Organization, Society and Politics: An Aristotelian Perspective

232 Pages·2012·4.83 MB·English

by  Kevin Morrell (auth.)

Organization, Society and Politics
A lso byyK evin Morrell
THE ETHICAL BUSINESS ( with K. Mellahi and G. Wood )
THE REALITIES OF WORK (forthcoming, with P. Blyton and M. Noonn)
Organization, Society and
Politics
An Aristotelian Perspective
Kevin Morrell
Associate Professor of Governance, Warwick Business School,
University of Warwick
© Kevin Morrell 2012
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2012 978-0-230-30446-8
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Contents
L ist of Tables and Figures v iii
P reface ix
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction 1
1 O rganization, Society and Politics 5
2 An Aristotelian Perspective 22
3 The P olitics 37
4 The Public Good 49
5 The Rhetoriccc 69
6 Talk and Texts 77
7 The Nicomachean Ethics 97
8 Decision Making and Ethics 109
9 The P oetics 128
10 B olshevism to Ballet in Three Steps 140
1 1 What Is ‘Public Interest’? A Case Studyy 162
12 W here Do We Go from Here? 182
References 185
Index 211
vii
Tables and Figures
Tables
6.1 Twenty aphorisms analysed in terms of five
rhetorical formats 83
8.1 Approaches to choice and sample organizational
or societal problem 1 13
8.2 Contrasting rational choice theory with image theory 118
11.1 A case study of public interest in Nicaragua’s reform
of property rights 177
Figures
6.1 Two dimensions on which to locate aphorisms 86
8.1 Values, decision scenarios and commensurability 1 24
viii
Preface
This book applies Aristotle’s practical philosophy to contemporary
social concepts and problems. It is difficult to speak to a topic as broad
as ‘organizations, politics and society’, or to claim ownership of ‘an
Aristotelian perspective’. The justification for this title follows in the
introductory chapter and in the two opening chapters. As a courtesy to
readers, this preface offers a general outline – ignoring Swift’s advice on
prefaces in A Tale of a Tubb , first published in 1704:
I have always looked upon it as a high point of indiscretion in mon-
ster mongers, and other retailers of strange sights, to hang out a
fair large picture over the door, drawn after the life, with a most
eloquent description underneath: this has saved me many a three-
pence; my curiosity was fully satisfied, and I never offered to go in.
(Swift, 2004: 60)
Swift’s description of ‘retailers of strange sights’ seems relevant here. For
some, seeing Aristotle stalk contemporary social concepts and problems
will indeed be a strange sight, but this is central to the contribution.
Reframing problems or concepts is often the first step to new insight,
even if the source for re-presentation is an ancient one. More troubling
is Swift’s phrase ‘monster mongers’. For a few, given Aristotle’s tolera-
tion of slavery, his apparent misogyny and comfort with elites, calling
directly on him may seem like monster mongering, and this is a barrier
to re-presentation or reframing. These issues are given more discussion
in the text than this preface allows, but the particular issue of sexism
and language requires initial comment.
Sexism and language
At times Aristotle uses anthrrrōōpos which can be translated either as man
or mankind, or as human being or humanity (like the Latin ‘homo’): for
example, the Nicomachean Ethics (1181b15) describes politics as the phi-
losophy of human affairs, a nthrrrōōpeia philosophia (Reeve, forthcoming).
At other times, Aristotle uses anērr which is gendered and means manly
or especially and prototypically male: like the Latin ‘vir’. For example,
ix