WESTERN thought and western literature have decreed that politics originated with the Greeks and the etymology is connected to the Greek word, ‘Polis,’ which means city-state. The art of managing the city-state and its occupants has been bequeathed to modernity and now takes the form of the management of a country’s affairs or any administrative enclave. It is this very art which sometimes attracts the wrath of the people. Politicians are often the recipients of the anti-establishment fervour of the masses, often caught in the stinging rapture of references such as ‘all politicians are liars’, ‘politics is a dirty game’ and ‘never trust a politician.’ Those who manage the affairs of the state are often at the receiving end of some of the worst epithets. It is paradoxical that some humans adopt an indifferent posture towards politics, which is tied to their peace and security, their laws, their economic well-being and almost every aspect of their daily lives.
International peace and security

Opining that ‘politics has nothing to do with me’ is a sad reflection of a mind that has not given due consideration to the human cause. The inescapable relevance of politics is supremely exemplified in the maintenance of global international peace and security. It is political action that has given the world the comfort of not having a world war since 1945. From space warfare to the battle over worldly resources, when we sleep at nights, we are at the mercy of decisions being made by politicians. I cannot see how any reasonable mind could scoff at this art.

Politics and daily life
Politics oozes out every crevice of ordinary existence. The often harried and mundane indulgence of having breakfast is enhanced or diminished, based on political action or inaction. If the legislators, the ministers and the technical persons responsible for the economy do not get it right, the size of your bread or the amount of sugar or milk you can apply to your tea can be traced to things political. As you proceed to work or stay at home to apply for a job, it becomes clearer, there is not an activity executed by citizens that is insulated from what Harold Laswell describes as the art of ‘who gets what, when, how.’ From the grass in your yard to your antenna, dish or no form of technology, there is the need for management of these affairs. There has been no alternative to what is absolute necessity for the maintenance of civilisation. If you fail to select the right people to lead, it could determine life or death. Hence, it is folly to ignore or reject this indispensable aspect of human existence

The important civil activity
By virtue of its sheer degree of difficulty and personal sacrifice, politics as a profession takes the crown over other civil activities. The lawyer or doctor could enjoy a casual walk with his/her family and not be subject to an interrogation session on why problems are not being solved. The politician may embark on a journey to the movie theatre and spend most of his time in discussions about national problems. When you put your name out there as a person within the political sphere, your life is never the same. The public scrutiny is unstoppable, even when taking a casual stroll. Added to this, one has to learn the intractable art of studying and managing the most difficult species of them all — humans. The management of human affairs to undoubtedly be the most important civil engagement one can be a part of. The nature of humans and all their concomitant complexities make the argument completely settled: politics is not only necessary, it is supreme among other civil engagements.

Those who baulk at politics and politicians must suggest a better way of managing the affairs of the state which cannot go unattended. It is for this reason and the other afore-mentioned considerations, that I am of the view that it is folly to be indifferent to politics.