Webster's English Dictionarypolitics
pol.i.tics \'pa:l-*-.tiks\ n [Gk politika, fr. neut. pl. of politikos political] pl but sing or pl in constr 1a: the art or science of government 1b: the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental p olicy 1c: the art or science concerned with winning and holding control over a go vernment 2: political actions, practices, or policies 3a: political affairs or business; specif : competition between com peting interest groups or individuals for power and leadership in a government or other group 3b: political life esp. as a principal activity or profession 3c: political activities characterized by artful and often dishonest practi ces 4: the political opinions or sympathies of a person 5: the total complex of relations between men in society