THE CONCEPT OF POLITICS

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 Introduction

To start with, very few people prefer an isolated life to the one that includes social companionship. Men are involved in politics as they struggle for scarce resources, as they try to convince other to accept their point of view and as they try to define their position in the society.

The Greek philosopher, Aristotle begins his famous work “Politics” with the observation that, man is by nature a political animal. By this, Aristotle means that the essence of social existence is through political interaction and that two or more men interacting with one another are invariably involved in a political relationship.  Aristotle then, concluded that, the only way to maximize one’s individual capabilities and to attain the highest form of social life is through political interaction in institutionalised settings (a setting designed to resolve social conflicts and set collective goals)

Be that as it may, it is important to state that politics is a complex and dynamic phenomenon, and as such, a widely accepted definition of the concept has failed to emerge. As noted by the English Historian, Morse Stephens, after teaching in the United States for two years, he said, he had not been able to see anyone who could give him a concise definition of political science. This further explains the complexity of the subject matter of politics. What then is politics?

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