Politics

Introduction

Politics, (the Greek figurative speech: “Politiken”, “citizen”, “civil”, relating to management of the City), is human activity that aims to control or direct action of the State the benefit of society. It is the process-oriented ideologically thinking towards making decisions for achieving the objectives of a group. The political science is a social science that studies the conduct of an academically using technique of political analysis in these science professionals acquires the title of political scientists, while those who perform professional activities by the State or elections are called politicians (Couto, 1993, 57-79). The term got widely used in Athens from the V century BC, especially through the work of Aristotle entitled, precisely, “Politics”. At the same time, Aristotle defined man as a political animal. It has also been defined as communication equipped with a power of forces or as the art of the possible. However, Max Weber, a luminary social theorist of the 20th century, provides us a good starting point for a discussion of power and politics. We borrow from him to make the distinction of first order politics philosophy and purpose, the realm of values and the second order of politics the processes and institutions of politics (Bachrach, & Baratz, 1962, 947-952).

We also follow him in asserting that these orders though distinct in theory are also inseparable in practice. Someone with a vocation for politics combines a passion for values with a detachment based on respect for the processes and institutions of politics. Weber puts this in terms of a political puzzle as “how can warm passion and a cool sense of proportion be forged together in one and the same soul” (Weber, 1958, p. 116). Weber does not entirely solve his puzzle, but he does make clear that solving it requires that power remains a means to serving some cause but that it does not become an end itself or the vanity of the powerful. In balance, then, political leadership clings to a cause—the purpose to which second order politics, including power, are a means and acts responsibly examining foreseeable consequences of proposed actions, forgoing absolute and ultimate goals, and staying in touch with the consequences of one's action.

Discussion

However, it got provided to us with a framework upon which to synthesize this view of politics, as contested terrain to shape the narrative about the nature of community and about the goods and resources we invest in each other as members of the community. Tucker takes issues with Weber and more with the approach to politics as power. Weber's discussion of politics as “leadership, or the influencing of leadership, of a political association” (Tucker, 1995, p. 9) flits by too quickly as Weber moves from political association to the state and a focus on the legitimate use of physical force. Sadly, Tucker laments in terms that echo Foucault: “Politics as a discipline became the study of 'authority' defined as legitimized domination in its various forms. No systematic account of politics in terms of leadership ...