URBAN

HENCE THAT THE CITY-STATE IS NATURAL AND PRIOR IN NATURE TO THE INDIVIDUAL IS CLEAR. FOR IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS NOT SELF-SUFFICIENT WHEN SEPARATED, HE WILL BE LIKE ALL OTHER PARTS IN RELATION TO THE WHOLE. ANYONE WHO CANNOT FORM A COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS, OR WHO DOES NOT NEED TO BECAUSE HE IS SELF-SUFFICIENT, IS NO PART OF A CITY-STATE—HE IS EITHER A BEAST OR A GOD. HENCE, THOUGH AN IMPULSE TOWARD THIS SORT OF COMMUNITY EXISTS BY NATURE IN EVERYONE, WHOEVER FIRST ESTABLISHED ONE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GREATEST OF GOODS. FOR AS A HUMAN BEING IS THE BEST OF THE ANIMALS WHEN PERFECTED, SO WHEN SEPARATED FROM LAW AND JUSTICE HE IS WORST OF ALL. FOR INJUSTICE IS HARSHEST WHEN IT HAS WEAPONS, AND A HUMAN BEING GROWS UP WITH WEAPONS FOR VIRTUE AND PRACTICAL WISDOM TO USE, WHICH ARE PARTICULARLY OPEN TO BEING USED FOR OPPOSITE PURPOSES. HENCE HE IS THE MOST UNRESTRAINED AND MOST SAVAGE OF ANIMALS WHEN HE LACKS VIRTUE, AS WELL AS THE WORST WHERE FOOD AND SEX ARE CONCERNED. BUT JUSTICE IS A POLITICAL MATTER; FOR JUSTICE IS THE ORGANIZATION OF A POLITICAL COMMUNITY, AND JUSTICE DECIDES WHAT IS JUST.

– ARISTOTLE, POLITICS