Sumit Kapoor

This course deals with western political thoughts and also topic dealing with political science and international relations. This course is beneficial for UPSC CSE aspirants.

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Hindi

(Hindi) Western Political Thought (Aristotle): UPSC CSE

Introduction to the course on Aristotle,  content,  syllabus,  references etc

Introduction (in Hindi)

General facts about Aristotle,  compare with plato.

Western Political Thought: Aristotle

In the historical trend of political philosophy, Aristotle made distinct position and contributed a lot through his great ideas. Aristotle (b. 384 - d. 322 BCE), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. His cataloguing of constitutions is still used in understanding constitutions relatively. He considered political science as the master science, studied human beings in a political society suggesting that a human being can lead an eloquent life only as a member of a state. Aristotle described politics as a "practical science" because it deals with making citizens happy. His philosophy is to find the supreme purpose of life, virtue as he puts it. One of the most important roles of a politician, though, is to make laws, or constitutions. With this task it is believed that Aristotle wanted the citizen's wellbeing and livelihood to be contemplated before any laws were made permanent. After the laws are put into place the politician's job is to make sure that they are abided by. Aristotle believes that with the same constitution citizens will be the same over time, but if the constitution is ever changed so will the citizen.

Aristotle was inclined to study the nature of the politics and deeply normative in his approach to politics. He was more empirical and scientific in his technique, writing treatises instead of dialogues and often handling his materials with considerable detachment. The result in the Politics is a far-reaching and often penetrating treatment of political life, from the origins and purpose of the state to the nuances of institutional arrangements. While Aristotle's comments on slavery, women, and labourers are often uncomfortable to modern readers, his analysis of government types (including the causes of their preservation and destruction) remains of perennial interest. His discussion of "polity" a fusion of oligarchy and democracy, has been of particular significance in the history of popular government. Finally, his argument that a constitution is more than a set of political institutions, but also exemplifies a shared way of life, has showed a productive insight for succeeding thinkers such as Alexis de Tocqueville.

Lessons

5 lessons • 42m

Introduction (in Hindi)

Comparison between Aristotle and Plato (in Hindi)

Difference between Aristotle and Plato (in Hindi)

Aristotle Theory of State (in Hindi)

Man is by Nature a Political Animal (in Hindi)