Politics: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 05:16, 4 September 2002 editThe Anome (talk \| contribs)Edit filter managers, Administrators253,126 edits As well being influenced by these weighty matters, politics is also a social activity, and as such it is subject to the whims of fashion as any other.← Previous edit		Revision as of 05:18, 4 September 2002 edit undoThe Anome (talk \| contribs)Edit filter managers, Administrators253,126 edits re-mreged the wanted pageNext edit →
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			Authors: these are all topics we want articles for. Please try your
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			Readers: if there are topics you would like to see addressed, add them
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			:'''Political Systems and Ideologies'''
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			:'''Sector-based Ideologies'''
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			:'''Classical and modern political theorists'''
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			:'''Contemporary Political Theorists:'''
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Revision as of 05:18, 4 September 2002

Politics is the study of decision-making power at the inter-social and societal levels. It concerns how we coordinate our actions for mutual (or personal) gain, or, as political scientist Harold Lasswell said, politics is "who gets what, when and how."

In addition to government, journalists, religious groups, special interest groups, and economic systems and conditions may all have influence on decisions. Therefore, politics touches on all these subjects.

Authors of studies of politics have both reflected and influenced the political systems of the world. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote The Prince, an analysis of politics in a monarchy, in 1513, while living in a monarchy. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and it went on to be one of the most influential works of the twentieth century. Today, much study of politics focuses on democracies, and how their form affects the decisions they make.

Other lines of political inquiry attempt to answer philosophical questions: is there a moral justification for government? What is the purpose of government?

As well being influenced by these weighty matters, politics is also a social activity, and as such it is subject to the whims of fashion as any other.

Political science

Political scientists are academics who research the conduct of politics. They look at elections, public opinion, institutional activities (how legislatures act, the relative importance of various sources of political power etc), the ideologies behind various politicans and political organisations, how politicians achieve and wield their influence, and so on.