8 sentences of political advice Aristotle allegedly gave Alexander the Great (the most popular guy in the world it seems) which were adopted by Ibn Khaldun and then by the Ottoman thinker Kinalizade ‘Ali Celebi who coined it as the Circle of Equity which would go on to become the ethos of governance under the Ottomans, specifically Suleyman the Awesome. The Circle of Equity (‘adl) promotes the idea of four orders within society which must be maintained for the sustenance of a society’s equilibrium and the stability of the state. Kinalizade related society to the human body, the latter which is made up of four elements that must remain in equilibrium for the body to function properly in its healthy and natural manner.

The world is a garden hedged in by sovereignty/the dynasty

Sovereignty/the dynasty is authority, by which the law lives

Law is administration, governed by kingship

Kingship is order, supported by the army

The army are helpers, supported by wealth

Wealth is livelihood, gathered by the people

The people are servants, enfolded by justice

Justice is familiar, it is the support of the world.