The De Regno of St. Thomas Aquinas

To speak of the political philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, or to articulate a so-called Thomistic political theory, necessitates that one understand the scope and breadth of the totality of the Thomistic corpus. In order to discover what Aquinas taught concerning political matters and man’s life as a political animal, one must piece together various works that form more of a complete whole. When the topic of Aquinas’ treatment on political life is at hand, a two-fold temptation can arise: in one way, a reader may study one component (or work) wherein Thomas speaks about political matters, and declare that this singular text is the foundation for building a political theory of Aquinas. In another way, one may be inclined to separate what Thomas says about human affairs from the entirety of his work, thereby denying or neglecting the fact that he is giving reflections upon such matters as a Christian theologian.

It is in light of these last two points that we shall make our way into analyzing an often neglected text of St. Thomas, the De Regno. Perhaps one of the most telling aspects of this short, incomplete work of Aquinas is that it provides a unique glance at his account of the political community and authority, and their necessity for man’s growth in moral virtue. While providing a substantial and positive account of the polis as ordered towards the common good, St. Thomas nevertheless limits its proper aim and scope on account of two reasons: virtue comes about only by degrees, and that the ultimate end of man transcends the political community. Man is made for the City of God, but this need not entail an indifference towards, or inadequate account of, political life.

In this paper, I will offer an analysis of certain sect...

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...Aquinas on Politics and the Common Good,” Ph.D diss., University of St. Thomas, Houston, 2007.

Thomas Aquinas, St. De Regno. Translated by G.B. Phelan. Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1949.

—Opera omnia iussu Leonis XIII P. M. edita, t. 42: De regno ad regem Cypri. Editori di San Tommaso, Roma, 1979.

—Opera omnia iussu impensaque Leonis XIII P. M. edita, t. 6-7: Prima secundae Summae theologiae. Ex Typographia Polyglotta S. C. de Propaganda Fide, Romae, 1891-1892.

—Treatise on Law: The Complete Text. Translated by Alfred Freddoso. South Bend: St. Augustine’s Press, 2009.

Torrell, Jean-Pierre. Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Person and His Work, Vol. 1. Trans. Robert Royal. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America, 1996.

Weisheipl, James A. Friar Thomas D’Aquino: His Life, Thought, and Works. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1974.