7. Both Aristotle and Plato supported state-ordered population control
The philosophy espoused by Aristotle was one of strict government control of population growth. He argued that the state had a responsibility to ensure a balance of resources with the population. Too large a population stressed available resources and led to shortages. Such a situation led to public unrest and the loss of control of the state by the government. Conversely, too small a population led to inadequate production, which had an adverse effect on the economy and trade. It also left the state too weak to defend itself. For Aristotle, government control of birth rates and mortality rates was an essential function.
Plato agreed with the need to ensure population growth was controlled to the extent that it did not become a threat to the state. Plato did not agree with Aristotle’s arguments which demanded family size controlled by the state and mandatory abortions. Both the Greek philosophers agreed that immigration rates and birth rates should be controlled by the state in order to maintain the balance necessary for its security and the overall well-being of the citizenry. The Greek city-states were isolated, restricted in the size of their agricultural lands, and capable of supporting a finite number of people. They adopted laws and social behaviors which allowed them to do so.