0:00
/
0:00
Transcript

Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal. - Aristotle

Hello, I am Aristotle, a philosopher deeply engaged in understanding the nature of society, governance, and humanity's pursuit of a virtuous life. Allow me to share one of my reflections with you: “Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal.” When I penned these words, democracy in its earliest form was taking root in Athens. It was an experiment, born from the belief that those who shared a common freedom—freedom from subjugation, freedom to voice their opinions—should have an equal say in shaping the society they inhabited. Yet, even then, the question lingered: does freedom imply absolute equality? Does the right to participate in governance mean all are equally capable or deserving in every domain?

Discussion about this video

User's avatar

Ready for more?