politika

Politika denotes politics in many languages, referring to the processes by which groups make and implement collective decisions. It encompasses the practice of governance as well as the scholarly study of power, authority, and public policy. Politics operates within formal institutions such as legislatures, executives, and judiciaries, and through parties, interest groups, media, and civil society. The aim is to allocate resources, resolve conflicts, and pursue collective goals, subject to legal and constitutional constraints.

The term has roots in the Greek polis, meaning city-state, and the modern concept of politics evolved through classical political philosophy into contemporary political science. The field is typically divided into subdisciplines such as political theory and philosophy, comparative politics, public policy and administration, and international relations. Core concepts include sovereignty, legitimacy, democracy, autocracy, representation, pluralism, and power.

In practice, politics encompasses elections, party competition, policymaking, diplomacy, and governance. It engages with issues of rights, equality, and accountability, and intersects with economics, culture, and technology. Contemporary study often emphasizes governance challenges like corruption, rule of law, political participation, media influence, and the effects of globalization and digital communication on public life. While its content varies across countries and cultures, politics remains a central mechanism by which communities organize themselves, contest decisions, and seek public goods and security.