A Democracy of Distinction

Aristotle and the Work of Politics

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by Jill Frank

University of Chicago Press

Due/Published February 2005, 208 pages, paper

ISBN 0226260194

Offering an ancient education for our times, Jill Frank's "A Democracy of Distinction interprets Aristotle's writings in a way that reimagines the foundations, aims, and practices of politics, ancient and modern. Concerned especially with the work of making a democracy of distinction, Frank shows that such a democracy requires freedom and equality achieved through the exercise of virtue.
Moving back and forth between Aristotle's writings and contemporary legal and political theory, Frank breathes new life into our conceptions of property, justice, and law by viewing them not only as institutions but as dynamic activities as well. Frank's innovative approach to Aristotle stresses his appreciation of the tensions and complexities of politics so that we might rethink and reorganize our own political ideas and practices. "A Democracy of Distinction will be of enormous value to classicists, political scientists, and anyone interested in revitalizing democratic theory and practice.

Contents

Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations

Introduction

1. The Nature of Identity
The Force of Nature
The Nature of Nature
The Work of Man

2. The Use of Property
The Activity of Use
The Virtue of Property
The Politics of Property

3. The Virtue of Justice
Reciprocity
Good Judgment
Justice and Virtue

4. The Rule of Law
The Laws of Citizens
The Laws of Polities
Constitution

5. The Polity of Friendship
Unity and Difference
Friendship and Faction
The Middle Class
The Work of Politics

Works Cited
Index