Politics

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

Politics is ubiquitous and can be understood as a struggle for power. Power is not only an important end in itself, but those who rule influence the distribution of such other valued goods as wealth, status, and security. Who wins power struggles and why are then deeply consequential for understanding our cotemporary human condition.

In this Very Short Introduction, author Atul Kohli provides an overview of politics in modern nation-states. He takes turn analysing the critical components of power struggles: sources of power, organization of power, and uses of power. How power is distributed globally and how it is organized nationally influences life-chances of citizens across the world. This analysis leads Kohli to suggest that major political challenges of the twenty-first century will include how to preserve democracy and to limit the role of money in politics.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.