1 political activity
2 political ideas and political parties
see also GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, ELECTION
1 political activity
- work and ideas that are connected with governing a country, a town, etc: politics (with singular or plural verb)
Are you interested in politics? ◎ She's very involved in local politics. ◎ to go into politics (= to become a politician)
- connected with politics: political (adverb politically)
a political party ◎ Their decision to close the school is just political. ◎ to be politically well informed
- a person whose job is in politics, especially a Member of Parliament: politician
- an important and experienced politician who has earned public respect: statesman/woman (plural statesmen/women)
- a person who is the head of sth or in charge of sth: leader
a political leader
- the ability to make other people do what you want: power (noun U)
Our aim is to reduce the power of central government.
- the group of people who govern a country: government (with singular or plural verb)
- when a new government is formed, it comes* to power, gains power
This government came to power in 1979.
- the people who are ruling a country are in power, in government, in office
The Conservatives have been in office for several years.
- not governing or ruling a country: out of power, out of government, out of office
- a political plan of action or statement of ideas: policy (noun C/U)
The government is not explaining its policies well. ◎ What is party policy on privatization?
- a change in sth in order to make it better: reform (noun C/U)
a major reform in the system of taxation ◎ to be in favour of political reform
- a person who tries to change society and make it better: reformer
- opposing change: reaction (noun C/U); adjective: reactionary
forces of reaction ◎ reactionary opinions
- a person who tries to stop political or social change: reactionary
- a group of people who have the same ideas and who want to persuade others that they are right: movement
the anti-abortion movement
- a public protest or march in which a crowd of people show how they oppose or support sb/sth: demonstration; verb: demonstrate
to take part in a demonstration against cuts in government spending ◎ Thousands of people have been demonstrating against unemployment.
- a person who takes part in a public protest or march: demonstrator
- changing or trying to change the political system by violent action: revolution (noun C/U)
to start a revolution ◎ the French revolution
※ more on protests and demonstrations COMPLAIN/PROTEST
2 political ideas and political parties
- a group of people with the same political opinions and who try to win election to parliament: party
A lot of people haven't yet decided which party to vote for in the election. The same party has been in power for nearly twenty years.
- political actions carried out by or for political parties: party politics (with singular or plural verb)
- a person who has joined a political party: (party) member
a Communist Party member/a member of the Communist Party
- a person who supports a political party: supporter
a Labour supporter
- political parties or groups that support social equality, government control of industry, etc: the Left, the left wing; adjectives: left-wing
The Left is not expected to do well in the general election. ◎ the left wing of the Conservative party ◎ left-wing policies
- a person who supports left-wing ideas: left-winger
- political parties or groups that support traditional values, private control of industry, etc: the Right, the right wing; adjective: right-wing
the right wing of the Labour Party ◎ right-wing ideology
- a person who supports right-wing ideas: right-winger
- political parties or groups with moderate views: the centre; adjectives: centre, centrist
a shift of power to the centre ◎ a centre party ◎ centrist opinions
- a person's political opinions and beliefs: politics (noun plural)
What are her politics?
- a set of ideas for a political or economic system: ideology; adjective: ideological
communist ideology
- a general belief on which ideas or actions are based: principle
socialist principles
※ political ideas and beliefs
- in favour of existing methods and ideas and only gradual change: conservative; a person with conservative opinions: conservative; conservative beliefs: conservatism (noun U)
I've always been a conservative.
- in favour of freedom of choice and moderate change: liberal; a person with liberal opinions: liberal; liberal beliefs: liberalism (noun U)
- agreeing with modern methods and ideas: progressive; a person with progressive opinions: progressive
progressive policies
- not particularly conservative or progressive: moderate; a person with moderate opinions: moderate
- not moderate: extreme; a person with extreme opinions: extremist; extreme beliefs and actions: extremism (noun U)
dangerous extremists
- in favour of great political or social change: radical; a person with radical opinions: radical; radical beliefs: radicalism (noun U)
radical solutions to society's problems ◎ a famous 19th century radical
- in favour of changing the political system by violent action: revolutionary; a person with revolutionary opinions: revolutionary
※ kinds of political belief, see table below THE IDEA THAT ※¦ | IS CALLED ※¦ (noun U) | CONNECTED WITH THIS IDEA OR BELIEVING IN IT ※¦ (noun, adjective) |
the economy of a country should be controlled by the state and wealth should be shared equally | socialism | socialist |
the state should own the means of production and all people are equal | communism | communist |
change is caused by struggle between social classes | Marxism | Marxist |
there should be no government or laws in a country | anarchism | anarchist |
the state should control everything and there should be no opposition | fascism | fascist |
the country where you live should form an independent nation; or that your country is better than others | nationalism | nationalist |
people should protect the natural world | environmentalism, the green movement | environmentalist, green |
women should have the same rights as men | feminism | feminist |
some races (especially your own) are better than others | racism | racist |
※ economic systems ECONOMY
- the scientific study of government: politics (noun U), political science (noun U)
She's got a degree in politics.
※ MORE ...
- a person who disagrees in public with the actions or ideas of his/her government: dissident
- a person who uses violent action for political purposes: terrorist
- a person who is in prison because of his/her political beliefs: political prisoner