What is Politics
Government is the regulation of public affairs, and politics is the means
by which people determine whose views of government will prevail. The
American humorist Finley Peter Dunne said, “Politics ain’t beanbag,”
summarizing Niccolo Machiavelli’s advice to Lorenzo di Piero de’
Medici in The Prince (1513).
In a nutshell politics is the act of change. Politics is what allows change
to happen whether it be good or bad. Politics changes the rules that we
live by, dictated by politicians who serve the people, to enact the changes
that the people want.
Because politics covers such a wide spectrum and tries to tackle a huge
array of problems, the solution itself can become the problem.
Revolutions and acts of violence have resulted in the wake of change,
lives have been lost and homes destroyed from people who decide to take
advantage of the political system; These people are known as dictators
who seek to control countries through politics, for example Muammar
Gaddafi who was the former Prime Minister of Libya who was notorious
for his harsh ruling, but was eventually captured and killed during the
battle of the Libyan Civil war.
Politics can be achieved through various means such as something called
a democracy, which is when the group/country all have a say in the
change that they want to enact so that they come to a fair understanding
of what they want. This is based on compromising. This form of politics
can be seen majority in the west, including places such as America and
England. Democracy also allows the general public to vote for the leader
they wish to have represent them and who they feel bring the changes the
most require as a country.
Each political party has a political
leader, and once this political party has
been elected to represent the country,
the political will then run the country
for a select amount of years. for the
UK the general term is usually five
years, it may vary in different
countries. The political leaders become celebrity figures of sorts,
constantly featuring in the press, having social media accounts as well as
interviews. Being the almost the leaders of their country or continent, a
lot if not all the blame will be placed upon the leader if things where to
not go right. Citizens may wish for a different party or protest they're
grievances on the streets.
We as citizens experience the effects of politics in our every day lives.
From the taxes we have to
pay to the country, every
time we visit the hospital
and don't have to pay a
penny for treatment, the
freedom to say what we feel
without being persecuted (a
luxury that is not afforded
to many third world
countries). All these things
are because of politics.
They happened because the
people needed it, so the politicians and the country try to give it to them.
Although this sounds like politicians are there to beckon at our every
whim and call - it isn't quite like that, because although politics is the act
of change and allowing us to receive the things we need as a country,
there must also be some drawbacks in order to get these things.
Something England for example knows very well. To enact change
within the British economy Cameron and the conservative party had to
make cuts to certain services, including budget cuts to the national
healthcare service (NHS). In doing so these cuts was the catalyst to
different problems within the British healthcare system. Resulting in
fewer GP's and nurses, therefore making it harder and the whole process
slower for the general public to get an appointment; An appointment that
could end up saving a persons life. Or when people from poorer countries
come to ours because of the free healthcare and then end up immigrating
to the country.
In the end I believe it is very hard to put politics under one umbrella, to
give one lasting definition to the world because politics surrounds us on a
day-to-day basis whether it be good or bad. It has been the source for
many good things, without it England wouldn't have a free healthcare
service that has saved millions of lives, but it has also started wars and
lost many lives because of it, including wars such as WWII or the war in
Iraq. I feel that politics in a nutshell is a catalyst, which starts - sometimes
inadvertently - other occurring affects. Almost like lining dominoes up
and watching them fall one by one.
Reference
Edition.cnn.com,. 'Q&A: The UK Political System Explained - CNN.Com'. N.p.,
2015. Web. 5 June 2015.
Oxforddictionaries.com,. 'Politics - Definition Of Politics In English From The
Oxford Dictionary'. N.p., 2015. Web. 5 June 2015.
Tkc.edu,. 'What Is Politics? | The King's College'. N.p., 2015. Web. 5 June 2015.
Wikipedia,. 'Death Of Muammar Gaddafi'. N.p., 2015. Web. 5 June 2015.
Wikipedia,. 'Dictatorship'. N.p., 2015. Web. 5 June 2015.