What should be the Size of the Ideal State? Which One would You Prefer: To Live a ‘The Big City Life’ or To Live Happily Ever After?

(by Ekinsu Çamur)

(i)

The sparkling and fascinating city lights of big cities could be attractive for most of the people. However, are they oversized to live in them happily? What criteria should be considered while determining the ideal size of a state?

According to Plato an ideal city should be composed of 5040 citizens (Aristotle 402). After some mathematical calculations he reaches this exact number. Conversely, Aristotle uses more abstract evaluations rather than emphasizing a particular number while determining the ideal size of a state (Aristotle 402).

Most of the people believe that the city will be better if more people live in it. However, everything has a capacity and whenever this capacity is exceeded, this thing will not function properly any more.

“One ought to look not at numbers but at capacity” (Aristotle 403

            (1)  As it is stated, a city has its own limits and capacity.

(2)  A state has its functions to perform.

(3)  A state is livable, as far as it performs it functions.

(4)  A state performs its functions if its size stays within the limits of its capacity.

(5)  Therefore, when a state performs its functions most efficiently, its size at that point equals to its ideal size.

This argument shows that being the most efficient state is a more crucial criteria than being the most populous state.

As the number of citizens increases it is more challenging to maintain the order in the city (Aristotle 404). Maintaining order in the city is another essential criteria while determining the ideal size of a state because without order there will be chaos in the city, which will cause destruction of the city somehow. In order to have calmness and order in a city, it should not be over populated.

Another criteria: Self-sufficiency!

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“If a state has too few people it cannot be self-sufficient, whereas a state is self-sufficient thing” (Aristotle 404).

As it is stated, a state should be self-sufficient and in order to provide this requirement it should have enough people in it. 

Lastly, size of state should allow its citizens to know each other. By doing so, people will be not only more familiar with each other but also they will easily collaborate with each other (Aristotle 405). As a result, they will take more beneficial decisions for their state and they will develop continuously. Also it will be easier to help each other and this cooperation creates stronger relations within the society and it will be harder to corrupt this city.

Having too many people prevents maintaining an order in the city. Moreover, it cannot perform its function effectively. Furthermore, people are not aware of each other’s needs. On the other hand if a state has too few people, it cannot be self-sufficient. Therefore, both ends, having too many or to few people than required number will cause corruption of the society and the state. The best option is to determine a ‘normal’ size that allows citizens to live happy together far away from chaos and self-sufficiently. 

These suggestions of Aristotle should be considered even today. They are not out of fashion suggestions. Especially today these suggestions are far more beneficial as people are lost under the sparkling lights of big and over populated cities. Most of the people have stressful lives and they are complaining about how unhappy they are. In order to have happy citizens governments should rearrange city sizes and while doing so they should not forget the valuable recommendations of Aristotle. 

References:

Aristotle. The Politics. London/England: Penguin Books, 1992. Print.

(ii) Hopfer, Heidi. “Self Sufficient”. Buyolympia. 2013. n.p. Web. 26 Dec. 2013. <

<http://www.buyolympia.com/q/sid=994665516/Item=heidi-hopfer-self-

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(i) L. Joanna.“Big City Life”. Pinterest. n.d. n.p. Web. 26 Dec. 2013.

<http://www.pinterest.com/pin/566679565582790137/>