What is Politics?

Definition of Politics

• Politics, in the broadest sense, is the activity through which pepole make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live. (Maita, n.d)

• Politics presupposes a diversity of view, if not about ultimate aims, at least the best ways of achieving them". (Miller, 1987, p.390)

• Politics I take to be the activity of attending to the general arrangements of a set of people whom chance or choice have brought together. (Leftwich, 1984, p.112)

• It is the science of governance in the control of the external and internal affairs of the state. (Bueno, 2012)

• Who gets what, when and how. (Lasswell, 1936)

• Authoritative allocation of values. (Easton, 1953)

• Conciliation of conflicting interests. (Crick 1962)

References

Bueno, C. F. (2012). "The General Meaning and Concept of Politics." Retrieved fromhttp://savior.hubpages.com/hub/meaningpolitics 

Crick, B. (1962). “In Defense of Politics.” University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Easton, D. (1953). “The Political System: An Inquiry into the State of Political Science.” Alfred A. 

Knopf, New York.

Lasswell, H. (1936). “Politics: Who gets what, when, how”. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Leftwich, A (1984) What is Politics? (Oxford: Basil Blackwell)

Maita, M. (n.d.) "Definig Politics." Retrieved from http://www.maitah.com/PC/defining%20politics.pdf 

Miller, D (1987). The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Political Thought (Oxford: Basil Blackwell)