What Is Politics?
Politics is the process by which people decide how a country should be governed, including which leaders and what laws to make. Political decisions affect every aspect of daily life and are therefore very important. The field of study that deals with politics is called political science.
The word politics is derived from the Greek word politika, meaning “affairs of the city” or “the city council.” It has since come to refer to how human society is managed and what rules and rights individuals have. Politics is a very complex and contested subject. In fact, there are so many different definitions of politics that a person could spend their entire life studying it and never have a complete understanding of it.
Some scholars define politics as a process by which people seek to resolve conflicts over limited resources and precious rights and privileges. In this view, politicians may engage in a sometimes chaotic and painful struggle to achieve solutions that are acceptable to all stakeholders.
Other scholars see a more subtle and complex role for politics. In this view, politics is less about the actual distribution of scarce resources and more about how issues are framed by rival groups or parties. This perspective is especially useful when considering contemporary debates on ‘fake news’ and the impact of narrative on policy outcomes.
The classic view of politics is that it is a process by which people struggle over who should be in power and how they should govern. This vision is often associated with the works of Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes. The former argued that power was the most important thing in a kingdom, and the latter asserted that people willingly give up some of their freedoms in return for protections provided by a central authority.
In modern societies, most people participate in politics by voting in elections for local, state and national officials. These officials, in turn, make policies that affect all citizens. In the United States, for example, voters elect a president and a Congress of Representatives and Senators. The governing process is further complicated by the existence of political parties that nominate candidates for public office and compete against each other for votes in general elections.
The study of politics is an important endeavor because it involves examining how people interact in a society to determine the best way to manage a shared resource or to resolve disputes. It is important to note, however, that not all politics is good or fair. Some forms of politics may lead to corruption and dishonesty. This is why it is important to understand the nature of politics, so that people can avoid participating in ill-advised political activities. On the other hand, some people can use their skills in politics to further their own ambitions and advance the causes they believe in. It is these people that have a responsibility to teach others about the importance of good political practice.
Politics is the process by which people decide how a country should be governed, including which leaders and what laws to make. Political decisions affect every aspect of daily life and are therefore very important. The field of study that deals with politics is called political science. The word politics is derived from the Greek word politika, meaning “affairs of the city” or “the city council.” It has since come to refer to how human society is managed and what rules and rights individuals have. Politics is a very complex and contested subject. In fact, there are so many different definitions of politics that a person could spend their entire life studying it and never have a complete understanding of it. Some scholars define politics as a process by which people seek to resolve conflicts over limited resources and precious rights and privileges. In this view, politicians may engage in a sometimes chaotic and painful struggle to achieve solutions that are acceptable to all stakeholders. Other scholars see a more subtle and complex role for politics. In this view, politics is less about the actual distribution of scarce resources and more about how issues are framed by rival groups or parties. This perspective is especially useful when considering contemporary debates on ‘fake news’ and the impact of narrative on policy outcomes. The classic view of politics is that it is a process by which people struggle over who should be in power and how they should govern. This vision is often associated with the works of Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes. The former argued that power was the most important thing in a kingdom, and the latter asserted that people willingly give up some of their freedoms in return for protections provided by a central authority. In modern societies, most people participate in politics by voting in elections for local, state and national officials. These officials, in turn, make policies that affect all citizens. In the United States, for example, voters elect a president and a Congress of Representatives and Senators. The governing process is further complicated by the existence of political parties that nominate candidates for public office and compete against each other for votes in general elections. The study of politics is an important endeavor because it involves examining how people interact in a society to determine the best way to manage a shared resource or to resolve disputes. It is important to note, however, that not all politics is good or fair. Some forms of politics may lead to corruption and dishonesty. This is why it is important to understand the nature of politics, so that people can avoid participating in ill-advised political activities. On the other hand, some people can use their skills in politics to further their own ambitions and advance the causes they believe in. It is these people that have a responsibility to teach others about the importance of good political practice.