Politics Defined
Run a search for the word “politics” at the online Merriam Webster Dictionary and here are the results:
a : the art or science of government b : the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy c : the art or science concerned with winning and holding control over a government.
2 : political actions, practices, or policies
3 a : political affairs or business; especially : competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership (as in a government) b : political life especially as a principal activity or profession c : political activities characterized by artful and often dishonest practices
4 : the political opinions or sympathies of a person
5 a : the total complex of relations between people living in society b : relations or conduct in a particular area of experience especially as seen or dealt with from a political point of view.”
Change the word to “political” and these are the results:
“1 a : of or relating to government, a government, or the conduct of government b : of, relating to, or concerned with the making as distinguished from the administration of governmental policy
2 : of, relating to, involving, or involved in politics and especially party politics
3 : organized in governmental terms
4 : involving or charged or concerned with acts against a government or a political system”
Those are interesting definitions, eh?
No wonder so much activity in our world is centered on politics. Humans are generally social creatures and must have a way to organize their societies so that the society can progress and prosper.Or if bad choices are frequently made in the politicians brought to power the societies will whither away and eventually die.
The competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership seems to be hard wired into the human brain. That explains why there is so much conflict in the world.
With politics being a part of the human fabric it is unlikely that conflict between nations and peoples of nations will ever end. Not unless humans can somehow completely remake themselves. Perhaps genetic engineering isn’t such a bad idea after all.
One of the huge challenges of today is that technology has progressed to a level of deadly sophistication. Mankind has developed the technical means to end all human life on earth.Even a fairly limited nuclear exchange between two powerful nations could accomplish that. The challenge is in controlling that capability. Forever. We humans will need a lot of good luck to manage that.
One of the dictionary definitions that really drew my attention was that “political activities (are) characterized by artful and often dishonest practices.”I guess it is too much to expect that politicians be honest. Even the definition of politics expects them to be otherwise.
“The art or science concerned with winning and holding control over a government.” is also worth thinking about. We are talking jobs and income here. We are also talking about the distribution of income. Those in control of government have the inside track to taking care of themselves and their own.
No wonder political battles are so heated and full of dishonesty, corruption, and misinformation. Political parties are fighting over who will get what and often when they will get it from the total resources available to a society. Governments role often is deciding whose pockets will get picked and into whose pockets will the picked proceeds be deposited.
In todays world it is impossible to escape power politics. Well, perhaps if you lived alone on a desert island you could be a truly non political person. Maybe. Even there you may find yourself inventing entities to compete with and in some way to politicize your surroundings. Like the Northern part of your island is good territory and South is evil.
Since we can not escape politics we should do our best to demand at least competent politicians. The world of today has become too complicated and dangerous to trust our futures to political hacks.
If we are to be governed by ruthless, corrupt, self serving politicians lets be sure we at least elect, or in some nations otherwise bring to power, competent ruthless, corrupt, self serving, politicians.
We deserve competency in government ever if the officials and leaders are all dirty rotten scoundrels.
