What's your path for a Culture of Peace?
POLITICS

Genuine politics -- even politics worthy of the name -- the only politics I am willing to devote myself to -- is simply a matter of serving those around us: serving the community and serving those who will come after us. Its deepest roots are moral because it is a responsibility expressed through action, to and for the whole. -- Vaclav Havel

Politics is all about power. We normally think about politics in relation to governments, but the word can be used when a question of authority or power comes up for any group. Politics is about how an individual or group attains and maintains power.

A government is the body that has the authority to make and enforce the rules that govern a city, state or nation. Over two thousand years ago, the philosopher Plato classified governments as: a monarchy, where one individual rules; an oligarchy, where one group rules; and a democracy, where all the people rule. In modern times, governments are much more complicated and many forms of government have a mix of these three basic types.

Today many talk about left-wing and right-wing political views. Although the definitions may vary greatly at different times in history and in different countries, generally what is meant is that the right is often associated with social equity -- moral and social conservatism and religion, while the left is often linked with social equality -- redistribution of wealth and resources to all citizens and secularism.

Those who have power in a society can make decisions that affect all who live in that society. For this reason, politics plays an important role in helping to create a better world. It is important to help to elect leaders who will make decisions that are in the best interest of all their citizens, while taking into account what is best for the well-being of the planet as well. It's also important to continue to remind leaders in power about our shared priority to create a better world based on more peaceful, just and sustainable communities.

 

Other Links

Rock The Vote
Project Vote

TrueMajority.com - An easy way to contact your legislators,
from Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities (Founded by Ben Cohen).

Act For Change
Working For Change
MoveOn.org

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

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