This Outline is from Peter Simpson's translation of The Politics of Aristotle, Published by University of North Carolina Press at Chapel Hill (1997), pgs XXXIX-XLIV.

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Analytical Outline of the Politics



Introduction to the Politics: Nicomachean Ethics 10.9

Chapter 9	The Incompleteness of the Ethics (1179a33)
		The Need for Legislation (1179b18)
		The Need for Legislators (1180a24)
		How to Become a Legislator: The Need for the Politics (1180b28)

Book One: The Primacy of the City

Chapter 1	The Primacy of the City (1252a1)
Chapter 2	The City and Its Parts
		    The Household (1252a24)
		    The City (1252b27)
Chapter 3	Household Management and Its Parts (1253b1)
Chapter 4	    Slavery
		         The Definition of the Slave (1253b23)
Chapter 5	         Slave and Master by Nature
		              First Proof (1254a17)
		              Second Proof (1254b20)
Chapter 6	         Slave and Master by Law
		              Against Those Who Altogether Condemn Slavery (1255a3)
		              Against Those Who Altogether Approve of Slavery (1255a21)
                                      Summary (1255b4)
Chapter 7	         Mastery as Rule and as Science (1255b16)
Chapter 8	    Property  
		       The Questions about Business (1256a1)
		       The Science of Property and Household Management (1256a15)
Chapter 9	       The Two Kinds of Business
		            The Science of Property and Exchange (1256b40)
                            The Emergence from Exchange of Another Kind of Business (1257a30)
		            Reason for Its Emergence (1257b40)
Chapter 10	       Business as Part of Household Management (1258a19)
Chapter 11	       The Practice of Business (1258b9)
Chapter 12	   Husband and Wife, Father and Child (1259a37)
Chapter 14	   Virtue as the Overall Concern of Household Management
		       Virtue as the Overall Concern of Household (1259b18)
                       How to Secure Virtue in the Household (1260a33)

Book Two: Regimes Said by Others to Be Best

Chapter 1	Reason and Order of the Examination (1260b27)
Chapter 2	The Regime of Plato's Republic
		    Common Wives and Children (1261a10)
		         Failure to Qualify the Fundamental Supposition about Unity (1261a15)
Chapter 3	         Unity as Appealed to in the Proof  Is Impossible
		             The Word "All" (1261b16)
		             The Word "Mine" (1262a1)
Chapter 4	         The Result Is the Opposite of That Intended (1262a25)
Chapter 5	    Common Property (1262b37)
		    Communism in General (1263b7)
		    The Regime as a Whole
		        Subjects (1264a11)
		        Rulers (1264b6)
Chapter 6	The Regime of Plato's Laws
		    From the Regime of the Republic to That of the Laws (1264b26)
		    Presuppositions of the Regime (1265a10)
		    The Regime as a Whole (1265b26)
Chapter 7	The Regime of Phaleas of Chalcedon
		    Phaleas' Materialism (1266a31)
		    Criticism of Phaleas (1266b8)
Chapter 8 	The Regime of Hippodamus of Miletus
		    Hippodamus as Man and as Legislator (1267b22)
		    Criticism of Hippodamus
		        Citizens and Land (1268a16)
		        Jurors (1268b4)
		        The Law about Discovering Something of Advantage to the City (1268b22)
Chapter 9	The Regime of the Spartans
		    Slavery (1269a29)
		    Women (1269b13)
		    Property (1270a11)
		    Offices 
		        The Ephorate (1270b6)
		        The Senate (1270b35)
		        Kings, Common Messes, and Admirals (1271a18)
		    Supposition of the Regime and Finances (1271a41)
Chapter 10	The Regime of the Cretans
		    How It Is Like the Regime of the Spartans (1271b20)
		    How It is Better and Worse than the Regime of the Spartans (1272a12)
Chapter 11	The Regime of the Carthaginians
		    How It is Better than the Regime of the Spartans and Cretans (1272b24)
		    Deviations in the Regime of the Carthaginians
		        Deviations in General (1273a2)
		        Particular Oligarchic Deviations (1273a21)
Chapter 12	Other Legislators
		         Framers of Regimes (1273b27)
		         Framers of Laws (1274b9)

Book Three: Definition and Division of  Regime

Chapter 1	Definition of City and Citizen
		     Priority of Citizen  (1274b32)
		     Preliminary Definition of Citizen (1275a5)
		     Precise Definition of Citizen and City (1275a34)
Chapter 2	     Confirmation of the Definitions (1275b22)
Chapter 3	     Resolution of Disputes
		         As Regard the City (1276a6)
Chapter4	         As Regard the Citizen
		             Virtue of Man and Citizen (1276b16)
		             That the Virtue of Both Cannot in Every Case Be the Same (1276b31)
		             That the Virtue of Both Can in Some Cases Be the Same (1277a13)
Chapter 5	             Citizenship and Virtue of the Vulgar
		                 Preliminary Discussion (1277b33)
		                 Determinative Answer (1278a13)
Chapter 6	Definition and Division of Regime
		    Definition of Regime (1278b6)
		    Division of Regime
		        First Part of the Division (1278b15)
Chapter 7	        Second Part of the Division (1279a22)
Chapter 8	    Confirmation of the Division against Certain Difficulties
		        First Difficulty: Whether the Deviant Regimes Are Rightly Defined (1279b11)
		             First Part of the Solution: Quantity and Quality in the Definition (1279b34)
Chapter 9	             Second Part of the Solution: Despotism in the Definition
		                  That Oligarchic and Democratic Justice Are Partial (1280a7)
		                  Why Oligarchic and Democratic Justice Are Partial (1280a25)
Chapter 10	        Second Difficulty: Whether Any of the Regimes is Correct
		            Statement of the Difficulty (1281a11)
Chapter 11	            Partial Solution Specific to Polity
		                Statement and Illustration of the Solution (1281a39)
		                Answers to Objections (1281b38)
Chapter 12	            Complete Solution General to All Regimes
		                Who May Justly Make Claims to Rule (1282b14)
Chapter 13	                Who May Justly Make Claims to Have Control of Rule
		                    Preliminary Discussion (1283a23)
		                    The Case for Polity (1283b27)
		                    The Case for Aristocracy and Kingship (1284a3)
Chapter 14	        Third Difficulty: Whether Kingship is a Correct Regime
		            The Kinds of Kingship (1284b35)
Chapter 15	            Difficulties with Total Kingship 
		                Arguments for Rule of Law Rather Than Rule by One Man (1285b33)
Chapter 16	                Arguments against Total Kingship (1287a1)
Chapter 17	            Answer to the Difficulties (1287b36)
Chapter 18	Transition to Investigation of the Best Regime (1288a32)

Book Four: The Best Regime[**see note below]

Chapter 1	Preface to the Discussion: The Best Way of Life
		    That the Life of Virtue Is the Best Life for Everyone (1323a14)
		    That the Life of Virtue Is the Best Life for the City (1323a29)
Chapter 2	    What the Life of Virtue Is
		        The Kinds of Virtuous Life (1324a13)
		        That the Life of Virtue Is Not Despotic Rule over Neighbors (1324a35)
Chapter 3	        That the Life of Virtue Is Both Practical and Philosophic (1325a16)
Chapter 4	Presuppositions of the Best Regime
		    The Amount and Sort of Material (1325b33)
		        The Number of Human Beings (1326a8)
Chapter 5	        The Amount and Sort of Territory 
                    Amount and Quality (1326b26)
		             Topology and Size of the City
		                 As Regards the Territory (1326b39)
Chapter 6	                 As Regards the Sea (1327a11)
Chapter 7	        The Sort of Human Beings (1327b18)
Chapter 8	    The Disposition of the Material
		        The Classes of Human Beings Necessary in a City (1328a21)
Chapter 9	        The Separation of the Classes from Each Other 
		            Statement and Proof of the Separation (1328b24)
Chapter 10	            Confirmation from Ancient Precedents (1329a40)
		        The Division of the Territory
		            With Respect to Farming (1329b36)
Chapter 11	            With Respect to the Site of the City
		               Health (1330a34)
		               Military Action and Nobility (1330a41)
Chapter 12	               Political Action and Nobility (1331a19)
Chapter 13	The Best Regime Itself
		    The Goal That the Regime Must Be Capable of Achieving (1331b24)
		    That Achieving This Goal Requires Education (1332a28)
Chapter 14	    The Education Required
		        Education Is to Train Both Ruled and Rulers (1332b12)
		        Education Must Follow the Division of the Soul
		            What the Division Is (1333a16)
		            Refutation of the Opposing View (1333b5)
Chapter 15	        What Virtues Education Must Inculcate (1334a11)
		    The Order of Education (1334b6)
Chapter 16	        Preliminary Stages
		             Childbirth (1334b29)
Chapter 17	             Infancy to Age Seven (1326a3)
		        Education Proper
		            The Division of Education and Questions to Examine (1336b37)

Book Five: Education in the Best Regime [** see note below]

Chapter 1	            That Education Is Necessary and Must Be Common (1337a11)
Chapter 2	            The Content and Manner of Education
		                Review of Difficulties (1337a33)
		                Solution to Difficulties
		                    Education Must Be Liberal (1337b4)
Chapter 3	                    Education Must be for Noble Leisure (1337b21)
Chapter 4	                Treatment of Particular Subjects
		                    Gymnastics (1338b4)
Chapter 5	                    Music
		                         Preliminary Discussion (1339a11)
		                         The Purposes of Music and Education in Music
		                              For Play and Cultured Pursuits (1339b10)
		                              For Contribution to Character (1339b42)
Chapter 6	                         The Music the Young Should Be Taught
		                              As Regards Performance (1340b20)
Chapter 7	                              As Regards Modes and Rhythms (1341b19)


Book Six: Division and Description of the Other Regimes [** see note below]


Chapter 1	The Questions Political Science Must Study (1288b10)
Chapter 2	The Questions Remaining to Be Studied and Their Order (1289a26)
Chapter 3	First Question:  The Differences among Regimes
		     That There Are Several Kinds of Regime (1289b27)
		         Restatement of the Correct View against the Common View (1290a13)
Chapter 4	         Falsity of the Common View (1290a30)
		         Proof of the Correct View and Reason for the Common View (1290b21)
		     That There Are Also Several Kinds of Democracy and Oligarchy (1291b14)
		         Kinds of Democracy (1291b30)
Chapter 5	         Kinds of Oligarchy (1292a39)
		         Reason for These Kinds of Democracy and Oligarchy
		              Preliminary Clarification (1292b11)
Chapter 6	              Relation to the Kinds of Populace and Notables (1292b22)
Chapter 7	     That There Are Also Several Kinds of Aristocracy, Polity, and Tyranny
		         Kinds of So-called Aristocracy (1293a35)
Chapter 8	         Kinds of Polity (1293b22)
Chapter 9	         Reasons for These Kinds of Aristocracy and Polity (1294a30)
Chapter 10	         Kinds of Tyranny (1295a1)
Chapter 11	Second Question: The Most Common and Most Choiceworthy Regime after the Best
		    That This Regime Is the Middle Sort of Regime (1295a25)
		    Why Most Regimes Are Not of the Middle Sort (1296a22)
		    That Other Regimes Are Better or Worse by Reference to the Middle (1296b2)
Chapter 12	Third Question: Which Regime Is Preferable for Whom
		    Democracies and Oligarchies (1296b13)
		    Mixed Regimes
		         The General Case (1296b38)
Chapter 13	         Particular Applications (1297a14)
Chapter 14	Fourth Question: How to Set Up These Regimes
		    By Means of the Deliberative Body (1297b35)
Chapter 15	    By Means of the Offices 
		         The Differences among Offices (1299a3)
		         The Appointment of Offices (1300a9)
Chapter 16	    By Means of the Law Courts (1300b13)


Book Seven: Destruction and Preservation of the Other Regimes [** see note below]

Chapter 1	Fifth Question: Destruction and Preservation of Regimes
		   Destruction of Regimes in General
		        The Starting Point of Change (1301a19)
		        Kinds of Change and Which Regimes Suffer Them (1301b4)
Chapter 2	        Beginnings and Causes of Change
		            Their Kinds and Number (1302a16)
Chapter 3	            The Power of Their Operation (1302a16)
Chapter 4	            Occasion and Means of Their Operation (1302b5)
Chapter 5	   Destruction of Regimes in Particular
		       Destruction of Democracies (1304b19)
Chapter 6	       Destruction of Oligarchies (130537)
Chapter 7	       Destruction of Mixed Regimes (1306b22)
Chapter 8	    Preservation of Regimes in Particular (1307b26)
Chapter 9	    Preservation of Regimes in General (1309a33)
Chapter 10	    Destruction of Monarchies
		        How Kingships and Tyrannies Are Like Regimes (1310a39) 
		        That They Are Destroyed in Similar Ways 
		              In General (1311a22)
		              In Particular (1313a34)
Chapter 11	        Preservation of Monarchies
		              Kingships (1313a18)
		              Tyrannies (1313a34)
Chapter 12	              Durability of Tyrannies (1315b11)
		        Refutation of the Rival Views of Socrates (1316a1)

Book Eight: Addendum on Setting Up the Other Regimes [** see note below]

Chapter 1	Reason and Order of the Addendum (1316b31)
		The Setting Up of Democracies (1317a18)
Chapter 2	    The Features of Democracy (1317a40)
Chapter 3	    How to Set Up the Kinds of Democracy 
		        The First or Rhetorical Democracy (1318a3)
Chapter 4	        The Other Democracies (1318b6)
Chapter 5	    How to Make the Kinds of Democracy Endure (1319b33)
Chapter 6	The Setting Up of Oligarchies
		    How to Set Up the Kinds of Oligarchy (1320b18)
Chapter 7	    How to Make the Kinds of Oligarchy Endure (1321a5)
Chapter 8	The Setting Up of the Combination of Regimes
		    The Elements of Rule Available for Combining (1321b4)


**Note: Peter Simpson in his translation not only reorders the order of the Books of the Politics, but he also renumbers them. This may cause some confusion in referring to other editions, so to clarify things please note that:

		Simpson's Book Number		The Traditional Order

			Book 1				Book 1
			Book 2				Book 2
			Book 3				Book 3
			Book 4				Book 7
			Book 5				Book 8
			Book 6				Book 4
			Book 7				Book 5
			Book 8				Book 6