Politics is a work of political philosophy by Aristotle. The title of the book literally means “the things concerning the polis.” The end of the Nicomachean Ethics declared that the inquiry into ethics necessarily follows into politics, and the two works are considered to be parts of a larger treatise, or perhaps connected lectures, dealing with the “philosophy of human affairs.”
There are eight books that comprise the work. In Book I, Aristotle discusses the city (polis) or “political community” as opposed to other types of communities and partnerships such as the household and village. The highest form of community is the polis. Aristotle comes to this conclusion because he believes that public life is far more virtuous than private and because men are “political animals.” Book I concludes with Aristotle’s assertion that the proper object of household rule is the virtuous character of one’s wife and children, not the management of slaves or the acquisition of property.
Book II examines various views concerning the best regime. In it, Aristotle discusses the systems presented by Plato, Phaleas of Chalcedon and Hippodamus of Miletus. Book III defines citizen as one who has the power to take part in the deliberative or judicial administration of the state. Aristotle asserts that most people in the polis are capable of being citizens. This is contrary to the Platonist view which says that very few can take part in the deliberative or judicial administration of the state.
Book IV takes up tasks of political theory, why there are many types of constitutions, democracies, oligarchies, and polity and its forms. Book V is about constitutional change, revolutions in different types of constitutions and ways to preserve constitutions, and instability of tyrannies.
Book VI explains democratic constitutions and oligarchic constitutions. Book VII explains best state, best life, and ideal state, along with its population, territory, position, etc.
Book VIII explains education in the ideal state.
Politics is one of the most intellectually stimulating works. It will be useful for the students, teachers, and scholars of Political Science. It will also benefit the readers interested in Greek thought, political theory, and depictions of the ideal state.
ARISTOTLE (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and scientist, born in the Macedonian city of Stagira, Chalkidice, Greece. He joined Plato’s Academy in Athens when he was eighteen and remained there until the age of thirty-seven. His writings cover a range of subjects, including physics, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theatre, music, rhetoric, linguistics, politics and government. His work constitutes the first comprehensive system of Western philosophy. After Plato’s death, Aristotle left Athens, and at the request of Philip of Macedon, tutored Alexander the Great, from 343 BC.
While teaching Alexander the Great, Aristotle received many opportunities and an abundance of supplies. He established a library in the Lyceum which helped in the production of a number of his books. The fact that Aristotle was a pupil of Plato contributed to his earlier views of Platonism, but following Plato’s death, Aristotle focused on empirical studies and shifted from Platonism to empiricism. He believed that all people’s knowledge was ultimately based on perception. Aristotle’s works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, which was incorporated in the late 19th century into modern formal logic. In metaphysics, Aristotelianism had a deep influence on Judeo-Islamic philosophical and theological thought during the medieval period, and continues to influence Christian theology, especially the scholastic tradition of the Catholic church.
All the aspects of Aristotle’s philosophy continue to be the object of active academic study today. Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues. Cicero described his literary style as “a river of gold.” It is believed that only around one-third of his original writings have survived.
