The tension between Aristotle and Alexander the Great was largely ideological. Aristotle, adhering to traditional Greek views, regarded non-Greeks as 'barbarians' meant to be ruled. Alexander, however, adopted a policy of cultural fusion and integration with the Persians, which Aristotle found objectionable. This fundamental disagreement on the treatment of conquered peoples and the nature of empire caused a significant rift between the tutor and his former student.

Aristotle returned to Athens in 335 B.C. after his time tutoring Alexander the Great. Upon his return, he founded the Lyceum, a peripatetic school where he conducted research and taught his students, marking a significant milestone in the history of Western philosophy and political science.

Aristotle articulated this principle in his 'Politics' and 'Nicomachean Ethics'. He argued that justice is proportional; it requires that individuals be treated according to their merit or contribution. Therefore, those who are equal in relevant respects should receive equal treatment, while those who are unequal should be treated differently in proportion to their inequality.

Aristotle viewed the state as a natural organism that grows and develops, much like a living entity. He famously argued that 'man is by nature a political animal' and that the state exists prior to the individual in terms of functional importance. Just as a limb cannot function without the body, the individual cannot achieve their full potential outside the structure of the political community.

Aristotle argued that the middle class, or the 'mean,' is the most stable element of a polity. Because they are neither excessively wealthy nor destitute, they are less prone to factionalism and are more likely to follow the dictates of reason, thereby preventing the extremes of oligarchy and democracy.

Aristotle, the influential student of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great, died in 322 B.C. in Chalcis, Euboea. His death occurred shortly after he fled Athens following the death of Alexander, which triggered anti-Macedonian sentiment in the city. His contributions to political science, ethics, and biology remain foundational to Western intellectual history.

Aristotle (384–322 BC) was a student of Plato and a foundational figure in ancient Greek philosophy. In contrast, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were prominent social contract theorists who lived during the 17th and 18th centuries, marking the era of Enlightenment political thought.

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Aristotle is credited as the father of political science because he moved beyond purely speculative or idealist approaches. By systematically collecting and analyzing 158 constitutions, he applied empirical observation and rigorous classification to political phenomena. This methodology established the foundation for political science as a discipline based on evidence, observation, and logical analysis rather than just philosophical conjecture.

Aristotle utilized the hylomorphic theory to explain change and existence. He argued that matter (hyle) represents the potentiality of an object, while form (morphe) represents its actuality. Just as raw material has the potential to become a specific object, the form provides the actual structure or essence that defines what that object is. This framework is central to his metaphysics and understanding of natural substances.