Books III., VII, VIII. Giving Aristotle’s own conception of an Ideal State,—unfortunately not concluded.
Books IV., VI., V. Forming a return from the ideal point of view to practical statesmanship, and suggesting remedies for different evils apparent in the contemporary Governments of Greece.
It has been well pointed out [1] that in Aristotle’s treatment of the above-mentioned subjects three incongruous elements may be detected: “really scientific inquiry, aristocratic prejudice, and the dreams of a metaphysical philosophy which soars to heaven and listens for the eternal harmonies of nature.” The scientific spirit shows itself in the vast apparatus of history which Aristotle employs, his researches into the customs of barbarous tribes, and his careful recognition of the immense variety to be found in constitutions coming under the same general name (such as Democracy, Aristocracy, &c.) when studied according to the peculiar circumstances of each case. All this would constitute his work a contribution to the science of “Comparative Politics.”
But another spirit, alien from that of free and inductive inquiry, occasionally manifests itself, especially when Aristotle appeals to “nature” either in defending or attacking any institution. “Nature” is, of course, a rather slippery word: it may mean either of two things,—either “primitive condition,” in which sense a savage is in a state of nature; or “normal condition,” in which
- ↑ Mr A. Lang’s Essays on Aristotle’s ‘Politics,’ p. 15 (Longmans, 1877).
