Politics
Activity of settling affairs in an organized society via government.
Politics is the activity of settling affairs in an organized society, usually concerned with resolving issues via a government. It is exercised on a wide range of social levels, from clans and tribes to sovereign states and the international level. The branch of social science that studies politics and government is political science.
- field
- Social science, governance
- known_for
- Central activity of organized society; studied by political science
- methods
- Promoting views, negotiation, lawmaking, force, warfare
- levels
- Clans, tribes, local governments, companies, institutions, sovereign states, international
- etymology
- From Greek polis ('city') and politiká ('affairs of the cities')
Lore & Background
The English word politics derives from the Greek polis, meaning 'city', and Aristotle's work Politiká used the term politiká for 'affairs of the cities'. In the mid-15th century, this was rendered in Early Modern English as Polettiques, later becoming Politics. A variety of methods are deployed in politics, including promoting one's own political views, negotiation, making laws, and exercising force, including warfare. In modern states, people often form political parties to represent their ideas, and elections are usually competitions between different parties. A political system defines acceptable political methods within a society. Different approaches to politics exist: extensive views see politics across all human social relations, while limited views restrict it to certain contexts. Some perspectives emphasize moralism, linking politics to ethics, while others take a realist view focusing on power and self-interest. Conflict and co-operation are both seen as central, with some scholars arguing that politics is a blend of the two.
Reader's Guide
Politics is a fundamental human activity that has been studied since early antiquity, with seminal works such as Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics, Confucius's political manuscripts, and Chanakya's Arthashastra. The term can be used positively, as in a 'political solution' that is compromising and non-violent, or descriptively as 'the art or science of government', but it often carries a negative connotation. Politics remains a contested concept, with debates over its proper scope—whether it should be limited to government or extended to all human relations—and over whether it is fundamentally about conflict or co-operation.
Did You Know?
- The English word 'politics' comes from the Greek 'polis', meaning 'city'.
- Aristotle's work 'Politiká' used the Ancient Greek term 'politiká' for 'affairs of the cities'.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Politics?
Politics is the ongoing process through which an organized community resolves its collective affairs, most often by channeling decisions through a governing body. It is the central activity that keeps any structured society coordinated and functional.
What methods does Politics employ?
Practitioners advance particular viewpoints, negotiate with rivals, draft and pass legislation, and, when diplomacy fails, may resort to force or outright warfare. The toolkit therefore spans peaceful persuasion all the way to armed conflict.
At what levels does Politics operate?
It works everywhere organized people make collective decisions: within small clans and tribes, inside local governments, corporations, and institutions, across entire sovereign states, and on the international stage. In short, any group that must coordinate action is practicing some form of politics.
Where does the word 'Politics' come from?
The term derives from the Greek 'polis,' meaning city, paired with 'politiká,' which referred to the affairs of a city. This etymology highlights the ancient idea that managing a community's shared life was the core political task.
What academic discipline studies Politics?
Political science is the dedicated branch of social science that examines politics and governance systematically. It sits alongside other social-science fields that investigate how human groups organize, make rules, and distribute power.
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