regime or its leaders would strive for. Much of the early thinkers' ideas and concepts were later included in many political realms, including the founding of the Unites States.

Aristotle's Ethics, which are a collection of writings including Nicomachean Ethics, Eudemians Ethics, and the Magna Moralia, are primarily concerned with the subject of virtue (Aristotle, 1999). For him, the ability for a person or leader to know something ethically, that is to say for them to have knowledge, is not perfect. No man may have precise knowledge, just as no person can rule precisely and without error (Aristotle, 1999). Aristotle believed that ethical knowledge was a subject that involved general and experiential knowledge. He also understood that the discipline of ethical knowledge was practical, and even if theory was used to justify something, it was the practicality of ethical knowledge that set a good person or good leader apart from the rest (Aristotle, 1999). It is certainly possible to examine ethics from a theoretical standpoint, but when actual decisions occur, it is practical knowledge that plays the biggest role.

Aristotle believed in certain actions and emotions as morally wrong, and argued that any leader who allowed themselves to be ruled by things such as hate, envy, murder, and greed would ultimately lead their constituents down the wrong path (Aristotle, 1999). For him, the world was divided up to fall somewhere on a scale between all and nothing. He called these two extremes "deficiency" and "excess." He believed in moderation, and that all things that came from man fell somewhere between these two extremes. To argue that a regime is good, according to Aristotle, it would have to operate in constant pursuit of the highest good. That is the good that is attained with some goal in mind. He argued that the three characteristics of the highest good include its desirability for its own sake, its desirability that all other goods be for its sake, and the idea that the highest good is not desirable for the sake of some other good. This was the litmus test that Aristotle used to determine what was "good" and what was not, and to know the difference between the highest good and a lesser good. Whether or not a regime is good, according to Aristotle is a series of tests of virtue.

Plato's identification of a good regime comes from a different perspective, yet has some similarities to Aristotle's. He believed in a philosopher-king model of governance, but also believed, as did Aristotle, that governance should take place according to virtue (Plato, 2005). Plato's definition of excellence, or as he called it "arete," was the backbone of the argument that something is "good" (Plato, 2005). Virtue is different for different people according to Plato, and his version of a good regime would likely incorporate this idea. As he proposes in Meno, Plato believes that true virtue is the desire for good things and the ability to make them happen (Plato, 2005). To Plato, virtue is neither naturally acquired nor is it learned. It is something that some people possess and others do not. A good regime is a regime that does good for its own citizens, not by means of attacking or destroying other regimes to accomplish good, but through understanding what virtue is, and by applying virtuous reasoning to all decisions great and small.

The Ends Justify the Means vs. Absolutism

Machiavelli's The Prince (2009) is an interesting look at what the philosopher believed to be the greatest good. He believed that in order to do good, or for a regime to be good, they must do everything they can to benefit themselves, by any means necessary. His statement, "that a prince ... cannot observe all of those virtues for which men are reputed good, because it is often necessary to act against mercy, against faith, against humanity, against frankness, against religion, in order to preserve the state." (Machiavelli, 2009) accurately reflects his political philosophy. Machiavelli believed that the ends justify the means, and that if the end results were ultimately "good," then the regime could go about achieving these results any way they saw fit. He believed in pragmatism instead of theoretical or virtuous actions. Though Machiavelli's philosophy can seem brutal, it reflects some of the "kill or be killed" attitudes that surfaced in 14th and 15th century Italy, following the many family feuds that resulted from power struggles in that region. He was a product of his own time as his writings reflect, and believed that virtue was the ability to create and maintain order and stability. His good regime would do whatever is necessary to maintain stability control, which Machiavelli regarded as his version of the greatest good, regardless of the effects on other nation-states.

Hobbes' Leviathan (1994) gives a historically influential perspective on political philosophy. He believed in something called "social contract" that dictated human interaction. Hobbes argued that, in a "state of nature," man will resort back to his passions and instincts; society is therefore necessary to keep human interaction civil and virtuous (Hobbes, 2004). To Hobbes, a good regime would likely involve the idea that social law and order would be the primary influence for political action. By keeping interactions in agreement with social contract, regimes could influence and interact with one another in a way that would accomplish the most social "good." Hobbes is regarded as an absolutist, and his political philosophy reflects this worldview. According to him, there is absolute right and absolute wrong, as defined by an absolute authority, which all members of a society must cede their rights to for protection from outsiders and outside threats (Hobbes, 1994). A good regime as defined by Hobbes would be one where men are subjects to an authoritarian state that protects them and their interests.

Liberalism and Questions of Free Will

Locke believed in a less absolute world and society. He argued for a separation of church and state, and was also one of the biggest influences on the American Declaration of Independence and the liberalism movement of the 18th century (Locke, 2005). For Locke, individuals were grated certain inalienable rights, and these rights were not to be infringed upon by the state or government (Locke, 2005). In his book, Locke states, "[W]e have the power to suspend the prosecution of this or that desire; as every one daily may experiment in himself. This seems to me the source of all liberty; in this seems to consist that which is (as I think improperly) called free-will." (Locke, 2005). A good regime according to Locke would be one in which individual rights, liberties, and freedoms are given to each constituent, and the regime would work to maintain and guarantee these rights in all of its undertakings. A good regime, according to Locke, would also take into account, through the liberalist perspective that all human beings be given these rights and the interactions of the regime would adhere to this concept.

Nietzsche's good regime would be a study in morality and ethics unlike other earlier philosophers. Nietzsche believed that morality was a socially constructed, subjective concept (Nietzsche, 1997). He thought of morality and man's free will as being influenced by powers that were out of man's control, and were therefore illusions that were created to help humans feel more comfortable about their inherent lack of free will and control (Nietzsche, 1997). For Nietzsche, a good regime would be one that recognizes the weak points in the argument that man possesses free will, and analyses the best options based upon the needs and instincts of humans. Humans need certain things to survive, and yet many claim that religion and freedom of choice make up a large part of their own personal needs and beliefs. A good regime in this case would separate church and state, and allow humans an equal yet subject pursuit of happiness and purpose in life.

American Political Culture

The Declaration of Independence served as an official notice to the King of England that the thirteen British colonies intended to relinquish their dependence on the commonwealth and planned to form their own nation (Pilon, 2000). At the time, this was a treasonous act. The American Revolution occurred and England eventually lost the war for the colonies. But the document itself has more depth to it, specifically when compared to earlier philosophers and ideas regarding statehood and governance. Jefferson, who primarily authored The Declaration… READ MORE

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