Definition – Politics

Politics as the exercise of power

Some define politics quite simply as the exercise of power. This definition most clearly demonstrates two issues alluded to previously: the problem of definitions or, in other words, the issue of the contestability of concepts; and the limitation of the narrow–broad spectrum alluded to at the beginning of the chapter. Let’s attend to the issue of definitions first. Given what you have read about the distinction between politics and violence, you might already be thinking that the definition of politics as the exercise of power very much depends on how we define power. ref

Political settlement is central to all development. Security is a precondition for development.

Throughtout the history of organized political life, violence has played an enormous role. A survey of Europe, every four years of peace interspersed with an year of violent disturbance.

Political Authority: Its Exercise and Possession (C. W. Cassinelli 1961)
Exercising political power reasonably (Shaun P. Young 2008)
Democracy and Necessity: Rightly Dividing Political Power (James Rogers 2012)
Politics and Violence (Gopal Singh 1976)