Study Guides/General Knowledge/Who is the Father of Political Science
Study Guide Β· General Knowledge

Who is the Father of Political Science?

Political Science β€” the systematic study of government, power, and the state β€” is one of the oldest academic disciplines. But who first gave it a rigorous, structured, analytical form?

Question (Click to Flip)

What did Aristotle consider the best form of government?

Answer

Aristotle considered Polity (a mixed constitution combining elements of oligarchy and democracy, ruled by a strong middle class) as the best practical form of government β€” because it was most stable and resistant to corruption.

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Key Facts

Aristotle was the private tutor of Alexander the Great from age 13. The greatest military conqueror in history was educated by the greatest philosopher-scientist β€” arguably history's most consequential teacher-student relationship.

Father of Political Science (Western Tradition): Aristotle

Aristotle (384–322 BC), the ancient Greek philosopher, is universally called the Father of Political Science.

His book 'Politics' is the foundational text of Western political thought. In it, Aristotle:

  • Defined the 'Polis' (city-state) as the natural unit of human organization
  • Classified governments into 6 types (3 good: monarchy, aristocracy, polity; 3 corrupt: tyranny, oligarchy, democracy)
  • Analyzed constitutions of 158 Greek city-states
  • Famously stated: "Man is by nature a political animal" (Anthropos physei politikon zōon)

Father of Political Science (Indian Tradition): Kautilya

In the Indian tradition, Kautilya (also called Chanakya or Vishnugupta, c. 350–283 BC) is considered the Father of Political Science.

His masterwork, the 'Arthashastra', written in Sanskrit, covers statecraft, military strategy, economic policy, law, and diplomacy β€” a comprehensive political treatise that predated Machiavelli's 'Prince' by 1,800 years.

In School Exams

For CBSE/NCERT exams, the accepted answer is Aristotle as the Father of Political Science (Western/modern tradition). For Indian tradition questions, Kautilya/Chanakya is the answer.

Questions and Answers

What did Aristotle consider the best form of government?+

Aristotle considered **Polity** (a mixed constitution combining elements of oligarchy and democracy, ruled by a strong middle class) as the best practical form of government β€” because it was most stable and resistant to corruption.

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