We explain what the policy is, its functions and characteristics. Also, what is a political system, political power and ideology.
What is politics?
Politics is usually defined as the set of decisions and measures taken by certain groups that hold powerin pursuit of organizing a particular society or group.
The term politics is very broad since we can talk about politics in the strict sense (that is, applied to governments and nations) or in other institutions when talking about business, institutional policies, among others.
Many authors define politics as the “exercise of power”, because politics is understood as one of the many ways of exercising power. in order to mediate differences of interests between peers in a society in particular.
The word politics comes from Latin politicuswhich comes from the Greek politiká and refers to public affairs, in the 5th century BC. C. Aristotle popularized the term with his work “Politics”.
There are different branches that are derived from politics, such as political science, political philosophy, political economy, among others. It is important to distinguish between the people who exercise politics (political officials) and those who are in charge of studying it (political scientists).
What is politics for?
The politics arose as a need for individuals to organize themselves in order to make decisionsmeet objectives, reach agreements and facilitate life in society by resolving conflicts in a democratic way.
It is believed that it has its beginnings in the Neolithic period, when society began to organize itself hierarchically and some individuals obtained power over the rest, which is why it is maintained that politics It is as old as humanity itself.
In a democratic system, Citizens elect certain individuals to occupy the main political positions and, from there, they represent them in the face of conflicts or situations typical of community life, both internally and externally (in relation to other countries).
Policy Features
Some of the most notable features of the policy are:
- It is a form of power.
- It is carried out by individuals elected by citizens.
- It seeks to resolve conflicts within a society to guarantee the common good.
- It is made up of a set of activities and responsibilities.
- It is studied by political scientists.
- It is implemented both at the level of States and groups and institutions.
- It is reflected in different political systems and forms of government.
Political systems
A political system It is a set of institutions, beliefs and valuesgenerally under the command of one or several political parties that guide the direction of a government. Political systems vary in each State according to the relationship established between the powers that constitute it.
Political systems can be:
- Authoritarian systems. They are characterized by the suppression of individual freedoms, mainly that of expression and representation. All political activity is concentrated in the hands of a single party. These systems are characterized by excessive power attributed to a single person or leader for a prolonged period of time and a very weak or non-existent division of powers. Some examples of authoritarian forms of government are: tyranny, dictatorship, oligarchy and anarchy.
- Democratic systems. They are characterized by the division of powers. The people do not exercise power directly, but elect their representatives (who remain in office for a certain period of time) through free elections. Some examples of democratic forms of government are: the republic, presidentialism and constitutional monarchy.
political power
Political power is made up of the sum of responsibilities and actions exercised by individuals who access political office. In a democratic system, politicians are elected by citizens freely and through popular vote.
Power is handed over by the people to the representatives so that they act towards the common good, respecting the functions assigned to each political position, advocating for the rights and freedoms of citizens, and guaranteeing compliance with obligations.
political power It is considered abusive when it exceeds its functions and obligations, it generally takes other powers as its own responsibilities. The abuse of political power has led, over the years and in many countries around the world, to the emergence of authoritarian figures and tyrannical government systems that did not respect the popular will.
Political ideologies
When referring to political ideologies it is possible to divide them into two groups:
- Leftist politics. Just like socialism or communism, which mainly seek social equality.
- Right-wing politics. As are liberalism and conservatism, which respect the right to private property and the free market.
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References
- “Politics” on Wikipedia.
- “Politician” in RAE.
- “Politics” in Cambridge Dictionary.
- “Political system” in Britannica.
