The concept of national security in the light of Aristotle’s philosophy of Politics

Purpose: to present the main assumptions of Aristotleʼs Politics through the prism of the category of national security. Also, to reflect on the characteristics of political systems presented by Aristotle as the basis for the search for the essence of the functioning of the state, as well as an attempt to describe the perfect state (politeia). Method: the research was conducted using the following general scientific and special methods: the historical method during the study of the development of the political systems by Aristotle in chronological order; the method of analysis and synthesis related to the functioning of the state by Aristotle, abstract-logical method – for formulating theoretical generalizations and research conclusions. The results of the study: in the history of socio-political thought, Politics should be perceived as an important work that was the first to scientifically deal with the entire spectrum of issues of internal and external politics, tasks faced by rulers and citizens, goals of the state, and factors of its stability and development. Theoretical implications: deepened unique perception of the state, in line with the spirit of antiquity, in which the boundary between politics and ethics is not clearly drawn. It really matters, as seen from the current approaches to the roles the state is able or supposed to play. That’s why it is worth treating the research as a good starting point for analyzing the tasks of the state, including national security. Практична цінність дослідження: the results of the research can be considered, while analyzing the socio-political theory of Aristotle, as a supporter of the democratic system - looking for inspiration and parallel solutions for the political culture of current liberal democratic societies. Papertype: theoretical.