Politics

Politics is a multifaceted word. It has a set of fairly specific meanings that are descriptive and nonjudgmental (such as "the art or science of government" and "political principles"), but often carries a connotation of dishonest malpractice. The word politics is derived from the Greek word politikos, meaning "of, for, or relating to citizens". It first appeared in English around the late 15th century.

Definition and etymology

The word Politics is derived from the Greek word politikos, meaning "of, for, or relating to citizens". It first appeared in English around the late 15th century. It is used to refer to the activities, actions, and policies that are used to gain and hold power in a government or to influence a government. A politician is a person who is professionally involved in politics, particularly in the role of a policy maker or advisor.

History of Politics

The history of politics traces back to the works of Plato and Aristotle which have been foundational to political thought ever since. In the history of political thought, the political is usually traced back to the establishment of political institutions, with the two main views being that either some form of government arose or people decided they needed to create a government.

Political Systems

There are several systems that a government can use to run their country. These include democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, theocracy, and oligarchy. Each of these systems has their own unique way of running and controlling their people.

Political Ideologies

There are a number of ways of looking at politics. These are often known as political ideologies. Examples of these are liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and fascism.

Political Parties

In most democratic countries, there is a system of political parties. This is a way of organizing the politicians into a coherent group, known as a political party, to compete in elections and form the government.

See Also

• Government
• Political science
• Political philosophy
• Political economy
• Political history
• Political culture
• Political corruption

Politics

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  Head of Aristotle
• Women voter outreach 1935 English Yiddish
  Women voter outreach 1935 English Yiddish
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  Plato and Aristotle
• Map of European nationals coloured by percentage of vote governing party got in last election
  Map of European nationals coloured by percentage of vote governing party got in last election
• Systems view of politics
  Systems view of politics
• Eduskuntatalo
  Eduskuntatalo
• The pathway of regional integration or separation
  The pathway of regional integration or separation
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  Map of unitary and federal states
• Inglehart Values Map
  Inglehart Values Map
• Mikhail Gorbachev addressing UN General Assembly session
  Mikhail Gorbachev addressing UN General Assembly session
• Council room of the Province of Chieti - Meeting of the Brothers of Italy
  Council room of the Province of Chieti - Meeting of the Brothers of Italy
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  Filipinos protest against the Bishops that allegedly accepted money and luxury cars from former president Macapagal-Arroyo in exchange for support