1) Honestly, a state/nation probably wouldn't survive without the concepts of Political Science/governance. Thomas Paine said government is a "necessary evil", because you need government to protect the rights of its citizens from threats both foreign and domestic. However, a government should only do what its meant to, as the Constitution states; <em>"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."</em> It is when government abuses its powers that it becomes a detriment to the welfare of society. As George Washington said, a government is like fire, a dangerous servant and a fearful master. If you control the fire, it can be very beneficial, but the moment it gets out of your control, it becomes catastrophic.
2) Now, Aristotle's quote here can have two meanings; (a) by human nature, we are all inclined to social interaction and drawn to political associations for our social needs. Or (b), the "animal" portion describes how humans are naturally selfish and only looking to benefit themselves. Politics can potentially be based in violence where humans turn to their "animal side", shedding their rational and cooperative anchors.
