Politics Leonardo Martinez and Diego Elvir What is Politics Politics is the way that people living in groups make decisions. Politics is about making agreements between people so that they can live together in groups such as tribes, cities, or countries. In large groups, such as countries, some people may spend a lot of their time making such agreements. Political Types The major types of political systems are democracies, monarchies, oligarchies, communism and dictatorship. Democracy It is a form of government in which the common people hold political power and can rule either directly or through elected representatives. An example of democracy at work is in the United States, where people have political freedom and equality. Monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic, to fully autocratic, and can expand across the domains of the executive, legislative, and judicial. Communism Communism is an economic ideology that advocates for a classless society in which all property and wealth are communallyowned, instead of by individuals. Dictatorship A dictatorship is an authoritarian type of office or government where there is absolute control by one person. In other words, the dictator has total power and rules everything. Explore these examples of some well-known dictatorship countries throughout history. Adolf Hitler in 1931. Oligarchy Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people may or may not be distinguished by one or several characteristics, such as nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate, religious, political, or military control. Purpose of Politics The purpose of politics is to enable the members of a society to collectively achieve important human goals they cannot otherwise achieve individually. Through negotiation, debate, legislation and other political structures, politics procures safety, order and general welfare within the state. Importance to Study Politics The study of politics and governance addresses important questions about the nature of power, authority and governance: who gets what, when and how. Yet politics is more than this and concerns notions of freedom and agency in situations of social choice.
