Definitions of Politics
Politics is an authoritative and legitimate struggle for limited resources or precious rights and privileges within the context of government, the economy, and society. It has existed as long as human beings have faced scarcity and differences in beliefs and preferences and have had to find ways to resolve those differences while allocating scarce resources. It will continue to exist as long as those conditions persist.
The word “politics” is often defined as the art of managing conflict and competition. It is the means by which people seek to achieve their goals through negotiation, persuasion and the use of force against those who do not share their values. But this definition does not accurately describe the full range of politics. There are many other possible definitions of politics, some narrow and others broad. These broader definitions of politics attempt to encompass a wider range of activities, actors and spaces. They include social processes such as dialogue, debate and coalition-building, as well as formal political processes such as elections and the formation of governments.
Some broad definitions of politics try to address criticisms of narrower definitions by arguing that narrower definitions are too restrictive in scope. For example, the agonistist definition of politics attempts to incorporate a more dialogical and collective approach to the political process while also acknowledging that difference and conflict are fundamental features of our lives and therefore it is essential that we find a way to live with them.
Other broader definitions of politics try to encompass a range of different aspects of human life, such as the distribution of wealth and access to rights and privileges. They also include the study of historical developments that have preconditioned political situations. These broader definitions of politics are important to consider, but they are not without their critics. Critics of these broader definitions argue that they tend to stretch the concept of politics beyond its actual meaning and can dilute the importance of political issues.
There is another criticism of these broader definitions of politics, that they fail to adequately recognize the complexity of human existence and are too simplistic in their focus on dialogue and negotiation. For example, many people do not consider their decision to go shopping or attend a football game to be politically significant, but for those who believe that all forms of human interaction are political, these decisions can indeed be interpreted as political.
A number of other definitions of politics involve concepts such as legitimacy, rationality and choice. This last definition of politics, while encompassing many other concepts, is perhaps the most inclusive in that it allows for a wide variety of practices and situations to be considered as politically significant. For example, many people would argue that it is politic to behave respectfully in class, but a similar behavior may not be regarded as political in other circumstances. In addition, the word politic, like the words expedient and advisable, has a negative connotation that it is driven by pragmatic considerations rather than ethical or consistent principles.
Politics is an authoritative and legitimate struggle for limited resources or precious rights and privileges within the context of government, the economy, and society. It has existed as long as human beings have faced scarcity and differences in beliefs and preferences and have had to find ways to resolve those differences while allocating scarce resources. It will continue to exist as long as those conditions persist. The word “politics” is often defined as the art of managing conflict and competition. It is the means by which people seek to achieve their goals through negotiation, persuasion and the use of force against those who do not share their values. But this definition does not accurately describe the full range of politics. There are many other possible definitions of politics, some narrow and others broad. These broader definitions of politics attempt to encompass a wider range of activities, actors and spaces. They include social processes such as dialogue, debate and coalition-building, as well as formal political processes such as elections and the formation of governments. Some broad definitions of politics try to address criticisms of narrower definitions by arguing that narrower definitions are too restrictive in scope. For example, the agonistist definition of politics attempts to incorporate a more dialogical and collective approach to the political process while also acknowledging that difference and conflict are fundamental features of our lives and therefore it is essential that we find a way to live with them. Other broader definitions of politics try to encompass a range of different aspects of human life, such as the distribution of wealth and access to rights and privileges. They also include the study of historical developments that have preconditioned political situations. These broader definitions of politics are important to consider, but they are not without their critics. Critics of these broader definitions argue that they tend to stretch the concept of politics beyond its actual meaning and can dilute the importance of political issues. There is another criticism of these broader definitions of politics, that they fail to adequately recognize the complexity of human existence and are too simplistic in their focus on dialogue and negotiation. For example, many people do not consider their decision to go shopping or attend a football game to be politically significant, but for those who believe that all forms of human interaction are political, these decisions can indeed be interpreted as political. A number of other definitions of politics involve concepts such as legitimacy, rationality and choice. This last definition of politics, while encompassing many other concepts, is perhaps the most inclusive in that it allows for a wide variety of practices and situations to be considered as politically significant. For example, many people would argue that it is politic to behave respectfully in class, but a similar behavior may not be regarded as political in other circumstances. In addition, the word politic, like the words expedient and advisable, has a negative connotation that it is driven by pragmatic considerations rather than ethical or consistent principles.