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Politics Audiobook
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“How can men best live together?” Twenty-three centuries after its compilation, Politics still has much to contribute to this central question of political science. Aristotle’s thorough and carefully argued analysis covers a huge range of political issues in the effort to establish which types of constitution are best, both ideally and in particular circumstances, and how they may be maintained.
Like his predecessor, Plato, Aristotle believed that the ideal constitution should be in accordance with nature, and that it is needed by man, “a political animal,” to fulfill his potential. His premises and arguments form an essential background to the thinking of such philosophers as Thomas Aquinas, Machiavelli, Jean Bodin, and Richard Hooker, and raise questions that are as relevant to modern society as they were to the ancient world.
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"The reason why there are many forms of government is that every state contains many elements. In the first place we see that all states are made up of families, and in the multitude of citizen there must be some rich and some poor, and some in a middle condition; the rich are heavy-armed, and the poor not. Of the common people, some are husbandmen, and some traders, and some artisans. There are also among the notables differences of wealth and property- for example, in the number of horses which they keep, for they cannot afford to keep them unless they are rich. And therefore in old times the cities whose strength lay in their cavalry were oligarchies, and they used cavalry in wars against their neighbors; as was the practice of the Eretrians and Chalcidians, and also of the Magnesians on the river Maeander, and of other peoples in Asia. Besides differences of wealth there are differences of rank and merit, and there are some other elements which were mentioned by us when in treating of aristocracy we enumerated the essentials of a state. Of these elements, sometimes all, sometimes the lesser and sometimes the greater number, have a share in the government. It is evident then that there must be many forms of government, differing in kind, since the parts of which they are composed differ from each other in kind. For a constitution is an organization of offices, which all the citizens distribute among themselves, according to the power which different classes possess, for example the rich or the poor, or according to some principle of equality which includes both. There must therefore be as many forms of government as there are modes of arranging the offices, according to the superiorities and differences of the parts of the state. There are generally thought to be two principal forms: as men say of the winds that there are but two- north and south, and that the rest of them are only variations of these, so of governments there are said to be only two forms- democracy and oligarchy. For aristocracy is considered to be a kind of oligarchy, as being the rule of a few, and the so-called constitutional government to be really a democracy, just as among the winds we make the west a variation of the north, and the east of the south wind. Similarly of musical modes there are said to be two kinds, the Dorian and the Phrygian; the other arrangements of the scale are comprehended under one or other of these two. About forms of government this is a very favorite notion. But in either case the better and more exact way is to distinguish, as I have done, the one or two which are true forms, and to regard the others as perversions, whether of the most perfectly attempered mode or of the best form of government: we may compare the severer and more overpowering modes to the oligarchical forms, and the more relaxed and gentler ones to the democratic."
— Venus (4 out of 5 stars)
Politics Listener Reviews
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" Very interesting and very thought provoking. I feel like this is one of those books every politician should read. "
— Jenn, 2/18/2014 -
" I really did not like having to read this book for a university course, because I disagreed with everything that wasn't too vague to disagree with. However, Aristotle is so methodical, and covers all of the bases so well, that even when I disliked what he was saying, I was thinking about politics in ways I would not have thought to. "
— Andrew, 2/10/2014 -
" Ow, my brain. The sexism makes me splutter with rage, and I am having a very very hard time with his economics. This is what we call stubbornness, I guess. "
— Elizabeth, 2/9/2014 -
" Gosh... The first book of politics I wanted to wolf down at the university! "
— Juliette, 2/8/2014 -
" Often touted as the 'first political science text', this companion text to the N. Ethics describes what people want and how to give it to them as leaders. "
— Andrew, 2/8/2014 -
" Gary Renard's recollection of two ascended masters who appeared to him to teach him about existence through the principles of "A Course in Miracles." Regardless of whether or not you take his account as factual, this book will clear up any negative preconceptions you have with the Christian language and terms used as learning tools in "A Course in Miracles. If you've had experience with "A Course in Miracles," and couldn't get past that stigma, or if you simply could not understand what it was actually teaching, this book will help you clear up such misunderstandings so that you can begin achieving correct perception, and experience true reality beyond illusions. Or not. "
— Mat, 2/3/2014 -
" Although Gary's writing style or sense of humor is not my favorite, this book definitely got me thinking! Most of what he said rang true on a spiritual level. Almost every other metaphysical book I've read and love has the same information that he has in this one book! I loved it! "
— Stacey, 2/2/2014 -
" Some call it the "canopener" to "A Course in Miracles"...a MUST READ if you ever plan on having some concept of working the ACIM in your personal life. Like the Bible and ACIM, this should probably be kept at the bedside and referred to often if you are having issues grasping ACIM practice. But certainly a must read, perhaps even before picking up the ACIM. "
— Sue, 1/30/2014 -
" A great and goofy introduction to ACIM. I laughed out loud and couldn't put it down. It found its way into my life when I most needed it, like a best friend. I didn't buy it when I first saw it at the bookstore almost five (?) years ago now, but a few months later it came automatically when I forgot to respond to my book club choice. "
— Bratkeeper, 1/30/2014 -
" This is a book to be read and re-read. I'm currently reading it for the second time, along with A COURSE IN MIRACLES. Both books are to be savored and lived. "
— Paula, 1/29/2014 -
" be careful this book could change your life! "
— Care, 1/29/2014
About Aristotle
Aristotle (384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, scientist, and physician. As a young man, he became a student under Plato in Athens. In 342, he became the tutor of young Alexander the Great in Macedonia. After that, Aristotle returned to Athens to establish his own school and research institute, the Lyceum. His writings have profoundly affected the whole course of philosophy, from ancient times to the present.
About Bernard Mayes
Bernard Mayes is a teacher, administrator, corporate executive, broadcaster, actor, dramatist, and former international commentator on US culture. He is best known for his readings of historical classics.