Politics refers to the activities of government and those who seek political power; the academic study of government and political systems; and the power relationships and rivalries within any organisation or group.
What Does Politics Mean?
Politics comes from the Greek politika, meaning "affairs of the cities", from polis meaning "city" or "city-state". It entered English in the 16th century via Latin politica. The same Greek root gives us policy, police, polite, and metropolis.
In modern English, the word carries three distinct senses. In its most common use, it describes the practice of governing: elections, parliament, parties, and the competition for power. In an academic context, politics (often written with a capital P) is the discipline that studies government structures, political theory, and international relations. In everyday informal use, it can refer to the personal rivalries and power games that occur within any group — a company, a school, or even a family.
Despite ending in -s, politics is an uncountable noun and nearly always takes a singular verb: "Politics is a complex subject." This surprises many learners who expect it to behave like a plural noun. Reading about politics in English helped her understand how formal language is used, because political writing and broadcasting use a wide range of register, from neutral academic prose to passionate rhetoric.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| She does not like to talk about politics at dinner. | A2 — everyday avoidance phrase |
| He decided to study politics at university because he wanted to understand how governments work. | B1 — politics as an academic subject |
| Local politics can have a bigger effect on your daily life than national politics. | B1 — contrasting local vs national |
| The two ministers disagreed sharply on the politics surrounding the proposed tax reform. | B2 — politics as power dynamics within a policy debate |
| The internal politics of the organisation made it impossible to implement the new strategy without months of negotiation. | C1 — office/organisational politics in formal register |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| domestic politics | The prime minister focused on domestic politics rather than foreign affairs. |
| local politics | She got involved in local politics by joining the town council. |
| party politics | Many voters are tired of party politics and want independent candidates. |
| international politics | A degree in international politics covers diplomacy and global governance. |
| office politics | He tried to stay out of office politics and concentrate on his work. |
| enter politics | After a career in law, she decided to enter politics. |
| study politics | He studied politics at Oxford before joining the civil service. |
| talk politics | They stayed up late talking politics over cups of tea. |
| stay out of politics | The company's official position is to stay out of politics entirely. |
| identity politics | The debate over identity politics has become increasingly prominent in recent years. |
Usage Notes
Singular verb: Although politics ends in -s, it takes a singular verb in standard British English: "Politics is a fascinating subject," not "Politics are a fascinating subject." The plural verb is sometimes used informally when referring to a person's personal views: "Her politics are quite radical."
Register: The word is neutral in academic and journalistic writing. In everyday conversation, "politics" can sound formal or even uncomfortable — many native speakers use softer phrases like "current affairs" in casual contexts.
Capital P: Some style guides capitalise Politics when referring to it as an academic discipline ("She has a degree in Politics"), in the same way as History or Economics.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
Politics are a very complicated topic. (plural verb — non-standard)
Politics is a very complicated topic. (singular verb required in standard English)
He is interested in the politic of the country.
He is interested in the politics of the country. (always use the full form politics, not politic)
She studies political at university.
She studies politics at university. (political is an adjective; the noun is politics)