The lecture discusses Aristotle's comparative politics with a special emphasis on the idea of the regime, as expressed in books III through VI in Politics. A regime, in the context of this major work, refers to both the formal enumeration of rights and duties within a community as well as to the distinctive customs, manners, moral dispositions and sentiments of that community. Aristotle asserts that it is precisely the regime that gives a people and a city their identity.

Reading assignment:

Aristotle, Politics, IV

Resources: Aristotle, Politics, translated by Benjamin Jowett Courtesy of the University of Adelaide Library Electronic Texts Collection