ABSTRACT
Starting from the assumption that humans act for the sake of what they see as good and that generally humans share inclinations which ground practical normativity, this chapter discusses the nature of the political community as the result of human action. The chapter discusses the Aristotelion distinction between action and production and it contends that political communities are not really products (artefacts), but rather by-products of attempts of individual humans to fare well. The chapter claims that the specific feature of the political communities is that it aims at faring well in no particular sector of life, but in general. The concept of common good is introduced as a theoretical tool to explain why people get together to fare well in general. Sharing their general nature, humans develop they individual rationality by developing social practices. Because of their common nature and of shared practices, they can agree on ends of actions. The chapter argues that being a member of a political community aiming at the common good is a necessary requirement for the flourishing of an individual rational agent.
