Justification of the state and anarchist alternatives
Date
2008-10-03T10:08:22Z
Authors
Taylor, Tristen
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Abstract
Justification of the State and Anarchist Alternatives aims to establish four key
findings regarding the State and its justification according to a revised form of
Aristotelian perfectionist ethics. The first finding is a proper definition of a State, and
how that definition of the State compares to other definitions of the State, most
notably, Max Weber’s definition. The second finding is the establishment of what
parts of Aristotle’s ethics and politics are feasible and sound; this requires historical
enquiry in addition to philosophical enquiry. The third finding is that this revised form
of Aristotelian ethics does not justify the State. The fourth finding is that Aristotelian
ethics would justify a non-state political structure (the modern polis), and objections
to that structure are dealt with. The core of the thesis is that Aristotle’s ethics do not
justify the state, but would justify a form of anarchism.
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Keywords
philosophy, The State, Aristotle, anarchism, perfectionism