Concept of Community: Aristotle’s Perspective

The concept of community differs from one school of thought to another. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of community in accordance with the perspective in which Aristotle postulated the concept. The objectives are not limited to ascertaining the meaning and purpose of community in Aristotle’s perspective, enumerating the birth and formation of community, as well as making a succinct discourse on major elements of a community such as: Man as a political animal, slavery, women, wealth, citizenship, and ruler-ship. In order to attain the objectives stated, the paper will adopt qualitative research methodology. The reliance on qualitative methodology will offer the paper the room to explore contents of peer reviewed literatures and journals which are in relation to the concepts and subject matters of the objectives of this paper. However, the paper will also give room for personal opinion of the writer verified on the basis of comparative studies of relative literatures. This paper finds that the polis (a city-state such as Athens), is the highest form of community, whose aim is the highest of goods. It is also found that the making of a community is not a free-run thing. A community is built from the Families when much families come together in a considerable extent; they tend to form a village, and a combination of several villages would turn to a state, and the state is the first form of community.