Ancient Political Theory
Research Question: According to St. Thomas Aquinas, what and how is a ruler and government considered a just ruler or government?
Possible topics to address: virtue, theory of human nature, education, constitutions/types of government, religion and politics, leadership (good and bad), etc.
Describe what the political theorist says on your chosen topic and analyze his/her argument. In your thesis, create an argument with 2 or 3 points about the political theorist’s thinking and argue why the political philosophy is essential, unique, correct, or wrong. The paper focuses on the political thinkers’ argument, not contemporary issues.
Explain in detail and support your argument and analysis with details with 2/3 primary (the political theorist’s original work) and the rest secondary sources (scholarly commentary from books and peer-reviewed journal articles).
Sample Solution
St. Thomas Aquinas believed that a just ruler or government exists when it is grounded on the principles of virtue, human nature, and education (Balsano & Mitchell, 2015). Aquinas argued that people should be ruled by those with moral wisdom, which can only be acquired through an understanding of the theory of human nature. He also stressed that a good ruler must possess prudence to make proper decisions and right judgment in order to provide justice for all citizens (Aquinas 1293–1294). In addition to relying on virtuous leaders, Aquinas proposed several types of governments – including monarchy, aristocracy and democracy – each with their own set of rules regarding leadership selection and decision making processes (Balsano & Mitchell 2015).
Aquinas also argued for the importance of religious values in politics. According to him, religion was necessary for upholding morality in society since it provides stability against corruption and inspires people towards acts of charity as well as moral behavior (Aquinas 1295-1296). He further suggested that there should exist a separation between church and state so as not interfere with one another’s respective activities but rather complement each other’s efforts in promoting morality. Finally he emphasized the need for both rulers and the ruled alike to pursue educational opportunities such as reading books or studying philosophy so they may acquire knowledge which will help them better understand how to conduct themselves politically (Aquinas 1298-1302).
In conclusion then we can see how St. Thomas Aquinas viewed just rulers or governments as those founded upon virtue, theory of human nature and education; further these governments should be based on religious values while avoiding any conflation between spiritual matters and political affairs. Furthermore, if citizens are encouraged towards seeking out educational opportunities this could lead to greater understanding amongst all parties involved thereby helping create more equitable societies where justice prevails regardless of background or status.
