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Politics

There is no one generally accepted definition of politics. Here are just a few most common examples of definitions you may come acrossto come acrosscome across:

• conscious, organized actions aimed at gaining and exercising political power;

• the art of governing society and the state;

• decision‑making process that allows the needs and values of society, social groups and individuals to be met;

• conflict resolution process, in which three basic methods are used: cooperation, coercion and compromise;

• sphere of public activity of the state institutions, political parties, social organizations and individuals – citizens.

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Infografika, której głównym elementem jest napis "Functions of politics", od którego odchodzą następujące elementy "Shaping of the cohesion and sustainability of society", "Distribution of material and intangible goods in society", "Creation and implementation of programmes aimed at state and society development", "Shaping the political attitudes, consciousness and behaviours of citizens".

Ethics

Ethics indicatesto indicateindicates patterns of appropriate human behaviour and formulates the principles of their implementation. The content of norms and moral judgements is connected with the historical development of societies. In subsequentsubsequentsubsequent epochs it underwentto undergounderwent smaller or larger transformations, e.g. the changes in attitude towards slaveryslaveryslavery, racial discrimination, the use of violence in interpersonal relations or the scope of power and responsibility of the authorities.

The role of ethics in political life has been disputed ever since antiquityantiquityantiquity. There are two positions in the dispute.

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Infografika, która składa się z dwóch strzałek, na których znajdują się następujące treści: Strzałka skierowana w lewo: "On the one hand, ethics are perceived as the basis for political actions. This means, that generally accepted moral principles should be superior to political aims, methods and means"; strzałka skierowana w prawo: "On the other hand, politics is all about effective implementation of interests, whether or not they are in accordance with moral norms. If moral norms impede reaching the objectives, they are discarded".

Anyone, who undertakes a political action, has to face the dilemmato face the dilemmato face the dilemma, and answer a couple of important questions:

• Will these actions be good for the state and society? And what does “good” mean?

• Does the welfare of the state justify immoral actions?

• Should moral norms be broken to achieve the desired goals?

• Is it at all possible to talk about the welfare of the state if one discards moral norms?

Regardless of the ongoing disputes, ethics are an important determinant of politics. People have always evaluated political activities not only by their effectiveness, but also by their moral value. States, political parties, social movements, political leaders, ordinary people refer to different – secularsecularsecular and religious – ethical concepts. This leads to various visions of society and the state, and thusthusthus, sometimes, also to serious political conflicts.

Power

The phenomenon of power appears in every community, group, organization or social institution – at school, in a political party, a family, a country, a peer group and an international organization, a company and an army. It is a necessary element regulating social life, and thus an important element of politics, and the functioning of the state.

The power is:

• a system of social relations;

• the right to govern, e.g. to govern a state

• the governing bodies and institutions that make the key decisions

Those in power, the authorities, induceto induceinduce people to obeyto obeyobey, using various means:

Keywords

politics, ethics, power, authority, persuasion, manipulation, coercion, violence

Glossary