Abstract

Donald Trump’s candidacy was the most, though by no means the only, inflammatory aspect of the 2016 presidential campaign. Relying on Aristotle’s Politics, this chapter seeks both to understand and to offer a constructive response to the upheaval of this most extraordinary election. Aristotle’s account of demagogy sheds light not only on much of Trump’s conduct, but also on that of the other leading candidates as well. Aristotle, however, offers not only a path to understanding the demagogic presidential politics of 2016, but also a possible remedy, so that it does not recur in the future. According to Aristotle, a republican regime such as America’s can diminish the chances that demagogy will emerge by limiting the power of public offices, by emphasizing the importance of the rule of law, and by strengthening the middle class, whose characteristic virtue—moderation—brings a welcome stability and decency to republican politics.