Chapter 1. What is Politics?

Defining Politics-

Politics in its broadest sense, is the activity through which people make, preserve, and amend the general rules, under which they live. Although politics is also an academic subject it is clearly the study of this activity. Politics is therefore inextricably linked to the phenomena of conflict and cooperation.

The different views of politics examined are:

- Politics as the art of government

- Politics as public affairs

- Politics as compromise and consensus

- Politics as power and the distribution of resources

Politics as the art of government

Politics is derived from polis meaning city state. Ancient Greek city states were ordered as independent and each possessed its own system of government.

Politics amounts to what concerns the state: institutions and people. – Authority as legitimate power. – Authoritative decisions that establish a plan of action.

Politics is what takes place within a polity: a system of social organization centered upon the machinery of the government.

Power defined as the ability to achieve a desired outcome and it is sometimes referred to as power to do something… Power is usually a relationship that is as the ability to influence others in a manner not of their choosing.

Politics as a public affair.

Define Public life versus private sphere Figure 1.1 page 8.

Civil Society

Politics as compromise and consensus- particular means of resolving conflict

Politics as Power- Faces of Power p.11

Chapter 2- Governments, Systems, and Regimes

Important questions answered in the chapter:

What is the difference between governments, political systems, and regimes?

What is the purpose of classifying systems of government?

On what basis have, and should, regimes be classified?

What are the major regimes of the modern world?

Has western liberal democracy triumphed worldwide?

Government: refers to the institutional