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Aristotle · Economics §1.1.1-1.1.2

Differences Between Economics and Politics

Passage 1 of 15 · Greek

Summary

The author discusses the structural differences between household management (economics) and politics, argues that the former is prior to the latter in generation because a household is a part of a city, and proposes to investigate the function of economics.

§1.1.1ἡ οἰκονομικὴ καὶ πολιτικὴ διαφέρει οὐ μόνον τοσοῦτον ὅσον οἰκία καὶ πόλις ʽταῦτα μὲν γὰρ αὐταῖς ἐστι τὰ ὑποκείμενἀ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτι ἡ μὲν πολιτικὴ ἐκ πολλῶν ἀρχόντων ἐστίν, ἡ οἰκονομικὴ δὲ μοναρχία.
Household management and political science differ not only as much as a household and a city (for these are their respective underlying subjects), but also because political science consists of many rulers, whereas household management is a monarchy.
ἔνιαι μὲν οὖν τῶν τεχνῶν διῄρηνται, καὶ οὐ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστι ποιῆσαι καὶ χρήσασθαι τῷ ποιηθέντι, ὥσπερ λύρᾳ καὶ αὐλοῖς· τῆς δὲ πολιτικῆς ἐστι καὶ πόλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς συστήσασθαι καὶ ὑπαρχούσῃ χρήσασθαι καλῶς·
Now, some of the arts are divided, and it does not belong to the same art to produce and to use what has been produced, as in the case of a lyre and flutes; but it belongs to political science both to establish a city from the beginning and to use it well when it exists.
ὥστε δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τῆς οἰκονομικῆς ἂν εἴη καὶ κτήσασθαι οἶκον καὶ χρήσασθαι αὐτῷ.
Thus, it is clear that it would also belong to household management both to acquire a household and to use it.
§1.1.2πόλις μὲν οὖν οἰκιῶν πλῆθός ἐστι καὶ χώρας καὶ κτημάτων αὔταρκες πρὸς τὸ εὖ ζῆν.
A city, then, is a multitude of households, land, and property, self-sufficient for living well.
φανερὸν δέ· ὅταν γὰρ μὴ δυνατοὶ ὦσι τούτου τυγχάνειν, διαλύεται καὶ ἡ κοινωνία.
And this is manifest: for whenever they are unable to attain this, the association also is dissolved.
ἔτι δὲ ἕνεκα τούτου συνέρχονται.
Furthermore, they come together for the sake of this.
οὗ δὲ ἕνεκα ἕκαστόν ἐστι καὶ γέγονε, καὶ ἡ οὐσία αὐτοῦ τυγχάνει αὕτη οὖσα.
And that for the sake of which each thing exists and has come to be, this also happens to be its essence.
ὥστε δῆλον ὅτι πρότερον γενέσει ἡ οἰκονομικὴ πολιτικῆς ἐστι.
Consequently, it is clear that in generation household management is prior to political science.
καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἔργον. μόριον γὰρ οἰκία πόλεώς ἐστιν.
For so is its function; for a household is a part of a city.
σκεπτέον οὖν περὶ τῆς οἰκονομικῆς καὶ τί τὸ ἔργον αὐτῆς.
Therefore, we must investigate household management and what its function is.

Notes

  1. 1343aαὐταῖς — The dative pronoun `αὐταῖς` (feminine plural) refers to the two arts/sciences mentioned as the subject of the main clause (`ἡ οἰκονομικὴ καὶ πολιτικὴ`). It functions as a dative of possession or reference: "for them [the two sciences]."
  2. 1343aοὐ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστι — The genitive `τῆς αὐτῆς` is a possessive genitive of characteristic/duty, with the feminine singular noun `τέχνης` (art) understood from the preceding `τῶν τεχνῶν`. The infinitives `ποιῆσαι καὶ χρήσασθαι` serve as the subject: "it is not the part of the same [art] to produce and to use."
  3. 1343aὑπαρχούσῃ — The present participle `ὑπαρχούσῃ` (feminine dative singular) modifies an omitted dative noun `πόλει` (city), understood from the preceding `πόλιν`. It is in the dative case because the governing verb `χρήσασθαι` takes a dative object.
  4. 1343aτυγχάνει αὕτη οὖσα — The verb `τυγχάνει` takes the supplementary participle `οὖσα` (from `εἰμί`) to mean "happens to be" or "actually is." `αὕτη` is a demonstrative pronoun functioning as a predicate nominative, referring back to the conceptual content of the relative clause `οὗ δὲ ἕνεκα...`, attracted into the feminine singular to agree with `ἡ οὐσία`.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Economics §1.1.1-1.1.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg029.humanitext-grc2:1.1.1-1.1.2

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