1) Aristotle was the first to systematically analyze existing constitutions using a comparative method and was well-versed in many disciplines including politics. 2) He regarded the ideal form of government as aristocracy but advocated for a mixed form of government with rule by rotation to prevent monopoly of political power. 3) In his work Politics, Aristotle analyzed the nature of the state and different constitutions, regarded the state as providing for individual happiness, and defined the state as prior to the individual.

1. AristotleTeaching document...not to be cited...
Father of Political Science: 1st
to analyse, critically and systematically the then
existing constitutions (158 constitutions); one of the 1st
to use comparative method
Primarily an encyclopaedist - well-versed in a number of disciplines: aesthetics,
biology, ethics, logic, physics, politics; lay down the principles of library
classification
Aristotle was a disciple of Plato, his masterpiece the Politics differed both in temper
and content from that of his mentor; the Nicomachean Ethics and the Eudemian
Ethics or On the Soul.
Aristotle primary interest lay in subjects like
 Human behaviour
 Political institutions
 Constitutions and
 Factors of political stability
Aristotle regarded aristocracy ideal... however, on grounds of feasibility,
accountability and efficiency, Aristotle advocated a mixed form of government -
rule by rotation - none had a monopoly over political power.
Life Sketch – students have to do... established his school, Lyceum; He remained
oblivious, did not reflect then changes- in spite of his close links with Alexander
Politics
Detailed examination of the nature of the state and its origins, an analysis of the
ideal state and the different constitutions of actual states, the concepts of
citizenship, law and constitution
In the Politics he regarded the state as the chief source and avenue for the
realization of individual happiness.

2. The object of the Politics was both speculative and practical, for it explained the
nature of the ideal city in which the happiness of the individual would be realized
Book II - Ideal State, a historical study of earlier theories, and criticism of Plato
Book III - The nature of the state and citizenship, the virtues of good person, a good
citizen
Books VII and VIII - The construction of the Ideal State
Books IV, V, and VI - Dealt with the study of actual states, mainly democracy and
oligarchy, along with the reasons for their decay and factors that could ensure their
stability
Conception of Human Nature & State:
Man by nature was a political animal/social animal
For Aristotle, the good of a community was clearly the greater...still, private life
was a necessary
Aristotle was convinced of the individual‘s innate sociability- reason distinguish
humans from other social species
Listed the virtues of gentle person...Courage, Generosity, Modesty, Pride,
temperance, Wit... GOLDEN MEAN
A happy man required ―external goods‖ like health, wealth and FRIENDS
(IMPORTANT THAN JUSTICE)
State was an association of persons for the sake of securing the best moral life...
realization of the full human potential
State was prior to the individual - it provided opportunities for the achievement of
full humanity
Ideal state is association of equals
Aristotle pointed out that the state evolved from lower associations:
Family village Polis/political community
Aristotle defined a constitution
As a form of government+ a set of norms+ a way of life+ determined the
moral character of a state...identity of the polis... compare Indian Constitution

3. NATURE OF HAPPINESS OR EUDAIMONIA
Good as happiness... happiness? Defined in terms of function...The quest for
excellence
In the Rhetoric, Aristotle regarded a life of sufficiency and self-reliance as being a
happy one
In the Nicomachean Ethics, he clarified it as ethical virtue and pursuit of reason
In the Eudemian Ethics, he contended that to live meant to know, to think
collectively, implying that individual and social consciousness were intertwined
Aristotle's Soul
Quality
Irrational
Vegetative - To
all living beings
Appetitive -
Human beings-
emotions
Rational-for
human beings
Aristotle's 2
virtues to
attain
happiness
Ethical
virtues:depends on
one's activity ...not
possible to
taught...instilled
through
habit...GOLDEN
MEAN
Intelluctual: knowlegde of
final causes and practical
wisdom...contemplation...
reasoning

4. HOUSEHOLD (SLAVES, WOMEN & PROPERTY)
Household was important - self-preservation and procreative functions, and for the
satisfaction of economic needs...training the young to be good citizens
Slavery-defended...some by nature...Slave: barbarians not Greeks...an
instrument...humane treatments...all prisoners of war not slave
Slavery was seen as being mutually beneficial...Master - Slave
Slavery was not permanent...would go with advancement in technology
Women
Education yes...but no sexual equality
No unrestricted freedom
Part of city...but no political participation...part of private realm
Husband & wife...interdependent...not equal...command & obedience
Why subordinate position? Deliberative faculty weak...good health of the polis
About women...Aristotle....Reiterated by Rousseau
Property
Moderate & adequate private property
Economic activity subordinate to political...
Critical of corrupt financial gain... rejected retail trade
Appreciated use-value...not exchange- value of goods
1st
to pay attention...economic basis of political institution
Distribute Justice
Justice – complete virtue...not absolute...relative
Distinguished between
DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE... meant that offices and wealth, rewards and dues were
distributed among different social classes according to their contributions based on merit
Numbers mattered in popular claims, wealth was an important component in an
oligarchic claim, and virtue in an aristocratic claim— thus giving a share to everyone in
the political process. Justice as central to equality
and

5. CORRECTIVE OR RECTIFICATORY OR REMEDIAL JUSTICE...by judge
matters like contracts or criminal law
RULE OF LAW AND CONSTITUTION
Law as the final authority... personal authority only desirable if not easy to codify laws
Rule of law...however...
Subject did not totally surrender his judgement and responsibility, for both the ruler and
the ruled had a defined legal status
Constitutional ruler - Subject relationship was different from Master – Slave (lacked
reason)
Constitutional rule – 3 main elements:
Rule in the general or common interest; Government not act contrary to the constitution;
rule by consent, rather than by force.
Public opinion must be admitted
The most important institution was a civic body, which was sovereign
Constitution’s 3 elements
Deliberative-supreme -4 functions-
students have to do
The official or magisterial, and
The judicial
Classification of
constitutions
Ruler
1 Few Many
Rule Good Monarchy (a
true form of
government)
Aristocracy Polity
Perverted Tyranny Oligarchy Democracy
Good
Rule
of
law

6. 5 types of Kingship, 3 types of Aristocracy, 4 types of Oligarchy, and 4 types of
Democracy - students have to do
Separation of state from society; social classes - decisively influencing the political
system
Aristotle distinguished intention (constitution) & reality (actual working)
Polity
in accordance with his principle of the golden mean-constitutional government-moderate
democracy in Book III; a combination of the lot (elections, property qualifications and
relative merit);
The rich enjoyed great benefits and privileges, but were unwilling to accept discipline.
The poor, because of their deprivation, lacked spirit and enthusiasm. Therefore, the
MIDDLE CLASS “save states”
Constituted the mean in the social structure... ensure stability
Steered a middle path between the insolence of the rich and the unruly
behaviour of the bitterly poor
Fulfilment of two important political ideals: equality and consensus
Democracy: Free born & poor controlled - did not exclude the rich or well-born from
holding office or participating in politics
Citizenship
At the centre of his political analysis... contrary to Plato
Natural for people to aspire for political positions
Resident aliens (legal rights but) and slaves, young and the old, women, to an extent
working class -not citizens; Aristotle excluded slaves and producers from the citizen body
A citizen
Who shared power in the polis; have the intelligence and the ability to rule and be ruled;
shoulder civic responsibilities; deliberative faculty and the leisure to understand the
working of politics

7. Revolution: Causes and Remedies...consequences also
Causes... students have to do
Consequences
Change in the constitution of a state
Constitution unchanged...ruler changed...to have more power
Change in the nature of the state... more or less oligarchic/ more or less democratic
Other thoughts
Aristotle described politics as the master science and art, for it determined the
ordering of the sciences to be studied in a state by every class of citizen.
Aristotle equated ‗Good’ with happiness or eudaimonia, and was confident that it
could be attained through education, a branch of politics.
Conclusion
1) Political scientist...?
2) Empirical & inductive method
3) Teleological
4) Intimate link between individual-state
5) Ethics & Politics complementary
6) Accepted city-state...rejected the cosmopolitan & imperial model of
Alexander
Socrates
virtue is
knowledge;
a life unexamined
is not worth living
Plato Aristotle
Hierarchy of human
nature, justice as
a relation or order
among parts, and the
Hierarchy of human nature, justice
as a relation or order among parts,
and the inevitability of social
classes

8. inevitability of social
classes
Aristocratic
conservative –
revitalising &
reforming
aristocracy
Aristocratic
conservative –
revitalising & reforming
aristocracy
Aristocratic conservative –
revitalising & reforming
aristocracy…however
Working class could not
rule, and that the ruling
class - could own land -
should not work nor
earn any money
Working class could not rule, and
that the ruling class - could own
land - should not work nor earn any
money
State a natural
institution-stressed
its self-sufficiency and
self-governing
characteristics
State a natural institution-stressed
its self-sufficiency and self-
governing characteristics
Primary task of a state
was to ensure justice
Primary task of a state was to
ensure justice
Citizenship was a
privilege and a status to
be inherited.
Citizenship was a privilege and a
status to be inherited.
state-managed and
state-controlled
education
state-managed and state-controlled
education
Developed
dialectical method
Critique of Plato: Criticized Plato‘s theory of Forms
on three grounds
The Idea or Form is in the thing
(like the adult in the embryo) not
outside- students have to do
Idealist, Radical Realist, Moderate
Justice meant morality Justice meant equality
Restricted to branches Foundations of many disciplines;

9. of philosophy
(epistemology,
metaphysics and moral
philosophy)
several subjects of natural sciences.
Rejected Republic
Accepted Laws
Not mention slavery-
regarded unimportant
Slavery would change with
technology
Ruler-subject
relationship : automatic
command obedience
Ruler-subject relationship : equality
Education – political
unity
Education – political unity +
economic significance
Classified governments
on the basis of their
law-abidingness
Classified governments - Used the
criterion of general welfare and the
number who wielded political
power
Wisdom and virtue had
an absolute claim to
power
Claims to power based upon the rights
of property and the welfare of the
greater number
Citizen body- large Citizen body- compact and close-
knit... military command, public
communications and
judicial pronouncements to be
effective
Change - equated with
decay and corruption
Change as inevitable
Golden Mean, advocacy of mixed
constitution
Faith in middle-class rule as
being best for ensuring a stable and
enduring government
Conviction of the family being the
bedrock of the state
The necessity of property to ensure

10. self-sufficiency and fulfill the
instinct of possessiveness in the
individual
Social differentiation was the key
ordering principle of a good, stable
state.
Aristotle separated the political
from the non-political – not keen to
eliminate the private - On the
contrary, the private and public
were complementary
Permanent rule by a
philosopher would lead to
discontent and dissension not only
among the ordinary citizens, but
also among the high-spirited and
the soldiers.
Aristotle pointed out that politics
was not merely about the rule of the
capable. A stable polity would have
to accommodate the aspirations of
different claimants.
Aristotle was critical of denying the
lower classes the right to political
opinions and participation
Aristotle shared with Plato his
dislike for democracy, but, unlike
Plato, was willing to accept
democracy as unavoidable. Respect
for popular opinion.

11. STATEMENTS TO BE PROBED
The Politics is a retrospective anachronism – Kenny
A feast to do which many contribute is better than a dinner provided out of a single purse
(Aristotle)
Greek citizenship depended not so much on rights which could be claimed as on
responsibilities which had with pride to be shouldered (Heater)
Aristotle ―bequeathed a great legacy to political thought, but not to any one school‖
(Curtis)
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