Politics is a term that evokes strong emotions, varying opinions, and often heated debates. From national elections to local government meetings, politics plays a central role in shaping societies, economies, and cultures. But what exactly is politics? At its core, politics is the process through which groups of people make decisions, allocate resources, and manage conflicts. It’s about power—how it is gained, exercised, distributed, and contested—and how societies organize themselves to make collective decisions.
Politics can be broadly defined as the activities, actions, and policies used to gain and hold power in a government or to influence the government. It involves the process of governing, but it also extends beyond formal institutions to include how people, communities, and organizations interact and influence each other. In its simplest form, politics is about making decisions that affect the lives of people in a society.