~ 4th-century BC ~
Aristotle's Politics is a work of political philosophy that discusses the nature and functions of different types of communities and partnerships, comparing them with the political community, or polis, which he claims is the highest form of community. He argues that the state is a creation of nature and is designed to enable its members to live well. Aristotle classifies different varieties of constitution in good and bad forms, arguing that the important factor is not who has the power, but whether that power is deployed skillfully towards the common good. He also explores the idea that there is a lifecycle of states, beginning with an outstanding individual who becomes the monarch and ending with democracy. Aristotle's method of research was rooted in evidence-based, descriptive analyses, which was in contrast to the more idealistic approach of other philosophers like Plato.