Cities Quote by Aristotle
“A very populous city can rarely, if ever, be well governed.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Politics by Aristotle, 4th century BC
Large, dense populations make effective governance difficult due to complexity and competing interests.
In simple terms: Big cities are hard to govern well.
Focus on manageable community scales.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- city planning
- public policy
- local government
- civic engagement
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can large cities improve governance?
- What structures best serve dense populations?
Even small cities face governance challenges; size isn’t the only factor.