Abstract

According to the tradition, only three pure regimes — monarchy, aristocracy and democracy — are said to be capable under certain conditions of ensuring the “common good”. This article argues that a complete typology of political regimes must include ‘anarchy’ not as deviant form of democracy, but rather as an ideal type of pure regime. The new typology shall include monarchy, aristocracy, democracy and anarchy. Finally, it is necessary to remind that political life is not limited to the State, and that anarchy can incarnate itself — here and now — within local and small communities and political groups. Therefore, the blanket rejection of anarchy by philosophers arguing that its political realisation is impossible in our modern world is misleading and necessarily impoverishes our political thinking.