On the Relationship between Virtue and Wealth in Aristotle's Political and Ethical Philosophy

What is “prosperity” and how it is fulfilled, is differently manifested in the views of scholars. Out of these scholars, Aristotle, through transition from the realities of Man and society to the ideal of prosperity, holds a remarkable viewpoint. Aristotle sees prosperity in ethical and intellectual virtue and believes that fulfillment of prosperity depends on a political society because Man is inherently social. Thus, the ultimate objectives of politic is the fulfillment of virtue and, in turn, the happiness of the Man and the society. Accordingly, the success of a political system resides in the virtue of the citizens and depends upon an appropriate economic order which is moderate in wealth and focused on beneficence to the public. The Aristotle’s prescribed economic order believes in private and intermediary ownership and shared consumption because wealth in excess and poverty in merest, impede virtue and bring about its decay. The manifestation of this moderate economy is middle class state in which fraternity is the dominant virtue of political society. Thus, Aristotle prefers an all-inclusive and realizable virtue among the community over the Neverland and elite-oriented virtue of Plato.