РефератыИностранный языкWhWhat Is Politics Essay Research Paper What

What Is Politics Essay Research Paper What

What Is Politics Essay, Research Paper


What Is Politics


On hearing the word politics, what usually springs to mind are images of


government, politicians and their policies or more negatively the idea


of corruption and dirty tricks. The actual definition seems to have been


obscured and almost lost by such representations and clich?s that tend


not to pinpoint the true essence, which defines this thing, called


politics. In order to make an attempt at a definition of politics a


systematic approach is required. To begin with, a brief historical


overview will be considered, to understand the origins of politics.


Following this, different core concepts, which are imperative to a


definition of politics, will be discussed, in the hope to discover a


true and fair interpretation of the word politics.


The word politics comes from the Greek word “polis”, meaning the state


or community as a whole. The concept of the “polis” was an ideal state


and came from the writings of great political thinkers such as Plato and


Aristotle. In his novel “The Republic”, Plato describes the ideal state


and the means to achieve it. Hence, the word politics originally has


connotations in the ways in which to create the ideal society. An ideal


society is in practice a rather difficult aim and even an impossible aim


to achieve. Politics implies measures which could and should, in the


views of their devisor, be implemented in the hope to create a better


society, than that which is already present. The very fact that Plato


and Aristotle saw imperfections in the societies in which they lived,


prompted them to write their political philosophies. These philosophies


provided the first written recognition of politics. In his writings his


“The Politics”, Aristotle states that “Man is by nature a political


animal”(The Politics, 1) in another words, it lies deep within the


instinct of man. It is almost primal. Due to his nature man should


consider and realise his role within the “polis”. So according to


Aristotle Politics is not a dreamt up concept, but rather an inherent


feature of mankind.


To begin with, the basest premise that underpins the notion of politics


should be considered in order to arrive at a fair definition. Man is


self-preserving by nature. He thinks and acts, whether that is as an


individual or as a group who share interests, with foremost regard to


his own interests. Self-perpetuation is the number one rule. He


therefore possesses his own interests, ideas and preferences, which may


differ to those of his contemporaries. In the “Blackwell Encyclopaedia


of Political Thought”, Miller supports this premise:


“Politics presupposes a diversity of view, if not about ultimate aims,


at least the best ways of achieving them”. (Miller, 1987, p.390)


Politics consider this view of man, in that on meeting others whose


interests oppose his own, conflict is bound to occur. What could be the


cause of this conflict in interest? The world has its limits; all


material wealth within it is exhaustible. Who therefore, gets how large


a share, of those resources, which are present on the earth in limited


supply? If man were permitted to act on and pursue his own selfish


interests, snatching that, which he desires, a society would quickly


become under rule of violence. Politics is a way of combating the


degradation of society into a violent and unstructured mess by reducing


it to be governed by the primitive instincts of man in order to resolve


conflict. Leftwich states in his essay entitled “Politics: people,


resources and power” from his book “What is Politics?”


“…politics compromises all the activities of co-operation and


conflict, within and between societies, whereby the human species goes


about organising the use, production and distribution of human, natural


and other resources in the production and reproduction of its biological


and social life.” (Leftwich, 1984, p.64-65)


Politics therefore may be defined a means to resolving this conflict


through various means, which will be tackled later in this essay. If


however one was to take this premise of the existence of opposing


opinions as false, conflict between individuals should never occur and


politics would not be required to resolve problems. To justify politics


however, this premise must be true and through simply considering, the


society in which we live it is evident, that conflict exists. In his


definition of politics in the “Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political


Thought” Miller advocates this view, stating that if “people (were to)


agree spontaneously on a course of action…they (would) have no need to


engage in politics.”(Miller, 1987, p.390)(Added) Thus, politics exists


due to the broad spectrum of ideas and opinions within any society.


To resolve conflicting opinions, a consensus must be agreed upon by all


parties affected. Also in “The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political


Thought”, Miller cites three methods which are a feature of politics


when resolving disagreements within society, these three elements are


“persuasion, bargaining and a mechanism for reaching a final


decision”(Miller, 1987, p.390). This means that politics tries to act as


a peacemaker by offering solution(s) to conflict to the parties involved


by means of discussion with them. The outcome will most probably require


the yielding of at least one of the parties implicated in order to meet


at a compromise. The mechanism is the way in which the parties make


their final decisions based on the scenarios with which they have been


provided. This may take the form of a vote.


How is it that the final decision

made though compromise is enforceable?


For surely in order for politics to be of any use as a pacifier in


strained relations it must carry some sort of authority and power.


Politics implies power. Dahl, in Modern Political Analysis, states that:


“a political system as any persistent pattern of human relationships


that involves, to a significant extent, control, influence, power or


authority.” (Dahl, 1984, p.9-10)


Certain members of a society must have the authority over other member’s


in order to enforce civil discussion in the first place. It seems to


follow that for certain individuals to exert more power than others they


must have the support of a large proportion over those which they have


authority. Going back to the premise that man is at heart a selfish


creature, it must be true that even those in power are immune to the


effects of pursuing their own goals to a certain extent. Politics could


therefore be defined as a power struggle between those in influential


positions. Power can only be obtained by obtaining the support from as


many groups and individuals as possible. This can be achieved by


providing tempting solutions to conflicts that already exist in a


society, whether this be in a honest or dishonest way. By appealing to


members of a society with solutions to their problems and promises to


act in their interests, a group or individual can gain support and


ultimately authority over other groups and individuals. Politics could


thus be defined as a calculating art of power gain or power retention or


more simply as power struggle.


The ultimate power is found in government. Miller continues to name the


state as “the chief arena of politics, in the modern world. (Miller,


1987, p.391)


It is within this institution that all of the aforementioned takes


place. Thus, politics could be defined as the workings of government as


a guarantor to a peaceful society. The government is run by the


politicians, it is the politicians who form the ideas to hopefully


settle conflict in the society they govern. However it seems that if


politics are the working of government those societies and communities,


which do not possess a government, are devoid of politics. In Britain,


we have a government so we tend to relate the politics as the workings


of that government. However, in every community and corporation where


there is hierarchy politics must exist. In a company for example, a boss


makes decisions and resolves conflict. In a tribe, a leader makes


decisions to keep internal conflicts to a minimum and ultimately ensures


the survival of his tribe. Thus politics is present in every community


and is used to manage workings and disagreements that may occur within


any co-habitation. John Horton, contributor in Leftwich “What is


Politics?” supports this view. Horton quotes from “Rationalism in


Politics and other Essays”(1962) by Michael Oakenshott;


“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. In this sense, families, clubs and learned societies have


their politics” (Leftwich, 1984, p.112)


Here Oakenshott acknowledges the existence of politics in all kinds of


human societies and communities, because of co-habitation. Horton


however goes on to name the state as being as possessing certain


features which make it particular from those other examples of politics


listed by Oakenshott. These features suggest the mandatory and


authoritarian nature of the state, when compared to those politics that


exist in say a sports club. Politics occurs in all kinds of communities.


Whether it be the sports club or the state government and is concerned


with devising a method of organisation and attempting to implement that


method of organisation within that community over which it acts. It is


present in these communities as a necessary measure to avoid conflict


due to those inevitable diversities in opinion and therefore ultimately


needed to promote as peaceful an existence as possible.


In the process of establishing the core concepts of this affair called


politics, it is plain to see that a brief definition is virtually


impossible. Politics is not simply an object or a single stranded idea.


It is not a concise term but rather a complicated notion, which embraces


premises, opinions, and qualities of human nature, actions and


institutions. It seems to arise in those situations where humans live in


coexistence whether that be by choice or otherwise. Any attempt at a


definition would be to confine and customise politics to suit ones own


particular views. Nevertheless, in fitting with the title of this essay


an attempt at a definition shall be made.


Politics is the means to creating a more organised and peaceful society,


by providing methods to resolve conflict that naturally occurs between


men, by means of civil discussion and rational compromise. It thus stems


the need for violence in tense situations and ultimately looks to avoid


the degradation of a community into utter chaos. Authority is the


underlying feature of politics and ensures its enforceability. Power


underpins its very existence; it is a prerequisite for politics exist.


Without authority, politics simply is not feasible. The most visible and


widely accepted example of politics is the workings of the governmental


institutions. However, although at first glance one may not be aware of


it, politics in its various forms is present wherever and whenever


humans form a community. Referring back to the views of Aristotle,


politics is an intrinsic feature of mankind.

Сохранить в соц. сетях:
Обсуждение:
comments powered by Disqus

Название реферата: What Is Politics Essay Research Paper What

Слов:1984
Символов:13493
Размер:26.35 Кб.