It is not justifiable to mislead an enemy, since that might destroy the trust that will be needed to revive peace (see Summa, 2–2, q. 40, a. 1, a. three). During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries popes additionally claimed the right to intervene in affairs normally the province of secular rulers. Pope Leo III had topped Charlemagne as Roman Emperor in 800, and in 962 Pope John XII gave the title “Roman Emperor” to the German prince Otto I. From then until 1806 a succession of German princes claimed the title. A good form of government should be stable, not liable to revolution (Politics V, and VI.5). Medieval Aristotelians gave some thought to precautions against the degeneration of kingship into tyranny.Marsilius presents Defensor pacis as a complement to Aristotle’s dialogue of the causes of revolution.
Further, the best way he applies his principles might have seemed cheap in his socio-political context–for example, that the citizen of a polity must be a hoplite soldier (cf. III.7,1297b4)–but it may be debatable how these may apply inside a modern democratic nation-state. In addition, the political scientist should attend to current constitutions even when they are bad. Aristotle notes that “to reform a constitution is no less a task than it is to establish one from the beginning,” and in this way “the politician must also help existing constitutions” (IV.1.1289a1–7). The political scientist should also be cognizant of forces of political change which might undermine an present regime. Aristotle criticizes his predecessors for excessive … Read More
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