The Study of Politics
Politics is the study of how people, governments and institutions make decisions that affect other individuals and groups. It includes the use of power, coercion and force to achieve goals in situations involving conflict, competition and cooperation. Politics is studied at all levels of human society, from clans and tribes in traditional societies to modern democratic nation states. The study of politics is also called political science or government.
People often have very different ideas about what politics is and how it works. Some see it as scheming and manipulation, while others believe that a well-trained politician is able to help a group achieve its goals through consensus. There are even those who think that it is impossible to separate the personal from the political, and that the best politicians have a combination of skills in both areas.
A classic view of politics is that it is a contestation between competing interests for control of resources. This could include everything from food, shelter and clothing to money, power and prestige. This idea of politics has been criticized, however, for the way that it ignores many of the factors that contribute to human survival and flourishing. It overlooks the need for all humans to be willing to sacrifice some of their individual freedom in order to live together in a community. This sacrifice is often described as the ‘political bargain’.
Another common view is that politics is a set of processes for making decisions when the members of a group want very different things. This would include deciding who should lead a country, what laws should be made and how taxes should be collected. This view is criticized for the way that it ignores the ways in which these competing demands are met, and the fact that not everyone will be satisfied with every decision that is made.
The study of politics is extremely important in our modern world, because it influences all aspects of our lives. It is not only found in legislation and Supreme Court appointments, but also in the way that we choose our employers, the way that we spend our leisure time and the way that we organize ourselves into communities and nations.
A career in politics can be very exciting and rewarding. Many of our most influential global leaders have studied Politics and used it in their jobs as Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chancellors of their countries. Other people work in international organisations like the UN, WTO and the OECD and for charities and pressure groups. A broad study of Politics will leave you with a wide range of transferable skills and an ability to find solutions to a variety of problems. This can be very beneficial for your future career. Whether you want to become a politician yourself or you simply want to learn about how our governments and international organisations function, a degree in Politics can give you the tools to succeed.
Politics is the study of how people, governments and institutions make decisions that affect other individuals and groups. It includes the use of power, coercion and force to achieve goals in situations involving conflict, competition and cooperation. Politics is studied at all levels of human society, from clans and tribes in traditional societies to modern democratic nation states. The study of politics is also called political science or government. People often have very different ideas about what politics is and how it works. Some see it as scheming and manipulation, while others believe that a well-trained politician is able to help a group achieve its goals through consensus. There are even those who think that it is impossible to separate the personal from the political, and that the best politicians have a combination of skills in both areas. A classic view of politics is that it is a contestation between competing interests for control of resources. This could include everything from food, shelter and clothing to money, power and prestige. This idea of politics has been criticized, however, for the way that it ignores many of the factors that contribute to human survival and flourishing. It overlooks the need for all humans to be willing to sacrifice some of their individual freedom in order to live together in a community. This sacrifice is often described as the ‘political bargain’. Another common view is that politics is a set of processes for making decisions when the members of a group want very different things. This would include deciding who should lead a country, what laws should be made and how taxes should be collected. This view is criticized for the way that it ignores the ways in which these competing demands are met, and the fact that not everyone will be satisfied with every decision that is made. The study of politics is extremely important in our modern world, because it influences all aspects of our lives. It is not only found in legislation and Supreme Court appointments, but also in the way that we choose our employers, the way that we spend our leisure time and the way that we organize ourselves into communities and nations. A career in politics can be very exciting and rewarding. Many of our most influential global leaders have studied Politics and used it in their jobs as Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chancellors of their countries. Other people work in international organisations like the UN, WTO and the OECD and for charities and pressure groups. A broad study of Politics will leave you with a wide range of transferable skills and an ability to find solutions to a variety of problems. This can be very beneficial for your future career. Whether you want to become a politician yourself or you simply want to learn about how our governments and international organisations function, a degree in Politics can give you the tools to succeed.