Like any other topic, politics has its roots deeply embedded in time. The history and the development of politics as we know it today have taken a series of stages, manipulations, and growths.
Aristotle is famously known as the father of politics. He was a student of Plato. They both strongly believed in and viewed politics from a scientific approach. They argued that it has authority over other scientific disciplines.
According to Aristotle, politics is to investigate, based on constitutions collected, what makes for good and what makes for bad government.
History on the other hand is a way to seek to understand the past and make sense of the present and try and predict the future. During the first half of the 20th century, most historians would have agreed with a scholar, Sir John Seeley.
He was supported by a 19th-century motto of the First Generation of America's political scientists 1882-1900" History is past politics and politics in present history".
During the Renaissance period in Italy, Niccolo Machiavelli established emphasis on modern political science and direct empirical observation of political institutions and actors. Political institutions in this case include arms of governments while actors include all those that might influence the direction of political outcomes in one way or another like Non-Governmental organizations, religious organizations, and individuals.
In his treatise, The prince Machiavelli posits a realist viewpoint arguing that even evil means should be considered if it helps to acquire and maintain a ruler's state.
Other thinkers also participated in the ancient development of politics from other parts of the world like Confucius (551-479) bc in China and Kautilya (300)bc in India. In his teachings, Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, the correctness of social relationships, and justice.
Political developments before the 19th century
As early towns grew, they had
to develop new systems of government, new means to store and distribute food, and new ways to protect themselves.
The strongest settlement expanded their territory by conquering their neighbors creating the first empires.
One of the most powerful early empires belonged to Babylonians. In the 18th century BC, they conquered a large area in what is now the Middle East.
They were conquered later by the Hittites but rose to power in the 6th century BCE. Their capital, Babylon became one of the richest and most magnificent in the ancient world.
The first political organizations can be traced all over the world with some notable ones like Africa, China, and the Middle East.
In Africa
Africa is also a largely ignored part of the world but there exists a political ideology of indigenous African political systems and institutions. So many highly advanced, sophisticated African civilizations, cultures, and societies ie Axum in Ghana and Mali had roots before colonialism.
They were strongly based on kinship; that is majorly family lineage, which was highly respected and acted as a unifying factor. Heads were chosen according to age, experience, gender, and lineage.
Political organization and ways of maintaining law and order were well established from the grassroots level to the top. For example in West Africa, the Mali empire was in existence from around 1226 to 1670 BC. It became renowned for its wealth and prosperity. Their language and culture spread across West Africa.
Egypt arose from the Urik period in around 3,000 BCE. They were based around River Nile in Northern Africa. It was home to one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. They were ruled by kings called pharaohs who were thought to be children of God. The complex society and strictly ruled by priests, governors, and mayors to soldiers and peasants and they developed a detailed system of writing to keep records of the ownership.
In the west
Romans and Greeks were the
first to be defined by some political organization. The Greek city-states before the 4th century granted citizenship rights to their free population. In Athens for example, these rights were combined directly with a democratic form of government to have a long afterlife in political thought.
Later on, around the 18th century, the French revolution took place and the French monarchy was overthrown in a bloody revolution. The rebels were created by citizens rather than the nobility, but the rivalry between its members brought chaos and bloodshed.
In Asia
At its height, china was the most powerful empire in the world. Its emperor controlled wealth and influence beyond all in the world.
It's one of the oldest civilizations with records going back to 3500 years. The government was run by civil service which later on could be entered only through passing difficult exams.
Conclusion
In the modern world politics and how it is expressed by both the leaders at the people have changed. A variety of methods are employed in politics ie civic participation through rioting or elections.
