Politics Sepyember 12, 2017

Definition Politics: The process that determines what government does. This term we will not just study the structures of government (Congress, the presidency, the courts, etc.) but also the way they go about making and implementing government policies.

Another Definition Politics: The attempt to explain the various ways in which power is exercised in the everyday world and how that power is used to allocate resources and benefits to some people and groups, and costs and burdens to other people and groups. We will study government programs, considering who benefits from them and who pays for them.

Third Definition Politics: The process that determines who shall occupy the leadership roles in government and how the power of government shall be exercised. We will study elections and consider how elections affect government policies and programs.

Politics & Government Government and politics are entwined. The selection of government personnel and the adoption of government policies are political. Politics is broader than government. In addition to the institutions of government and government officials, politics also involves individuals, groups, and organizations that are not officially part of the government, such as individual political activists, voters, the media, interest groups, political parties, and policy experts. Politics involves making decisions about the distribution of government benefits and the allocation of their costs. Politics involves conflict and competition. In American politics, individuals and groups compete with one another over the selection of the persons who will occupy government office and over the policies government will enact and enforce.

What You Have Learned What is politics and how is it related to government?