Polity
This article is about the dimensions of politics - for the index, see democracy measurement #Polity index.
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Contentless dictionary entry. --Chiananda (Discussion) 21:17, 3 Jan 2020 (CET)
Polity refers to the structural, formal and institutional dimension of politics, such as the organisation of the state, the political system or the polity (see also social order, political culture). The term comes from Anglo-Saxon political science, which distinguishes between three aspects of "politics": polity, politics and policy. In contrast to the processual politics and substantive policy, polity refers to the formal dimension of the rules of social coexistence (such as legal texts, constitutional principles, institutions).
For some decades now, political scientists have understood "institutions" to mean much more than purely formal, legal institutions of the constitution and legislation (see March/Olsen 1984 and North 1990). Political institutions also include unwritten rules of social interaction. Thus, the term polity also takes on new interpretative nuances: all normative, structural, and even "desired" elements of politics are designated by it. Such institutions grow historically both intentionally and unintentionally. Their significance lies in the fact that they channel or block the scope of action of political actors in the political process (polity). Thus, according to Klaus Schubert, they are a "decisive prerequisite" for the design of political measures (policy).
See also
- Multidimensional concept of politics in the recent political science discussion
Questions and Answers
Q: What is a polity?
A: A polity is a group of people who are brought together by any form of political agreement and who consider themselves as forming an autonomous unit.
Q: What types of political agreements can unite a polity?
A: The political agreement uniting the group may be of different types: it can be a written constitution or even the unwritten recognition and respect of a hierarchy within the group.
Q: What can organize a polity depending on its size?
A: Depending on the size of the polity, it can be organized by a government or other, simpler forms of hierarchy.
Q: Can the term polity only refer to big entities like states, empires, and kingdoms?
A: No, the term polity can also refer to smaller units like chiefdoms.
Q: What counts in calling a given group "a polity"?
A: What counts in calling a given group "a polity" is not its size nor the form of government it has. To be called "a polity" a group must be an organized and autonomous group that has exclusive rights of use of a specific portion of land.
Q: What is necessary for a group to be considered a polity?
A: To be considered a polity, a group must be an organized and autonomous group that has exclusive rights of use of a specific portion of land.
Q: Can a polity have a written constitution or an unwritten recognition and respect of a hierarchy?
A: Yes, a polity can have a written constitution or even the unwritten recognition and respect of a hierarchy within the group to unite its members.
