St. Augustine is an important figure in the beginning of Western political ideas, but his work can be tricky to understand.

• Understanding His Ideas: Augustine mixes Christian beliefs with politics, which makes it hard to follow what he means.
• Views on People: His thoughts on original sin show a lack of faith in how humans govern themselves. This makes us wonder if there could ever be a perfect society.

To make sense of his ideas, scholars need to carefully study Augustine's writings. They should think about the context and what his words really mean. They can also look at the ideas of later thinkers, like St. Thomas Aquinas, to help us understand Augustine better today.