We actually have objective criteria for what is a well-functioning society, although it is partially a result of experience and philosophical reflection. The Contractarians, for example, were certainly right in noting that men enter into society and pay it allegiance in pursuit of mutual benefit, and that therefore a society that is oppressive is a relative failure. Aristotle was certainly right that society aims especially to fulfill those traits that make us especially human, distinguishing us from other animals, and therefore that leisure, education, the pursuit of knowledge and the arts, the development of amenities that make life less rude, and so forth, are among the goals of a good society. If you take the two things, though, it is apparent that a good society built on the back of slaves is deficient, as they are being left out of the social contract, and society is losing the benefit of their talents by not affording them opportunity for more than menial tasks. These are the sort of reflections behind this:
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