Aristotle defended the idea of private property over communal ownership by validating the advantage of private property in four main areas. These areas include efficiency, unity, justice, and virtue. Aristotle justified that private property is not only economically feasible but also a just, virtuous, and unifying factor ( Meany, 2018), hence the most efficient in society than communal ownership.
According to Aristotle, upholding private property in a society contribute to existence of the virtue of charity and generosity. He claims that a person can only help others when property is private. Aristotle argues that justice comprises of rewarding a person based on what they are worth. He believes that the private property system allows individuals to be rewarded based on the price that they can claim. If a person works hard, then they will be rewarded according to their work thereby leading to satisfaction ( Meany, 2018).
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Aristotle believes that private property promotes unity in society. He argues that if every individual owns their own property, then there will be no ground for conflicts or strife over the important aspects of our lives. Aristotle argues that private property is more efficient because it fosters responsibility. He states that people are more likely to pay attention to what is theirs and not care much for what is considered common ( Meany, 2018).
Contrast between Aristotle and Plato’s Version on Private Property
Plato was against the private property ownership. He wrote this argument at the time when Greece was facing commotion due to social conflicts arising from wars and city-states. During this time, it was believed that the elite people in society were accumulating wealth for themselves at the expense of the others. He argued that pursing private ownership results in wasteful competition in society. Therefore, Plato proposed communal ownership of property to ensure every individual in society has the right to access the resources ( Meany, 2018).
References
Meany, P. (2018). Aristotle’s Defense of Private Property: 4 Reasons Communal Property Is Inferior . Foundation for Economic Education. Retrieved from: https://fee.org/articles/aristotle-s-defense-of-private-property-4-reasons-communal-property-is-inferior/
