Politics refers to the activities associated with making decisions in groups or other forms of power relations among individuals. It involves the distribution of resources, status, and decision-making power within a society.
Aspects of Politics
- Governance and Government - Politics encompasses the art and science of governing a country or society, including the activities of governments, law-making organizations, and those who try to influence how a country is governed.
- Competition for Power - Politics involves competition between interest groups, political parties, and individuals to gain and maintain power and influence. This can include promoting one's political views, negotiating with others, making laws, and using force.
- Policy and Decision-Making - Politics is concerned with the formulation and implementation of public policy and the authoritative allocation of values for a society. It involves the complex relationships and interactions through which decisions are made that affect an entire political system.
- Beliefs and Opinions - A person's politics refers to their political beliefs, principles, sympathies, and opinions about how a country or society should be governed. Political debates often center around issues of identity, culture, and values in addition to the distribution of material resources.
- Academic Discipline - As an academic field, politics or political science studies the theory and practice of government, public policy, and political behavior. It examines the acquisition and application of power in the context of public life.
