Politics

Aristotle's Politics examines the city, citizenship and the purposes of life in a community. Beginning with the household, property and economic relationships, Aristotle compares different constitutions and asks when political authority serves the common good. He also investigates the circumstances in which a constitution becomes unstable. The discussion covers political change, rich and poor citizens, the role of a middle group, education and law. Aristotle's accounts of citizenship and slavery belong to the historical setting of the ancient Greek city. The work offers a way to study the connections between politics and ethics, and the movement from social observation to philosophical argument.