Everywhere, inequality is a cause of revolution - Aristotle. Comment. (UPSC CSE Mains 2017 - Political Science and International Relations, Paper 1)
Aristotle is a conservative. He is not comfortable with the change. Hence even the slightest change in governance, he call it as a revolution. In general revolution is sees as a complete overthrow of the system and normally a violent change. Aristotle has done exhaustive study of causes of revolution. He has studied 158 constitutions. He has give the general causes and the particular cases of revolution. (regime specific).
According to Aristotle, weather it is a tyranny or aristocracy, the most common cause is the feeling of inequality. Hence if there is a inequality in the society, it may be real or imagined, there is a possibility of revolution. Hence Aristotle suggests that the ruling class should be extremely cautious that, people should not develop the feeling that they have not been treated equally.
He discussed justice in two dimensions.
1] Rectificatory Justice: Which is linked to the system of grievance redressal, administered by courts. He gives the principle of proportion. It means penalty should be in proportion to the harm done.
2] Distributive Justice: Which is linked with the distribution of resources, honors, awards etc. In this case also he gives the principles of proportionate justice. Distributive justice can be called as social justice or public policy. According to him, state should reward the person in proportion of his contribution to society. A person whose work is more important for society ought to get more.
Hence he suggests that, it is unjust to treat equals unequally – which means two persons having equal merit are to be rewarded equally. He further says that – it is also unjust to treat unequal equally. Two persons who differ in merit – if state gives them equal treatment, they are bound to feel injustice.
Inequality has been the principal and universal cause behind all revolutions. Whether it is French revolution or Russian evolution, Chinese revolution or recent Arab Spring.
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