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The "groundbreaking translation" of the foundational text of Western political thought, now in a revised and expanded edition (History of Political Thought). Aristotle's masterwork is the first systematic treatise on the science of politics. Carnes Lord's lucid translation helped raise scholarly interest in the work and has served as the standard English edition for decades. Widely regarded as the most faithful to both the original Greek and Aristotle's distinctive style, it is also written in clear, contemporary English. This new edition of the Politics retains and adds to Lord's already extensive notes, clarifying the flow of Aristotle's argument and identifying literary and historical references. A glossary defines key terms in Aristotle's philosophical-political vocabulary. Lord has also made revisions to problematic passages throughout the translation in order to enhance both its accuracy and its readability. He has also substantially revised his introduction for the new edition, presenting an account of Aristotle's life in relation to political events of his time; the character and history of his writings and of the Politics in particular; his overall conception of political science; and his impact on subsequent political thought from antiquity to the present. Further enhancing this new edition is an up-to-date selected bibliography.… (more)
Aristotle's "Politics" is excellent but complex. It is a challenging book because of its complex structure; it contains excellent ideas and concepts. I recommend you read it once, like I did, put it away, and return to it leisurely a few months later. I assume, of course, that politics and government structure are something you wish to study. You cannot copy every concept and paste it into modern politics. He wrote "Politics" in his times, whereas social structures have changed since then. For instance, a woman today will not accept the notion that a woman's greatest virtue is silence. City-states have morphed into nations with an accompanying complexity. However, the descriptions of the forms of government are useful, and it may be helpful to read the descriptions of tyranny, oligarchy, and tyranny. The basic concepts he outlines in the book are timeless, but you must approach the book with patience. Remember, the complex sentence structure leaves the concepts open to many different interpretations. His emphasis on ethics is a salutary reminder for all of us today. ( )
Although reading this may enlighten the modern reader about today's politics (in terms of the role and development of the state, and the legitimacy of power, the goal of laws to give stability, and the power of oligarchs), it is of particular interest to see the thinking of ancient Greece concerning the class structure, types of government, tyranny and the role of the sexes. Of special note is the duty of the state to educate its citizens, especialy in citizenship; but Aristotle sees fit to talk also of matters which appear a long way from politics - what sort of music and drama lessons to give, for example. ( )
Aristóteles fornece um manual sobre a política do período Helênico, com sua habitual prosa pé no chão e classificatória. Aprendemos muitas coisas, como por exemplo que entre os diferentes tópicos que a natureza de algo é aquilo no qual ele pode desenvolver seu máximo, que o homem e a mulher, o escravo e o senhor se completam nas suas necessidades e pertencem à mesma natureza, que um é superior e outro inferior, que o estado foi criado pela natureza antes do indivíduo, por ele ser parte do estado, e não poder sustentar-se sem ele. Que tendo saúde, a alma governa o corpo, que a razão é superior à emoção. Que os escravos por natureza não chegam a ser animais, mas não são como os por convenção, que colocam questões éticas ao escravagismo. Que a natureza deve fornecer comida então pegar comida é natural e bom, animais e frutas; que o comércio é artificial e odioso, embora tolerável, mas a usura sendo o máximo do artificial, é o mais odioso. Que o amor a si é dado pela natureza, daí a propriedade privada, mas socialmente é melhor que o uso seja coletivo, para o bem de todos. Ademais, há 6 tipos de governos, com seus subtipos, em duplas, das quais a segunda é uma desvirtuação da primeira, por não buscar o bem de todos mas o dos governantes, e contrário a Sócrates, com a democracia perto da melhor forma, a Politeia, na categoria do governo por muitos; seguem, no governo de poucos, a aristocracia e a desvirtuada oligarquia, e no governo por um, a monarquia e a desvirtuada tirania. Ademais, se a politeia é o domínio da classe média, a democracia o dos pobres, que valoriza a igualdade e liberdade, e a oligarquia, dos ricos, preocupados com a riqueza, ambas em oposição mútua.
O texto é instrutivo quanto aos costumes e constituições da época (330 antes de Cristo) e institui uma ideia forte de ciência política. A politéia mesmo, é um ideal regulador de busca do bem para as cidades-estado. O que me soa, como leitor desavisado, como tendo envelhecido mal, deve-se aos apelos da extrema direita hodierna a argumentos envolvendo natureza, e a declaração de alguns gurus da ignorância de serem eles "aristotélicos"; ao menos, eles gostariam de voltar para a época em que a Terra ainda era plana. ( )
Last Easter I read the greater part of the Politics: last month I read the whole of it . . . It is an amazing book. It seems to me to show a Shakespearian understanding of human beings and their ways, together with a sublime good sense.
Henry Jackson, letter to J. A. Platt, 16 August 1900
Dedication
First words
In der planmäßig zusammengestellten Auswahl, in der uns die Schriften des Aristoteles erhalten sind, sehen wir die Ethik und die "Politik", also die Staatsphilosophie, auf das engste miteinander verknüpft.
As we see that every city is a society, and every society is established for some good purpose; for an apparent good is the spring of all human actions; it is evident that this is the principle upon which they are every one founded, and this is more especially true of that which has for its object the best possible, and is itself the most excellent, and comprehends all the rest.
Quotations
It is owing to lack of vigilance that those who are not friendly to the constitution are sometimes allowed to get into the supreme offices.
In democracies the most potent cause of revolution is the unprincipled character of popular leaders.
A democracy is when the supreme power is in the hands of the freemen; an oligarchy, when it is the hands of the rich: it happens indeed that in the one case the many will possess it, in the other the few; because there are many poor and few rich.
Last words
These then are as it were the three boundaries of education: moderation, possibility, and decorum.
The "groundbreaking translation" of the foundational text of Western political thought, now in a revised and expanded edition (History of Political Thought). Aristotle's masterwork is the first systematic treatise on the science of politics. Carnes Lord's lucid translation helped raise scholarly interest in the work and has served as the standard English edition for decades. Widely regarded as the most faithful to both the original Greek and Aristotle's distinctive style, it is also written in clear, contemporary English. This new edition of the Politics retains and adds to Lord's already extensive notes, clarifying the flow of Aristotle's argument and identifying literary and historical references. A glossary defines key terms in Aristotle's philosophical-political vocabulary. Lord has also made revisions to problematic passages throughout the translation in order to enhance both its accuracy and its readability. He has also substantially revised his introduction for the new edition, presenting an account of Aristotle's life in relation to political events of his time; the character and history of his writings and of the Politics in particular; his overall conception of political science; and his impact on subsequent political thought from antiquity to the present. Further enhancing this new edition is an up-to-date selected bibliography.
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You cannot copy every concept and paste it into modern politics. He wrote "Politics" in his times, whereas social structures have changed since then. For instance, a woman today will not accept the notion that a woman's greatest virtue is silence. City-states have morphed into nations with an accompanying complexity. However, the descriptions of the forms of government are useful, and it may be helpful to read the descriptions of tyranny, oligarchy, and tyranny.
The basic concepts he outlines in the book are timeless, but you must approach the book with patience. Remember, the complex sentence structure leaves the concepts open to many different interpretations.
His emphasis on ethics is a salutary reminder for all of us today. (