Understanding the Basics of Politics
Politics is a topic that can be seen and debated from many different angles, but one common way of thinking about politics is to see it as being all about the exercise of power. The ancient Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato wrote about this concept of power and the role it should play in society. Niccolo Machiavelli also wrote about the nature of politics and how people struggle to gain and keep power, in his 1532 book The Prince.
Another popular way of understanding politics is to focus on the actions and decisions that make up a government. Politics are those activities that determine the public services a government provides, the laws it enforces and the form of security it ensures. This view of politics is most commonly associated with democratic governments, such as the United States.
However, a number of other political activities can be seen as being part of the remit of politics. These include the exercise of power by non-governmental actors, such as corporations and NGOs. These are often seen as having a more direct and significant impact on the lives of individuals than traditional forms of state power. It is for this reason that some academics, such as John Lukes, argue for a broader definition of politics to encompass these types of activities and actors.
A third important feature of politics is the manner in which a government deals with other governments. In the most extreme case, this may involve war. More frequently, however, governments interact with each other through a variety of international or regional organisations that try to regulate inter-state affairs. These can include the UN, the World Trade Organization or regional bodies such as ASEAN, MERCOSUR and the African Union.
For many people, the main point about politics is that it is a constant battle of competing interests. Politicians must balance these interests in order to make decisions that will benefit their constituents. This can lead to a messy compromise that sometimes satisfies most parties, but other times results in a solution that unfairly favours one party over another.
This is why some people choose not to get involved in politics at all. Others believe that it is essential for people to be informed about the policies that affect them, and to make their views known in the appropriate channels. Politics is not for the faint of heart; it can be a stressful and chaotic process that requires considerable patience.
Today, citizens are much more active in their participation in politics. Not only do they queue at voting booths, but they also use modern communication technologies to select, sanction and pressure those who wield power within their government. This can have a very positive effect on democracy, but it can also have a negative impact, especially when politicians are selected and sanctioned on the basis of their ability to provide private benefits rather than public goods. In such cases, politics can become unhealthy.
Politics is a topic that can be seen and debated from many different angles, but one common way of thinking about politics is to see it as being all about the exercise of power. The ancient Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato wrote about this concept of power and the role it should play in society. Niccolo Machiavelli also wrote about the nature of politics and how people struggle to gain and keep power, in his 1532 book The Prince. Another popular way of understanding politics is to focus on the actions and decisions that make up a government. Politics are those activities that determine the public services a government provides, the laws it enforces and the form of security it ensures. This view of politics is most commonly associated with democratic governments, such as the United States. However, a number of other political activities can be seen as being part of the remit of politics. These include the exercise of power by non-governmental actors, such as corporations and NGOs. These are often seen as having a more direct and significant impact on the lives of individuals than traditional forms of state power. It is for this reason that some academics, such as John Lukes, argue for a broader definition of politics to encompass these types of activities and actors. A third important feature of politics is the manner in which a government deals with other governments. In the most extreme case, this may involve war. More frequently, however, governments interact with each other through a variety of international or regional organisations that try to regulate inter-state affairs. These can include the UN, the World Trade Organization or regional bodies such as ASEAN, MERCOSUR and the African Union. For many people, the main point about politics is that it is a constant battle of competing interests. Politicians must balance these interests in order to make decisions that will benefit their constituents. This can lead to a messy compromise that sometimes satisfies most parties, but other times results in a solution that unfairly favours one party over another. This is why some people choose not to get involved in politics at all. Others believe that it is essential for people to be informed about the policies that affect them, and to make their views known in the appropriate channels. Politics is not for the faint of heart; it can be a stressful and chaotic process that requires considerable patience. Today, citizens are much more active in their participation in politics. Not only do they queue at voting booths, but they also use modern communication technologies to select, sanction and pressure those who wield power within their government. This can have a very positive effect on democracy, but it can also have a negative impact, especially when politicians are selected and sanctioned on the basis of their ability to provide private benefits rather than public goods. In such cases, politics can become unhealthy.