Liber II, Pars III — Quod aliqui sunt naturaliter servi, et quod expedit aliquibus aliis esse subiectos. Cap. XIII.

Liber II, Pars III — Quod aliqui sunt naturaliter servi, et quod expedit aliquibus aliis esse subiectos. Cap. XIII.

It was stated above in this third part of the second book that we must discuss four things. These are about buildings, possessions, coins, and ministers or servants. Therefore, concerning the three mentioned, we need to proceed to the fourth, which is about servants. We will first show that there is a certain natural servitude, and that it is naturally beneficial for some to be subject to others. This is what the philosopher proves first in his Politics. The discussion will follow a fourfold approach, drawn from a fourfold analogy. The first approach is taken from the analogy found in inanimate things. The second is from the parts of the same animal. The third way is taken from the different kinds of animals. The fourth is derived from the diversity of sexes in the human species. The first way is thus evident. For never do many things according to the proper order produce one thing, unless there is something predominant in relation to the others: for example, if several voices create a harmony, there must be one predominant voice according to which the entire harmony is judged. Similarly, if several elements come together to form the constitution of the same mixed body, there must be one predominant element, according to which that mixture has its proper motion or proper position. Therefore, in all mixed things, the earth dominates, because all such things are heavy and naturally tend downward. Thus, if it is the case in inanimate things that never do many things naturally constitute one thing, unless there is something naturally predominant there: since the society of men is natural, because man is naturally a social animal, as was previously demonstrated in more detail, never would a single society or a single polity arise naturally from many men, unless it were natural for some to lead and others to serve. Therefore, some are naturally rulers, and some are naturally servants. The second way to understand this is drawn from what we see in the parts of the same animal: every animal is naturally divided into body and soul, where the soul is like the ruler, and the body is like the obedient servant. For the body cannot direct itself to the proper actions, but is directed to such actions by the power of the soul; therefore, when many people are compared to others like the body to the soul, it follows that they are naturally servants. There are indeed some who lack wisdom and understanding, unable to direct themselves to the proper actions. Therefore, it is beneficial for them to be directed by others, and for others to be in authority. Just as in a virtuous person, where the well-ordered disposition allows the soul to rule and the body to obey, so in a well-ordered society, the wise should govern, and the foolish should obey; for these are compared to others as the body to the soul, and as a tool to its craftsman. However, it sometimes happens that the ignorant dominate more than the wise. But this occurs due to the corruption of the society; for just as in a pestilent person, where a corrupt soul rules over the body and the senses more than the soul or reason, so in corrupt and pestilent societies, the ignorant dominate more than the wise. The third way is drawn from the different species of animals, as seen in the relationship of humans to other animals. For a human naturally rules over beasts, as was mentioned above. We see many domestic animals, like dogs and horses, achieving safety in many ways because of human wisdom, which they could not attain through their own efforts. Therefore, it is beneficial for them, and it is natural for them to be subject to humans, because they are directed and saved through human wisdom. Thus, when the foolish are compared to the unskilled, as beasts are to humans, because they lack wisdom and do not know how to direct themselves: just as it is natural for beasts to serve humans, so it is natural for the ignorant to be subject to the wise; for it is beneficial for them to be subject, so that they may be directed and saved through the efforts of the wise. The fourth way is derived from the diversity of sex or from the compassion of living beings towards women. For we see that a man, because he is naturally superior in reason, rules over a woman, of whom it is said in the first book of Politics that she has an invalid counsel: therefore, when we see some men compared to others, falling short of the use of reason more than women do compared to men, it follows that they are naturally subject. Therefore, servitude is in some way a natural thing, and it is naturally beneficial for some to serve in human society, and for others to lead, as was mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.