Defining politics What is Politics?

Politics can be defined as “the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the
general rules under which they live.”It, therefore, by definition, involves both conflict and
cooperation.On the one hand, the existence of rival opinions, different wants, competing
needs and opposing interests leads to disagreement about the rules under which people live
(CONFLICT).

Defining politics On the other hand, people recognize that, in order to influence these rules
or ensure that they are maintained, they must work with others (COOPERATION).-Thus
politics is often portrayed as a process of conflict resolution, in which rival views or
competing interests are reconciled with one another.But not all conflicts are, or can be,
resolved. Thus politics is a “search for conflict resolution”.

Defining politicsThe inescapable presence of diversity (we’re not all alike) and scarcity (there
is never enough to go around) ensures that politics is an inevitable feature of the human
condition.

Defining politics Any attempt to clarify the meaning of ‘politics’ must address two major
problems:1- The first is about the use of the word “politics” in everyday language. It is a
‘loaded’ (a biased) term. In other words, it has an underlying meaning or implication. Many
find it difficult to believe that the subject can be approached objectively. As importantly,
politics is often thought of as a ‘dirty’ word. It often creates images of trouble, violence,
manipulation and lies.

Defining politics Therefore, any attempt to define politics entails trying to disentangle
(separate) it from such associations. The term needs to be rescued from its negative
reputation by showing that it is a valuable activity.

Defining politics2- The second and more intractable difficulty is that even respected
authorities cannot agree what the subject is about. Politics is defined in such different ways
as: The exercise of power, the exercise of authority, the making of collective decisions, the
allocation of scarce resources, the practice of deception and manipulation, and so on.

Defining politics this is to say, politics is essentially a “contested concept,” in the sense that
the term has a number of acceptable or legitimate meanings.

Defining politics we are going to discuss 4 different views of politics: Politics as the art of
government Politics as public affairs Politics as compromise and consensus Politics as power

1. Politics as the art of government:

“Politics is not a science ... but an art”. Chancellor Bismarck told the German parliament. He
meant the art of government: The exercise of control within society through the making and
enforcement of collective decisions.

1. Politics as the art of government:

In this light, politics can be understood to refer to the affairs of the polis – or in its modern
sense ‘what concerns the state’. To study politics is, then, in essence to study government,
or, more broadly, to study the exercise of authority.

1. Politics as the art of government:

This is the traditional view of the discipline, reflected in the tendency for academic study to
focus on the personnel and machinery of government. In this view, politics is associated
with policy: that is, with formal decisions that establish a plan of action for the community.

1. Politics as the art of government

Politics is what takes place within a system of social organization centred upon the
machinery of government. It is practiced in cabinet rooms, legislative chambers,
government departments and the like, and it is engaged in by a limited and specific group of
people, notably politicians, civil servants and lobbyists. Note that, this definition offers a
“highly restricted” view of politics.

1. Politics as the art of government

this means that most people, most institutions and most social activities can be regarded as
being ‘outside’ politics. Businesses, schools and other educational institutions, community
groups, families and so on are in this sense ‘non-political’, because they are not “engaged in
running the country”.

1. Politics as the art of government

it is also important to note that portraying politics as an essentially state-bound activity is to
ignore the increasingly important role of international and global influences upon modern
life, such as the multinational corporations + private sector actors.

1. Politics as the art of government

the link between politics and the affairs of the state helps to explain why negative images
have been attached to politics: This is because in the popular mind, politics is closely
associated with the activities of politicians. Politicians are often seen as power-seeking
hypocrites who conceal personal ambition behind the rhetoric of public service and
ideological conviction. Indeed, this perception has become more common in the modern
period as intensified media exposure has more effectively brought to light examples of
corruption and dishonesty, giving rise to the phenomenon of anti-politics.