What Is Politics?
Politics is the activity of people who are trying to make agreements so that they can live together in groups such as tribes, cities, or countries. These agreements are called laws and policies. People who study politics are called political scientists or public affairs professionals. Politics is also the way that people manage power, which means how they get things from other people. This is sometimes referred to as the “political process.”
Some people think of politics as simply a struggle for power over limited resources or precious rights and privileges. This is the view of Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote that “politics is first and foremost about having and keeping power.” Others see it as a way to improve societal conditions for everyone. The philosopher John Stuart Mill developed a more liberal idea of politics in the 1800s, with its focus on citizens’ individual freedoms against government interference.
A more precise definition of politics includes the process of negotiating a solution to problems that a society faces, which takes into account the interests and opinions of different parties. This is the underlying principle of democracy. A society with a democratic government is said to have good politics, while one that does not have a democracy has bad politics.
Politics can be very complicated, especially when it comes to the United States, where there are three distinct branches of government. The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and Senate, which are the two chambers that form the U.S. Congress. The executive branch is headed by the President of the United States, and the judicial branch is comprised of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts that enforce the law.
The specific policies that a government pursues depend on the country’s culture and history. In the US, there are many ways for people to participate in politics by voting, protesting, or lobbying. People can also influence politics by contributing money to political candidates or causes, which is sometimes referred to as “soft money.”
The motivations of politicians affect the kind of politics they pursue. In some places, the main motivation for a politician is to stay in office and keep his or her job (or to rise to a higher position), while in other countries there may be strong financial incentives for graft and corruption. The structure of electoral institutions can also change the nature of politics, as when voters choose representatives who represent the whole country rather than narrow geographic areas, or when politicians are grouped into political parties that have their own agendas. All of these factors contribute to the general belief that, in democracies at least, all politics is local.
Politics is the activity of people who are trying to make agreements so that they can live together in groups such as tribes, cities, or countries. These agreements are called laws and policies. People who study politics are called political scientists or public affairs professionals. Politics is also the way that people manage power, which means how they get things from other people. This is sometimes referred to as the “political process.” Some people think of politics as simply a struggle for power over limited resources or precious rights and privileges. This is the view of Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote that “politics is first and foremost about having and keeping power.” Others see it as a way to improve societal conditions for everyone. The philosopher John Stuart Mill developed a more liberal idea of politics in the 1800s, with its focus on citizens’ individual freedoms against government interference. A more precise definition of politics includes the process of negotiating a solution to problems that a society faces, which takes into account the interests and opinions of different parties. This is the underlying principle of democracy. A society with a democratic government is said to have good politics, while one that does not have a democracy has bad politics. Politics can be very complicated, especially when it comes to the United States, where there are three distinct branches of government. The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and Senate, which are the two chambers that form the U.S. Congress. The executive branch is headed by the President of the United States, and the judicial branch is comprised of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts that enforce the law. The specific policies that a government pursues depend on the country’s culture and history. In the US, there are many ways for people to participate in politics by voting, protesting, or lobbying. People can also influence politics by contributing money to political candidates or causes, which is sometimes referred to as “soft money.” The motivations of politicians affect the kind of politics they pursue. In some places, the main motivation for a politician is to stay in office and keep his or her job (or to rise to a higher position), while in other countries there may be strong financial incentives for graft and corruption. The structure of electoral institutions can also change the nature of politics, as when voters choose representatives who represent the whole country rather than narrow geographic areas, or when politicians are grouped into political parties that have their own agendas. All of these factors contribute to the general belief that, in democracies at least, all politics is local.