political career essay

Essay on Politics: Topics, Tips, and Examples for Students

Defining What is Politics Essay

The process of decision-making that applies to members of a group or society is called politics. Arguably, political activities are the backbone of human society, and everything in our daily life is a form of it.

Understanding the essence of politics, reflecting on its internal elements, and critically analyzing them make society more politically aware and let them make more educated decisions. Constantly thinking and analyzing politics is critical for societal evolution.

Political thinkers often write academic papers that explore different political concepts, policies, and events. The essay about politics may examine a wide range of topics such as government systems, political ideologies, social justice, public policies, international relations, etc.

After selecting a specific research topic, a writer should conduct extensive research, gather relevant information, and prepare a logical and well-supported argument. The paper should be clear and organized, complying with academic language and standards. A writer should demonstrate a deep understanding of the subject, an ability to evaluate and remain non-biased to different viewpoints, and a capacity to draw conclusions.

Now that we are on the same page about the question 'what is politics essay' and understand its importance, let's take a deeper dive into how to build a compelling political essay, explore the most relevant political argumentative essay topics, and finally, examine the political essay examples written by the best essay writing service team.

Politics Essay Example for Students

If you are still unsure how to structure your essay or how to present your statement, don't worry. Our team of experts has prepared an excellent essay example for you. Feel free to explore and examine it. Use it to guide you through the writing process and help you understand what a successful essay looks like.

How to Write a Political Essay: Tips + Guide

A well-written essay is easy to read and digest. You probably remember reading papers full of big words and complex ideas that no one bothered to explain. We all agree that such essays are easily forgotten and not influential, even though they might contain a very important message.

If you are writing an essay on politics, acknowledge that you are on a critical mission to easily convey complicated concepts. Hence, what you are trying to say should be your main goal. Our guide on how to write a political essay will help you succeed.

Conduct Research for Your Politics Essay

After choosing a topic for the essay, take enough time for preparation. Even if you are familiar with the matter, conducting thorough research is wiser. Political issues are complex and multifaceted; comprehensive research will help you understand the topic better and offer a more nuanced analysis.

Research can help you identify different viewpoints and arguments around the topic, which can be beneficial for building more impartial and persuasive essays on politics. Sometimes in the hit of the moment, opposing sides are not able to see the common ground; your goal is to remain rational, speak to diverse audiences, and help them see the core of the problem and the ways to solve it.

In political papers, accuracy and credibility are vital. Researching the topic deeply will help you avoid factual errors or misrepresentations from any standpoint. It will allow you to gather reliable sources of information and create a trustworthy foundation for the entire paper.

If you want to stand out from the other students, get inspired by the list of hottest essay ideas and check out our political essay examples.

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Brainstorm Political Essay Topics

The next step to writing a compelling politics essay is to polish your thoughts and find the right angle to the chosen topic.

Before you start writing, generate fresh ideas and organize your thoughts. There are different techniques to systematize the mess going on in your head, such as freewriting, mind mapping, or even as simple as listing ideas. This will open the doors to new angles and approaches to the topic.

When writing an essay about politics, ensure the topic is not too general. It's always better to narrow it down. It will simplify your job and help the audience better understand the core of the problem. Brainstorming can help you identify key points and arguments, which you can use to find a specific angle on the topic.

Brainstorming can also help you detect informational gaps that must be covered before the writing process. Ultimately, the brainstorming phase can bring a lot more clarity and structure to your essay.

We know how exhausting it is to come up with comparative politics essay topics. Let our research paper writing service team do all the hard work for you.

Create Your Politics Essay Thesis Statement

Thesis statements, in general, serve as a starting point of the roadmap for the reader. A political essay thesis statement outlines the main ideas and arguments presented in the body paragraphs and creates a general sense of the content of the paper.

Creating a thesis statement for essays about politics in the initial stages of writing can help you stay focused and on track throughout the working process. You can use it as an aim and constantly check your arguments and evidence against it. The question is whether they are relevant and supportive of the statement.

Get creative when creating a statement. This is the first sentence readers will see, and it should be compelling and clear.

The following is a great example of a clear and persuasive thesis statement:

 'The lack of transparency and accountability has made the World Trade Organization one of the most controversial economic entities. Despite the influence, its effectiveness in promoting free trade and economic growth in developing countries has decreased.'

Provide Facts in Your Essay about Politic

It's a no-brainer that everything you will write in your essay should be supported by strong evidence. The credibility of your argument will be questioned every step of the way, especially when you are writing about sensitive subjects such as essays on government influence on economic troubles. 

Provide facts and use them as supporting evidence in your politics essay. They will help you establish credibility and accuracy and take your paper out of the realm of speculation and mere opinions.

Facts will make your essay on political parties more persuasive, unbiased, and targeted to larger audiences. Remember, the goal is to bring the light to the core of the issue and find a solution, not to bring people even farther apart.

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Structure Your Political Essay

Your main goal is to communicate your ideas to many people. To succeed, you need to write an essay that is easy to read and understand. Creating a structure will help you present your ideas logically and lead the readers in the right direction.

Sometimes when writing about political essay topics, we get carried away. These issues can be very emotional and sensitive, and writers are not protected from becoming victims of their own writings. Having a structure will keep you on track, only focusing on providing supported arguments and relevant information.

Start with introducing the thesis statement and provide background information. Followed by the body paragraphs and discuss all the relevant facts and standpoints. Finish it up with a comprehensive conclusion, and state the main points of your essay once again.

The structure will also save you time. In the beginning, creating an outline for essays on politics will give you a general idea of what should be written, and you can track your progress against it.

Revise and Proofread Your Final Politics Essay

Once every opinion is on the paper and every argument is well-constructed, one final step should be taken. Revision!

We know nothing is better than finishing the homework and quickly submitting it, but we aim for an A+. Our political essay must be reviewed. You need to check if there is any error such as grammatical, spelling, or contextual.

Take some time off, relax, and start proofreading after a few minutes or hours. Having a fresh mind will help you review not only grammar but also the arguments. Check if something is missing from your essays about politics, and if you find gaps, provide additional information.

You had to spend a lot of time on them, don't give up now. Make sure they are in perfect condition.

Effective Political Essay Topics

We would be happy if our guide on how to write political essays helped you, but we are not stopping there. Below you will find a list of advanced and relevant political essay topics. Whether you are interested in global political topics or political science essay topics, we got you covered.

Once you select a topic, don't forget to check out our politics essay example! It will bring even more clarity, and you will be all ready to start writing your own paper.

Political Argumentative Essay Topics

Now that we know how to write a political analysis essay let's explore political argumentative essay topics:

• Should a political party take a stance on food politics and support policies promoting sustainable food systems?
• Should we label Winston Churchill as the most influential political figure of World War II?
• Does the focus on GDP growth in the political economy hinder the human development index?
• Is foreign influence a threat to national security?
• Is foreign aid the best practice for political campaigning?
• Does the electoral college work for an ideal political system?
• Are social movements making a real difference, or are they politically active for temporary change?
• Can global politics effectively address political conflicts in the modern world?
• Are opposing political parties playing positive roles in US international relations?
• To what extent should political influence be allowed in addressing economic concerns?
• Can representative democracy prevent civil wars in ethnically diverse countries?
• Should nuclear weapons be abolished for the sake of global relations?
• Is economic development more important than ethical issues for Caribbean politics?
• What role should neighboring nations play in preventing human rights abuse in totalitarian regimes?
• Should political decisions guide the resolution of conflicts in the South China Sea?

Political Socialization Essay Topics

Knowing how to write a political issue essay is one thing, but have you explored our list of political socialization essay topics?

• To what extent does a political party or an influential political figure shape the beliefs of young people?
• Does political influence shape attitudes toward environmental politics?
• How can individuals use their own learning process to navigate political conflicts in a polarized society?
• How do political strategies shape cultural globalization?
• Is gender bias used as a political instrument in political socialization?
• How can paying attention to rural communities improve political engagement?
• What is the role of Amnesty International in preventing the death penalty?
• What is the role of politically involved citizens in shaping minimum wage policies?
• How does a political party shape attitudes toward global warming?
• How does the federal system influence urban planning and attitudes toward urban development?
• What is the role of public opinion in shaping foreign policy, and how does it affect political decision making
• Did other countries' experiences affect policies on restricting immigration in the US?
• How can note-taking skills and practice tests improve political engagement? 
• How do the cultural values of an independent country shape the attitudes toward national security?
• Does public opinion influence international intervention in helping countries reconcile after conflicts?

Political Science Essay Topics

If you are searching for political science essay topics, check our list below and write the most compelling essay about politic:

• Is environmental education a powerful political instrument? 
• Can anarchist societies provide a viable alternative to traditional forms of governance?
• Pros and cons of deterrence theory in contemporary international relations
• Comparing the impact of the French Revolution and World War II on the political landscape of Europe
• The role of the ruling political party in shaping national policies on nuclear weapons
• Exploring the roots of where politics originate
• The impact of civil wars on the processes of democratization of the third-world countries
• The role of international organizations in promoting global health
• Does using the death penalty in the justice system affect international relations?
• Assessing the role of the World Trade Organization in shaping global trade policies
• The political and environmental implications of conventional agriculture
• The impact of the international court on political decision making
• Is philosophical anarchism relevant to contemporary political discourse?
• The emergence of global citizenship and its relationship with social movements
• The impact of other countries on international relations between the US and China

Final Words

See? Writing an essay about politic seems like a super challenging job, but in reality, all it takes is excellent guidance, a well-structured outline, and an eye for credible information.

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specializes in creating authoritative content on marketing, business, and finance, with a versatile ability to handle any essay type and dissertations. With a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a passion for social issues, her writing not only educates but also inspires action. On EssayPro blog, Annie delivers detailed guides and thought-provoking discussions on pressing economic and social topics. When not writing, she’s a guest speaker at various business seminars.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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How to Prepare for a Career in Politics

Last Updated: May 16, 2021 Approved

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 14 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 83% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 151,463 times.

Working in politics can be an appealing career option if you have passionate opinions and are enthusiastic about enacting positive change. There are a variety of ways to start a career in politics. You need to build a solid educational foundation, seek out volunteer experience and internships, and familiarize yourself with the kind of paid jobs available to those starting out in the field.

Getting Educated

• Pay attention in school. In high school, and even in early middle school, history and civics classes explain the basics of the three branches of power in the US government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch is comprised of Congress, that is the Senate and the House of Representatives. They're responsible for making the laws. The executive branch, the president, vice president, and cabinet, carry out the laws. The judicial branch is the Supreme Court, made up of 9 justices appointed by the president and approved by congress. The Supreme Court evaluates the laws.
• Do not just learn about the basics of national politics. Familiarize yourself with your own state's congressional system. Oftentimes, politicians start by running for positions in the state or local government. If possible, get involved in your local political scene. Volunteer for a campaign or political party in your area.

• A political science degree is one of the most popular degree paths for those interested in a career in politics. You build knowledge of political philosophy, learn how public policies are formed, and study how government bodies operate in the United States and other nations. You also learn about social issues such as warfare, poverty, and global inequality.
• A degree in public administration may provide more hands-on skills. You learn about public policy, fundraising, budgeting, government decision making, and community analysis. If you're seeking to work in a local community, or work directly with a specific community, this could be a great major for you.
• International relations might be a good major if you hope to get involved in politics on a global scale. You will get a detailed introduction on the basics of law, world history, international relations, and how these issues come into play in negotiations and partnerships between countries. Warfare, trade, diplomacy, and poverty will be issued discussed while you pursue an international relations degree.
• Communications could also be a good degree path and could serve you well as a minor if you're interested in a political career. Communications degrees focus on public speaking, marketing, journalism, and rhetoric. A degree or minor in communications can give you specialized skills you can use to become politically involved in the world of journalism or news.

• Communication, both written and spoken, is an important skill to have if you work in politics. You will have to communicate with a variety of other people in any political office and also write or proofread legislation and draft proposals, press releases, and more. Taking English classes or getting a job on a campus newspaper in college can help with your communication skills.
• The ability to collect and analyze information is important, so make sure you're an excellent researcher before launching a political career. If you're a student, many professors may need research assistants for their own work. E-mail around and see if anyone is willing or able to hire you. You can also stock up on coursework where research papers are required to complete a class. You can also look for a summer job or internship where you would be responsible for researching certain topics for an organization, politician, or professor.
• Gain computer skills. In an increasingly digital world, proficiency with a variety of computer programs is vital to success in the political field. Take computer classes in college and build your computer skill set so it contains a wide range of computer programs. Look for internships and jobs that require you to build upon existing computer skills. Download certain softwares and teach yourself the basics by using online tutorials.

Making Connections

• Get involved locally. Find a grassroots organization or non-profit that shares your passions and political interests. Such organizations are almost always seeking volunteers and even small office tasks can help you further your career. A willingness to work hard will reflect well on you down the road, and you may eventually be offered a job or an internship. [1] X Research source
• Volunteer each election cycle. Political campaigns are always need volunteers during election cycles. You can go door-to-door spreading information about a candidate, call supporters asking for donations, and help register people to vote in the upcoming election. Simple office tasks in local campaign offices or headquarters are also much appreciated during this time. Election seasons get very busy in the political world, so this is the easiest time to find meaningful work as a volunteer. [2] X Research source
• Stay in touch with anyone you meet while volunteering. Someone who supervised your fundraising work during a presidential election can be a reference you use while applying for a job or internship.

• Try to work in an area where you can interact with major political players. Work in your state's capital, where you'll have a chance to meet state senators and representatives. If you want to work in D.C, try to get involved in the area so you can make connections to people who work there as well.
• Keep regular correspondences with anyone you've worked with professionally. Many people send out a bi-monthly professional newsletter or e-mail updating contacts about their involvement in the political world. This is something you can look into as it's an easy, impressive way to stay in touch. You can also join a variety of e-mail newsletters so you can keep track of what's going on with a variety of politicians and political workers.
• If you've interned or volunteered with anyone, stay in touch with them periodically. If you use your social media responsibly, adding contacts on Facebook could be a good way to stay in contact. You can also send out occasional e-mails. Keep them as a contact on LinkedIn and like and comment on any new skills, jobs, publications, or other honors they post about. You want these people to remember you down the road as your connections with them could help you land a job.

• If you're a college student, you can ask an adviser or counselor about where to best apply for internships. A good adviser should be able to direct you to websites that list internship opportunities based on your interests and areas and may even have a few personal connections to share with you.
• There are also intern opportunities in Washington D.C. where you can earn college credit and take classes while gaining real world experience. If this is something you're interested in, ask your college adviser about how to integrate such an experience into your education.
• If your college or university has a career center, pay a visit and have your resume critiqued. A strong resume is vital to landing a good internship.
• If you've recently graduated, some internships may still be available to you. Such internships may even pay or offer a small stipend. Keep your eyes out for good internships on job forums and LinkedIn.

• Many politicians use Twitter to make political statements and interact with voters. Following a politician you admire on Twitter might allow you to interact with that person without having actually met him or her. Forming connections on Twitter is a new form of networking. [3] X Research source
• As Twitter is such an important marketing tool for politicians, potential employees may ask for your Twitter handle on a job application. It's important to maintain a clean, profanity free Twitter page and post appropriate content. Good content for a political job would include tweeting about issues important to you and sharing news articles, op-eds, and essays about current events and politics. [4] X Research source

Starting Out

• Campaign staffers manage political campaigns and perform duties like writing speeches, conducting research, preparing candidates for public speaking events, forming media strategies, and supervising volunteers.
• Field representatives are staff members that work in district offices monitoring meetings, coordinating events, and acting as a liaison between city, council, and district officials. You will be the voice of a politician or organization as a field representative, so it's important to have excellent communication skills.
• Legislative aides are aides assigned to cover specific issues or areas for a politician or political party. You will write memos and press releases, meet with lobbyists to discuss the issues you're assigned to, and track legislation. This job is research and analysis heavy.
• Legislative corespondents work mostly in the media. You would manage all media, such as press releases, op-eds, speeches, and newsletters, related to a candidate or political party.

• Carefully consider the position you want to run for, based on your career goals. If you're passionate about reforming the education system, for example, consider running for local school board. [5] X Research source
• Prepare for a lot of time and money. Running a campaign is timely and costly, but can be worth it as being an elected official is a great stepping stone for a political career. You may need to do a great deal of fundraising in order to successfully launch a campaign, so plan well ahead of time. [6] X Research source
• Clean up your social media and be aware of any potentially damaging information about yourself. Even minor infractions, like getting caught drinking underage, can come up in a campaign, especially if it's competitive. Be prepared to address any issues that might upset your voters and supporters. [7] X Research source

• Start a professional blog. In an increasingly digital world, having a blog you can link prospective employers to that you update regularly is a huge plus. You don't have to have a huge following. Just show employees you're a self starter who's committed to the field of politics. You can include your opinions on different political causes, link to relevant articles, and respond to current events.
• Be specific about what you want. Oftentimes, a resume includes too much experience and is not focused in on one area. If you want to work in political journalism, stock your resume with any experience related to writing, copy editing, and communications. Leave out campaign work or put it towards the bottom under "additional experience."
• Use your alumni status. If you graduated from, say, James Madison College at Michigan State University, find James Madison alumni organizations. People who automatically know and respect your educational background are more likely to give you a chance that someone who went to a school in a different part of the country. [8] X Research source
• Go back to old connections. If you volunteered at a grass roots organization throughout college, contact them. Even if they're not hiring at the moment, they could keep your resume on file and call you back later. They also might know similar organizations that could use someone with your skill set.

• If you want a higher paying job, you may have to switch locations. Washington D.C is the primary location if you want to work in US politics. If you want to rise in ranks, start saving money to move to DC as you gain experience in the local political scene.
• You might also have to relocate frequently if you get a campaign job. Oftentimes, working on a political campaign means following a candidate from place to place. You might have to change locations every few months, which means you'll have to make certain sacrifices. It can be hard to keep pets and having roommates, a spouse, or a significant other who lives with you can be difficult during campaign years.

Community Q&A

• Seek out established politicians to serve as mentors. You can meet them by working on their campaigns or applying to be a paid intern or staff member. Established politicians will be able to give you advice and possibly recommend you for other opportunities, provide references and publicly support your future campaigns. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Make sure to have an explanation for any questionable activity in your past, including incidents of which you are sure no one is aware. You never know when information may be leaked. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Carefully monitor blogs, websites, and social media sites where you allow others to comment. Those who do not agree with your positions may post things that offend your supporters. If you do not have the time to moderate comments, you may consider hiring staff or recruiting campaign volunteers to assist you. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ http://mic.com/articles/21785/top-5-ways-to-jump-start-your-political-career-in-2013
• ↑ http://howtorunforoffice.org/
• ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140227200126-5926874-how-to-really-get-an-entry-level-job

About this article

If you want to prepare for a career in politics, pay attention to your history and civics classes in high school so you become familiar with the legislative process. When you get to university, choose to major in a subject like political science, public administration, or international relations. Make sure to focus on developing your communication and research skills during school. For example, you can get a job at your campus newspaper or ask if any of your professors need a research assistant. You should also start looking for volunteer opportunities, like at a local campaign office during an election cycle. For more information, including how to network, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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RICHARD M. NIXON

Excerpted from an essay by Tom Wicker : Richard Nixon was an introvert in the extroverted calling of the politician. And as if that were not problem enough for him, he was an intellectual appealing to a public that puts low value on eggheads. I don't mean an intellectual in the stereotypical sense of a cloistered scholar; I mean that Nixon was a highly intelligent man who relied greatly on his own intelligence and that of others, who had a considerable capacity to read and understand technical papers, who retreated to a room alone and wrote in longhand on a yellow legal pad the gist of his major speeches, who impressed associates with his ability to evaluate disinterestedly the pros and cons of a problem, who in the opinion of Arthur Burns, whom he appointed to head the Federal Reserve, could have "held down a chair in political science or law in any of our major universities." Any number of Richard Nixon's associates will tell you that glad-handing and pressing the flesh did not come naturally or congenially to him. When closely observed, he always seemed somehow ill at ease. His gestures when he spoke-- the counting of points on the fingers, the arms upstretched in the victory sign or sweeping around his body like a matador flicking a cape before a bull--the body language always seemed a little out of sync with what he was saying, as if a sound track were running a little ahead of or behind its film. Lyndon Johnson once called him a "chronic campaigner," but Nixon actually shrank from the accustomed rituals of politics. In an interview early in his career, he told the columnist Stewart Alsop: "I'm fundamentally relatively shy. It doesn't come naturally to me to be a buddy-buddy boy ... I can't really let my hair down with anyone." Yet he forced himself to engage, sometimes even to excel, in the exhibitionary skills of campaigning over a political career that lasted nearly thirty years -- a remarkably successful career during which he served in both houses of Congress and as Vice President, was twice elected President of the United States, and became the only American other than Franklin Roosevelt to be nominated by a major party on five national tickets.... Early in life Nixon seems to have thrown in his lot with those he called the "have-nots" rather than on the side of those he once described to his former aide Ken Clawson as having everything and therefore "sitting on their fat butts." As a freshman at Whittier College he helped organize the Orthogonians, a men's club in sharp contrast to the existing Franklins. "Orthogonian" meant "Square Shooters," Nixon explained in his memoirs; and in the college yearbook, Franklins were pictured in tuxedos while Orthogonians wore open-necked shirts, as befitted what Nixon termed "athletes and men who were working their way through school." The Franklin-Orthogonian distinction is a constant in Nixon's life. His first major opponents, Jerry Voorhis, a millionaire banker's son, and Helen Gahagan Douglas, a famous actress and friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, could be seen as Franklins. So could his first most prominent victim, the elegant diplomat Alger Hiss. Two of his most frequent Democratic targets, Adlai Stevenson and Dean Acheson, surely were Franklins. John F. Kennedy, rich and cool as Nixon would never be, obviously was another. Whether or not Nixon actually saw these adversaries as Franklins, their presence and manner are bound to have whetted his class instinct; and Kennedy's disputed victory in 1960 must have been the more crushing because of it.... Is it too much to suppose, then that Richard Nixon suffered from feelings of inadequacy and was lacking in a sense of self-worth? That he felt bitterness toward those gifted Franklins in their tuxedos to whom good things came easily and who thus deserved them less? A decade after he resigned the presidency, he told Ken Clawson: "...what starts the process really are laughs and slights and snubs when you are a kid...But if you are reasonably intelligent and if your anger is deep enough and strong enough, you learn that you can change those attitudes by excellence, personal gut performance, while those who have everything are sitting on their fat butts..."

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A Brief History of the Political Essay

From swift to woolf, david bromwich considers an evolving genre.

The political essay has never been a clearly defined genre. David Hume may have legitimated it in 1758 when he classified under a collective rubric his own Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary. “Political,” however, should have come last in order, since Hume took a speculative and detached view of politics, and seems to have been incapable of feeling passion for a political cause. We commonly associate political thought with full-scale treatises by philosophers of a different sort, whose understanding of politics was central to their account of human nature. Hobbes’s Leviathan , Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws , Rousseau’s Social Contract , Mill’s Representative Government , and, closer to our time, Rawls’s Theory of Justice , all satisfy that expectation. What, then, is a political essay? By the late 18th century, the periodical writings of Steele, Swift, Goldsmith, and Johnson had broadened the scope of the English essay for serious purposes. The field of politics, as much as culture, appeared to their successors well suited to arguments on society and government.

A public act of praise, dissent, or original description may take on permanent value when it implicates concerns beyond the present moment. Where the issue is momentous, the commitment stirred by passion, and the writing strong enough, an essay may sink deep roots in the language of politics. An essay is an attempt , as the word implies—a trial of sense and persuasion, which any citizen may hazard in a society where people are free to speak their minds. A more restrictive idea of political argument—one that would confer special legitimacy on an elite caste of managers, consultants, and symbolic analysts—presumes an environment in which state papers justify decisions arrived at from a region above politics. By contrast, the absence of formal constraints or a settled audience for the essay means that the daily experience of the writer counts as evidence. A season of crisis tempts people to think politically; in the process, they sometimes discover reasons to back their convictions.

The experience of civic freedom and its discontents may lead the essayist to think beyond politics. In 1940, Virginia Woolf recalled the sound of German bombers circling overhead the night before; the insect-like irritant, with its promise of aggression, frightened her into thought: “It is a queer experience, lying in the dark and listening to the zoom of a hornet which may at any moment sting you to death.” The ugly noise, for Woolf, signaled the prerogative of the fighting half of the species: Englishwomen “must lie weaponless tonight.” Yet Englishmen would be called upon to destroy the menace; and she was not sorry for their help. The mood of the writer is poised between gratitude and a bewildered frustration. Woolf ’s essay, “Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid,” declines to exhibit the patriotic sentiment by which most reporters in her position would have felt drawn. At the same time, its personal emphasis keeps the author honest through the awareness of her own dependency.

Begin with an incident— I could have been killed last night —and you may end with speculations on human nature. Start with a national policy that you deplore, and it may take you back to the question, “Who are my neighbors?” In 1846, Henry David Thoreau was arrested for having refused to pay a poll tax; he made a lesson of his resistance two years later, when he saw the greed and dishonesty of the Mexican War: “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.” But to Thoreau’s surprise, the window of the prison had opened onto the life of the town he lived in, with its everyday errands and duties, its compromises and arrangements, and for him that glimpse was a revelation:

They were the voices of old burghers that I heard in the streets. I was an involuntary spectator and auditor of whatever was done and said in the kitchen of the adjacent village inn,—a wholly new and rare experience to me. It was a closer view of my native town. I was fairly inside of it. I had never seen its institutions before. This is one of its peculiar institutions; for it is a shire town. I began to comprehend what its inhabitants were about.

Slavery, at that time, was nicknamed “the peculiar institution,” and by calling the prison itself a peculiar institution, and maybe having in mind the adjacent inn as well, Thoreau prods his reader to think about the constraints that are a tacit condition of social life.

The risk of political writing may lure the citizen to write—a fact Hazlitt seems to acknowledge in his essay “On the Regal Character,” where his second sentence wonders if the essay will expose him to prosecution: “In writing a criticism, we hope we shall not be accused of intending a libel.” (His friend Leigh Hunt had recently served two years in prison for “seditious libel” of the Prince Regent—having characterized him as a dandy notorious for his ostentation and obesity.) The writer’s consciousness of provocative intent may indeed be inseparable from the wish to persuade; though the tone of commitment will vary with the zeal and composition of the audience, whether that means a political party, a movement, a vanguard of the enlightened, or “the people” at large.

Edmund Burke, for example, writes to the sheriffs of Bristol (and through them to the city’s electors) in order to warn against the suspension of habeas corpus by the British war ministry in 1777. The sudden introduction of the repressive act, he tells the electors, has imperiled their liberty even if they are for the moment individually exempt. In response to the charge that the Americans fighting for independence are an unrepresentative minority, he warns: “ General rebellions and revolts of an whole people never were encouraged , now or at any time. They are always provoked. ” So too, Mahatma Gandhi addresses his movement of resistance against British rule, as well as others who can be attracted to the cause, when he explains why nonviolent protest requires courage of a higher degree than the warrior’s: “Non-violence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment.” In both cases, the writer treats the immediate injustice as an occasion for broader strictures on the nature of justice. There are certain duties that governors owe to the governed, and duties hardly less compulsory that the people owe to themselves.

Apparently diverse topics connect the essays in Writing Politics ; but, taken loosely to illustrate a historical continuity, they show the changing face of oppression and violence, and the invention of new paths for improving justice. Arbitrary power is the enemy throughout—power that, by the nature of its asserted scope and authority, makes itself the judge of its own cause. King George III, whose reign spanned sixty years beginning in 1760, from the first was thought to have overextended monarchical power and prerogative, and by doing so to have reversed an understanding of parliamentary sovereignty that was tacitly recognized by his predecessors. Writing against the king, “Junius” (the pen name of Philip Francis) traced the monarch’s errors to a poor education; and he gave an edge of deliberate effrontery to the attack on arbitrary power by addressing the king as you. “It is the misfortune of your life, and originally the cause of every reproach and distress, which has attended your government, that you should never have been acquainted with the language of truth, until you heard it in the complaints of your people.”

A similar frankness, without the ad hominem spur, can be felt in Burke’s attack on the monarchical distrust of liberty at home as well as abroad: “If any ask me what a free Government is, I answer, that, for any practical purpose, it is what the people think so; and that they, and not I, are the natural, lawful, and competent judges of this matter.” Writing in the same key from America, Thomas Paine, in his seventh number of The Crisis , gave a new description to the British attempt to preserve the unity of the empire by force of arms. He called it a war of conquest; and by addressing his warning directly “to the people of England,” he reminded the king’s subjects that war is always a social evil, for it sponsors a violence that does not terminate in itself. War enlarges every opportunity of vainglory—a malady familiar to monarchies.

The coming of democracy marks a turning point in modern discussions of sovereignty and the necessary protections of liberty. Confronted by the American annexation of parts of Mexico, in 1846–48, Thoreau saw to his disgust that a war of conquest could also be a popular war, the will of the people directed to the oppression of persons. It follows that the state apparatus built by democracy is at best an equivocal ally of individual rights. Yet as Emerson would recognize in his lecture “The Fugitive Slave Law,” and Frederick Douglass would confirm in “The Mission of the War,” the massed power of the state is likewise the only vehicle powerful enough to destroy a system of oppression as inveterate as American slavery had become by the 1850s.

Acceptance of political evil—a moral inertia that can corrupt the ablest of lawmakers—goes easily with the comforts of a society at peace where many are satisfied. “Here was the question,” writes Emerson: “Are you for man and for the good of man; or are you for the hurt and harm of man? It was question whether man shall be treated as leather? whether the Negroes shall be as the Indians were in Spanish America, a piece of money?” Emerson wondered at the apostasy of Daniel Webster, How came he there? The answer was that Webster had deluded himself by projecting a possible right from serial compromise with wrong.

Two ways lie open to correct the popular will without a relapse into docile assent and the rule of oligarchy. You may widen the terms of discourse and action by enlarging the community of participants. Alternatively, you may strengthen the opportunities of dissent through acts of exemplary protest—protest in speech, in action, or both. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. remain the commanding instances in this regard. Both led movements that demanded of every adherent that the protest serve as an express image of the society it means to bring about. Nonviolent resistance accordingly involves a public disclosure of the work of conscience—a demonstrated willingness to make oneself an exemplary warrior without war. Because they were practical reformers, Gandhi and King, within the societies they sought to reform, were engaged in what Michael Oakeshott calls “the pursuit of intimations.” They did not start from a model of the good society generated from outside. They built on existing practices of toleration, friendship, neighborly care, and respect for the dignity of strangers.

Nonviolent resistance, as a tactic of persuasion, aims to arouse an audience of the uncommitted by its show of discipline and civic responsibility. Well, but why not simply resist? Why show respect for the laws of a government you mean to change radically? Nonviolence, for Gandhi and King, was never merely a tactic, and there were moral as well as rhetorical reasons for their ethic of communal self-respect and self-command. Gandhi looked on the British empire as a commonwealth that had proved its ability to reform. King spoke with the authority of a native American, claiming the rights due to all Americans, and he evoked the ideals his countrymen often said they wished to live by. The stories the nation loved to tell of itself took pride in emancipation much more than pride in conquest and domination. “So,” wrote King from the Birmingham City Jail, “I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court because it is morally right, and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances because they are morally wrong.”

A subtler enemy of liberty than outright prejudice and violent oppression is the psychological push toward conformity. This internalized docility inhabits and may be said to dictate the costume of manners in a democracy. Because the rule of mass opinion serves as a practical substitute for the absolute authority that is no longer available, it exerts an enormous and hidden pressure. This dangerous “omnipotence of the majority,” as Tocqueville called it, knows no power greater than itself; it resembles an absolute monarch in possessing neither the equipment nor the motive to render a judgment against itself. Toleration thus becomes a political value that requires as vigilant a defense as liberty. Minorities are marked not only by race, religion, and habits of association, but also by opinion.

“It is easy to see,” writes Walter Bagehot in “The Metaphysical Basis of Toleration,” “that very many believers would persecute sceptics” if they were given the means, “and that very many sceptics would persecute believers.” Bagehot has in mind religious belief, in particular, but the same intolerance operates when it is a question of penalizing a word, a gesture, a wrongly sympathetic or unsympathetic show of feeling by which a fellow citizen might claim to be offended. The more divided the society, the more it will crave implicit assurances of unity; the more unified it is, the more it wants an even greater show of unity—an unmistakable signal of membership and belonging that can be read as proof of collective solidarity. The “guilty fear of criticism,” Mary McCarthy remarked of the domestic fear of Communism in the 1950s, “the sense of being surrounded by an unappreciative world,” brought to American life a regimen of tests, codes, and loyalty oaths that were calculated to confirm rather than subdue the anxiety.

Proscribed and persecuted groups naturally seek a fortified community of their own, which should be proof against insult; and by 1870 or so, the sure method of creating such a community was to found a new nation. George Eliot took this remedy to be prudent and inevitable, in her sympathetic early account of the Zionist quest for a Jewish state, yet her unsparing portrait of English anti-Semitism seems to recognize the nation-remedy as a carrier of the same exclusion it hopes to abolish. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to a widened sense of community is the apparently intuitive—but in fact regularly inculcated—intellectual habit by which we divide people into racial, religious, and ethnic identities. The idea of an international confederation for peace was tried twice, without success, in the 20th century, with the League of Nations and the United Nations; but some such goal, first formulated in the political writings of Kant, has found memorable popular expression again and again.

W. E. B. Du Bois’s essay “Of the Ruling of Men” affords a prospect of international liberty that seems to the author simply the next necessary advance of common sense in the cause of humanity. Du Bois noticed in 1920 how late the expansion of rights had arrived at the rights of women. Always, the last hiding places of arbitrary power are the trusted arenas of privilege a society has come to accept as customary, and to which it has accorded the spurious honor of supposing it part of the natural order: men over women; the strong nations over the weak; corporate heads over employees. The pattern had come under scrutiny already in Harriet Taylor Mill’s “Enfranchisement of Women,” and its application to the hierarchies of ownership and labor would be affirmed in William Morris’s lecture “Useful Work Versus Useless Toil.” The commercial and manufacturing class, wrote Morris, “ force the genuine workers to provide for them”; no better (only more recondite in their procedures) are “the parasites” whose function is to defend the cause of property, “sometimes, as in the case of lawyers, undisguisedly so.” The socialists Morris and Du Bois regard the ultimate aim of a democratic world as the replacement of useless by useful work. With that change must also come the invention of a shared experience of leisure that is neither wasteful nor thoughtless.

A necessary bulwark of personal freedom is property, and in the commercial democracies for the past three centuries a usual means of agreement for the defense of property has been the contract. In challenging the sacredness of contract, in certain cases of conflict with a common good, T. H. Green moved the idea of “freedom of contract” from the domain of nature to that of social arrangements that are settled by convention and therefore subject to revision. The freedom of contract must be susceptible of modification when it fails to meet a standard of public well-being. The right of a factory owner, for example, to employ child labor if the child agrees, should not be protected. “No contract,” Green argues, “is valid in which human persons, willingly or unwillingly, are dealt with as commodities”; for when we speak of freedom, “we mean a positive power or capacity of doing or enjoying something worth doing or enjoying.” And again:

When we measure the progress of a society by its growth in freedom, we measure it by the increasing development and exercise on the whole of those powers of contributing to social good with which we believe the members of the society to be endowed; in short, by the greater power on the part of the citizens as a body to make the most and best of themselves.

Legislation in the public interest may still be consistent with the principles of free society when it parts from a leading maxim of contractual individualism.

The very idea of a social contract has usually been taken to imply an obligation to die for the state. Though Hobbes and Locke offered reservations on this point, the classical theorists agree that the state yields the prospect of “commodious living” without which human life would be unsocial and greatly impoverished; and there are times when the state can survive only through the sacrifice of citizens. May there also be a duty of self-sacrifice against a state whose whole direction and momentum has bent it toward injustice? Hannah Arendt, in “Personal Responsibility Under Dictatorship,” asked that question regarding the conduct of state officials as well as ordinary people under the encroaching tyranny of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Citizens then, Arendt observes, had live options of political conduct besides passive obedience and open revolt. Conscientious opposition could show itself in public indications of nonsupport . This is a fact that the pervasiveness of conformism and careerism in mass societies makes harder to see than it should be.

Jonathan Swift, a writer as temperamentally diverse from Arendt as possible, shows in “A Modest Proposal” how the human creature goes about rationalizing any act or any policy, however atrocious. Our propensity to make-normal, to approve whatever renders life more orderly, can lead by the lightest of expedient steps to a plan for marketing the babies of the Irish poor as flesh suitable for eating. It is, after all—so Swift’s fictional narrator argues—a plausible design to alleviate poverty and distress among a large sector of the population, and to eliminate the filth and crowding that disgusts persons of a more elevated sort. The justification is purely utilitarian, and the proposer cites the most disinterested of motives: he has no financial or personal stake in the design. Civility has often been praised as a necessity of political argument, but Swift’s proposal is at once civil and, in itself, atrocious.

An absorbing concern of Arendt’s, as of several of the other essay writers gathered here, was the difficulty of thinking. We measure, we compute, we calculate, we weigh advantages and disadvantages—that much is only sensible, only logical—but we give reasons that are often blind to our motives, we rationalize and we normalize in order to justify ourselves. It is supremely difficult to use the equipment we learn from parents and teachers, which instructs us how to deal fairly with persons, and apply it to the relationship between persons and society, and between the manners of society and the laws of a nation. The 21st century has saddled persons of all nations with a catastrophic possibility, the destruction of a planetary environment for organized human life; and in facing the predicament directly, and formulating answers to the question it poses, the political thinkers of the past may help us chiefly by intimations. The idea of a good or tolerable society now encompasses relations between people at the widest imaginable distance apart. It must also cover a new relation of stewardship between humankind and nature.

Having made the present selection with the abovementioned topics in view—the republican defense against arbitrary power; the progress of liberty; the coming of mass-suffrage democracy and its peculiar dangers; justifications for political dissent and disobedience; war, as chosen for the purpose of domination or as necessary to destroy a greater evil; the responsibilities of the citizen; the political meaning of work and the conditions of work—an anthology of writings all in English seemed warranted by the subject matter. For in the past three centuries, these issues have been discussed most searchingly by political critics and theorists in Britain and the United States.

The span covers the Glorious Revolution and its achievement of parliamentary sovereignty; the American Revolution, and the civil war that has rightly been called the second American revolution; the expansion of the franchise under the two great reform bills in England and the 15th amendment to the US constitution; the two world wars and the Holocaust; and the mass movements of nonviolent resistance that brought national independence to India and broadened the terms of citizenship of black Americans. The sequence gives adequate evidence of thinkers engaged in a single conversation. Many of these authors were reading the essayists who came before them; and in many cases (Burke and Paine, Lincoln and Douglass, Churchill and Orwell), they were reading each other.

Writing Politics contains no example of the half-political, half-commercial genre of “leadership” writing. Certain other principles that guided the editor will be obvious at a glance, but may as well be stated. Only complete essays are included, no extracts. This has meant excluding great writers—Hobbes, Locke, Wollstonecraft, and John Stuart Mill, among others—whose definitive political writing came in the shape of full-length books. There are likewise no chapters of books; no party manifestos or statements of creed; nothing that was first published posthumously. All of these essays were written at the time noted, were meant for an audience of the time, and were published with an eye to their immediate effect. This is so even in cases (as with Morris and Du Bois) where the author had in view the reformation of a whole way of thinking. Some lectures have been included—the printed lecture was an indispensable medium for political ideas in the 19th century—but there are no party speeches delivered by an official to advance a cause of the moment.

Two exceptions to the principles may prove the rule. Abraham Lincoln’s letter to James C. Conkling was a public letter, written to defend the Emancipation Proclamation, in which, a few months earlier, President Lincoln had declared the freedom of all slaves in the rebelling states; he now extended the order to cover black soldiers who fought for the Union: “If they stake their lives for us, they must be prompted by the strongest motive—even the promise of freedom. And the promise being made, must be kept.” Lincoln was risking his presidency when he published this extraordinary appeal and admonition, and his view was shared by Frederick Douglass in “The Mission of the War”: “No war but an Abolition war, no peace but an Abolition peace.” The other exception is “The Roots of Honour,” John Ruskin’s attack on the mercenary morality of 19th-century capitalism . He called the chapter “Essay I” in Unto This Last , and his nomenclature seemed a fair excuse for reprinting an ineradicable prophecy.

__________________________________

From Writing Politics , edited by David Bromwich. Copyright © 2020 by David Bromwich; courtesy of NYRB Classics.

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Political Science Essay Example

Get Inspired with these Amazing Political Science Essay Examples

Published on: May 8, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Many students struggle to write effective political science essays that meet the expectations of their professors. They may have difficulty organizing their thoughts, conducting research, or making persuasive arguments.

One way to improve your political science essay writing skills is to study examples of successful essays in this field. 

By analyzing the structure, and content of these essays, you can learn valuable lessons that will help you write better essays.

In this blog, we provide examples of high-quality political science essays in different different areas of the field. 

Whether you're a beginner or an advanced student, you'll find valuable insights to help you succeed in your coursework.

Let’s get started!

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What is a Political Science Essay? Understanding the Basics

A political science essay explores a particular topic or issue within the field of political science. It typically requires students to conduct research, analyze data, and make persuasive arguments based on their findings.

These essays can take many different forms, depending on the specific requirements of the assignment. They can be comparative essays that examine the similarities and differences between two or more political systems.

They can also be theoretical essays that explore different political theories that analyze real-world political phenomena.

Regardless of its specific type, all such essays should adhere to certain basic principles. They should have a clear thesis statement, use evidence to support their arguments, and be written in clear and concise language.

Political Science Essay Examples

Now that we have a basic understanding of these essays, let's take a closer look at some of its examples.

By analyzing these essays, you can gain valuable insights into how to write political essays.

Political Science Paper Example

Political Science Research Paper Example

Political Science Analysis Paper Example

Political Science Term Paper Examples

Political Science Essay Example for Different Fields

Political science is a diverse and dynamic field that encompasses a wide range of topics and perspectives. 

To gain a comprehensive understanding, it's important to study the examples that explore different areas of research and inquiry.

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The examples given below will help you understand the richness and complexity of political science research.

Political Essay About Poverty

Political Science

The Impact Of Social Movements On National Security

Characteristics Of Political Science

American Political Science

The Political Reform of Japan

The United States and Terrorism

The Role of Political Parties and Political Figures in Shaping Political Landscapes

Kosovo protests 2022

Rishi sunak's political career

Political Essay on Politics and Political Decisions

Tips To Write A Write A Compelling Political Science Essay 

To write an effective essay, it is important to approach the topic with care and attention to detail. Consider the following tips for writing a political essay that stands out:

• Define your Topic: Be clear about the focus of your essay and ensure that it is relevant and interesting to your readers.
• Conduct Thorough Research: Gather information from credible sources, including academic journals, government reports, and news outlets, to ensure that your arguments are well-supported.
• Develop A Clear Thesis Statement: Your thesis should be concise and clearly state your argument or position on the topic.
• Organize Your Essay Effectively: Use clear and logical structure to ensure that your arguments are presented in a coherent and convincing manner.
• Use Evidence To Support Your Arguments: Incorporate relevant data and examples to support your arguments, and ensure that they are credible and well-sourced.
• Consider Opposing Viewpoints: Acknowledge and address counterarguments to your position to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic.
• Write Clearly And Concisely : Use simple and direct language to convey your ideas, and avoid unnecessary jargon or technical terms.

Pitfalls To Avoid While Writing A Political Science Essay

To write a strong political essay, it is important to not only follow best practices, but also avoid common pitfalls. 

By keeping these pitfalls in mind, you can create a thoughtful and thorough essay that engages your readers.

• Oversimplification

Political science is a complex field that deals with multifaceted political issues. Avoid oversimplifying the topic or argument in your essay, and make sure to provide a nuanced and in-depth analysis.

These essays should be objective and free from personal biases. Avoid using emotionally charged language or cherry-picking evidence to support a preconceived conclusion.

• Using Vague Language

Political essays should be precise and clear in their language. Avoid using vague terms or generalizations, and strive to use concrete and specific language.

• Ignoring Counterarguments

To write a convincing political science essay, it is important to consider and address counterarguments. Avoid ignoring opposing viewpoints, and make sure to provide a thorough analysis of alternative perspectives.

In conclusion, writing political science essays is a great way to explore important political issues. It can also help you in learning about how power and governance work. 

By looking at examples, and writing tips, you can write a strong essay that contributes to the field. 

Whether you're a student, a policy analyst, or just interested in politics, political essays help you understand how decisions get made.

If you need help writing your essay, CollegeEssay.org has an AI essay generator that can assist you. 

Our political science essay writing service can help you write a well-organized essay that meets your needs.

So what are you waiting for? Reach out to us and request ' write me an essay ' to get started!

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• 150 Political Essay Topics

Whether it’s for a political science class, government class, or history class, you will eventually have to write a political essay. A political essay explores the various explanations for particular events that have transpired in the past and the different effects of those events on society and politics.

Political essays can be pretty challenging for students because the depth and scope of the subject matter can be quite vast. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about the workings of government and the political process can make writing a political essay quite difficult.

Fortunately, we’ve created a handy guide detailing essential components of political essay writing. Additionally, we’ve included 150 political essay topics students can use to get started.

The Basic Components of a Political Essay

Regardless of the topic’s complexity, political essays all have the same essential components – an introduction, a thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Students can create an assertive and well-crafted political essay by understanding how these components work together.

The Introduction

The introduction of a political essay should grab the reader’s attention and give them an overview of the main points covered in the essay. An excellent way to do this is by starting with a provocative statement or posing a thought-provoking question. A great example of a political essay introduction could sound something like:

“In a world where the powerful seem to always get their way, is there any hope for democracy?”

The Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the most critical component of a political essay. It is the main argument or points that the essay will be making. Everything else in the essay should support the thesis statement. A thesis statement is probably the most challenging part of writing a political essay for many students because it can be challenging to distill the essay’s main argument into one or two sentences.

Some tips for writing a strong thesis statement include:

• Make sure that the thesis statement is arguable. In other words, it should be something that someone could reasonably disagree with.
• Be as specific as possible. A thesis statement that is too vague will make it difficult to write a strong essay.
• Keep it short and to the point. A thesis statement should be no more than one or two sentences.

Great examples of a political essay thesis statement include:

“The current state of democracy is in danger due to the rise of populist leaders who exploit the fears of the people.”

“The government should do more to combat the rising inequality in society by implementing policies that help the working class.”

The Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of a political essay are where the essay’s main argument will be fleshed out in detail. Each body paragraph should focus on one specific point that supports the thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs, it is essential to:

• Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main point
• Support the topic sentence with evidence from credible sources.
• Connect the evidence back to the thesis statement.
• Repeat for each body paragraph.

The Conclusion

The conclusion of a political essay should sum up the main points of the essay and leave the reader with a solid and clear understanding of the argument being made. A great conclusion should:

• Restate the thesis statement in different words.
• Summarize the main points of the essay.
• Leave the reader with something to think about.

Some examples of final thoughts to end a political essay could be:

“It is clear that democracy is under threat from populist leaders. However, there is still hope as long as people remain engaged and fight for their rights.”

“The current state of democracy may be troubling, but it is nothing new. Throughout history, there have always been those who seek to undermine it. The key is to remain vigilant and to stand up for what we believe in.”

The Do’s and Don’ts of Political Essay Writing

While the tips above will help you write a solid political essay, there are also some things to avoid if you want your essay to be successful. Here are some dos and don’ts of writing a political essay:

Do research your topic inside and out.

A well-informed essay is always more persuasive than one that simply regurgitates the opinions of others. When researching, always use reliable sources and take good notes so you can easily refer back to them later.

Don’t forget to proofread and edit your work.

No matter how well-written and informative an essay is, if it is full of typos and grammatical errors, it will likely not make a good impression on the reader. Before submitting, proofread your work and fix any errors you may have missed.

Do be sure to stay objective.

A political essay is not the place for you to share your personal opinions. Instead, it should be a well-reasoned and unbiased exploration of the topic at hand.

Don’t forget to cite your sources.

If you use any information from outside sources in your essay, be sure to properly cite them according to the required citation style. Not only is failing to do so plagiarism, but it also makes your argument look weaker if you cannot back up your claims with evidence.

Do try to be concise.

A political essay is not the place to ramble on and on. Instead, get to the point and make your argument in as few words as possible. This will keep the reader engaged and prevent them from getting lost in your essay.

With the advice above, you should be well on your way to writing a successful political essay. However, if you need some additional inspiration, here are 150 more essay topics to get you started.

Political Essay Topics About History

• Compare and contrast the policies of two different presidents.
• How did the Cold War shape American foreign policy?
• What was the most significant event of the 20th century?
• How did the American Revolution change the political landscape?
• What were the causes of World War I?
• How did Napoleon Bonaparte rise to power?
• What were the significant effects of the French Revolution?
• Compare and contrast the American and French Revolutions.
• What caused the fall of the Roman Empire?
• How did Ancient Greece contribute to modern democracy?
• What were the major political parties of the 19th century?
• How did the Industrial Revolution change the political landscape?
• What were the major triggers of World War II?
• What was the Holocaust, and how did it impact politics?
• How did the Cold War end?
• What are the legacies of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher?
• How has the European Union changed over time?
• What are the major political parties in power today?
• Compare and contrast the administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
• How has social media changed the way we engage in politics?

Political Essay Topics About Ideologies

• What is the difference between socialism and communism?
• What is capitalism, and how has it changed over time?
• What is Marxism, and what are its significant tenets?
• What is fascism, and how did it come to power?
• How do different political parties view taxation?
• What is the role of the government in a capitalist society?
• How does socialism differ from fascism?
• What is the difference between conservatism and liberalism?
• What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?
• How do different political parties view welfare?
• What is the role of the government in a socialist society?
• How does communism differ from socialism?
• What is the difference between democracy and dictatorship?
• What is the role of the government in a communist society?
• How do different political parties view education?
• What is the difference between environmentalism and climate change activism?
• What is the role of the government in protecting the environment?
• How do different political parties view gun control?
• What is the role of the government in ensuring public safety?
• How do different political parties view healthcare?

Political Essay Topics About International Relations

• Compare and contrast the foreign policies of two different countries.
• How has globalization changed the international political landscape?
• What are the major causes of war?
• How does terrorism impact international relations?
• What is the role of the United Nations in international politics?
• What are the significant issues facing the European Union today?
• What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and what is its role in international politics?
• What are the major issues facing NATO today?
• What is the difference between developed and developing countries?
• How do developed and developing countries view each other?
• What is the role of the International Monetary Fund in international politics?
• What are the significant issues facing the International Monetary Fund today?
• What is the World Trade Organization, and what is its role in international politics?
• What are the major issues facing the World Trade Organization today?

Political Essay Topics About Social Issues

• How has the abortion debate changed over time?
• Discuss the political influences that make someone pro-choice or pro-life?
• How has the gay rights movement changed over time?
• Has the government been effective in stymieing the rise of racism?
• What is the difference between sexism and misogyny, and is one political party more prone to it than another?
• How has the Me Too movement changed the conversation about sexual assault and harassment?
• What is the relationship between poverty and crime, and does politics have anything to do with it?
• What is the relationship between education and income inequality?
• Has the government been effective in tackling income inequality?
• How do different political parties view reproductive rights?
• How does religion influence politics?
• What is the relationship between immigration and crime?

Political Essay Topics About Economic Issues

• Should political affiliation have any bearing on economic policy?
• What is the difference between a free market and a command economy?
• How has globalization changed the world economy?
• What are the major issues facing today’s world economy, and are politics to blame?
• Should voters or Congress be responsible for economic policy?
• What is the role of the government in an economy?
• What is the difference between Keynesian economics and supply-side economics?
• What is the difference between laissez-faire capitalism and crony capitalism?
• How have politics funded the rise of inequality in the United States?
• Should the rising cost of healthcare be considered a political issue or a social issue?
• How do different political parties view deregulation?

Political Essay Topics About Politicians

• Compare and contrast the political careers of two different politicians.
• Analyze the effectiveness of a politician’s political campaigns.
• Discuss the role that charisma plays in politics.
• How much does a politician’s personal life influence their political career?
• What is the difference between a successful and unsuccessful politician?
• How do special interest groups influence politics?
• What is the difference between a lobbyist and a politician?
• What is the difference between a career politician and a term politician?
• Compare and contrast the political ideologies of two different politicians.
• Are career politicians more effective than term politicians?
• How do campaign finance laws influence politicians’ decision-making processes?

Political Essay Topics About Elections

• Should the Electoral College be reformed or abolished?
• What is the difference between primary and general elections?
• Discuss the role that voter turnout plays in elections.
• How does gerrymandering influence elections?
• How do campaign finance laws influence elections?
• What is the difference between open and closed elections?
• Should there be term limits for politicians?
• Should people be allowed to vote by mail or early voting?
• How did democratic elections come to be?
• Should voting be mandatory?
• How can we make sure that every vote is counted?
• What is the difference between a hung parliament and a coalition government?
• Should countries have more than two political parties?
• What is the difference between a first-past-the-post system and a proportional representation system?
• What is the difference between a parliamentary system and a presidential system?

Political Essay Topics About Laws and Regulations

• How does a bill become a law?
• What is the difference between a law and a regulation?
• How do regulatory agencies influence politics?
• Discuss the pros and cons of gun control laws.
• Should there be stricter penalties for hate crimes?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Should there be term limits for Supreme Court justices?
• What is the difference between civil law and criminal law?
• How do interest groups influence the passage of laws?
• Should there be limits on campaign spending?
• Should corporations be allowed to donate to political campaigns?
• What is the difference between a veto and a filibuster?
• How does the process of impeachment work?
• What is the difference between judicial review and judicial activism?
• Should members of Congress be allowed to vote for pay raises?

Political Essay Topics About Foreign Policy

• Should the United States have a policy of isolationism?
• How does foreign aid influence politics?
• Should the United States intervene in other countries’ affairs?
• How does the United Nations influence politics?
• What is the difference between diplomacy and foreign policy?
• How do trade agreements influence politics?
• What is the difference between an alliance and a treaty?
• How do sanctions influence politics?
• What is the difference between a colony and an empire?
• How does decolonization influence politics?
• How do border disputes influence politics?
• What is the difference between a refugee and an immigrant?
• How does immigration policy influence politics?
• What is the difference between a country and a nation?
• How does nationalism influence politics?

Political Essay Topics About Civil Rights and Liberties

• What is the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
• How do the Bill of Rights and the Constitution influence politics?
• Should there be limits on free speech?
• How do hate speech laws influence politics?
• Should there be limits on the right to bear arms?
• How do gun control laws influence politics?
• What is the difference between a search warrant and a warrantless search?
• How do search and seizure laws influence politics?
• How do Miranda rights influence police interrogation?
• What is the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion?
• How do stop and frisk laws influence politics?
• Should there be limits on police use of deadly force?
• How do racial profiling laws influence politics?
• What is the difference between affirmative action and reverse discrimination?
• Should there be limits on affirmative action?

No matter the type of essay you need to write, these 150 political essay topics should give you plenty of material to work with. Remember that you can always narrow your focus to a specific country, a specific type of government, or specific law or regulation. And if you need help writing your essay, re-read the helpful tips above to ensure you get a good grade.

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Essays About Politics: Top 5 Examples and 7 Writing Prompts

Essays about politics address delicate and intriguing matters. See our top essay examples and prompts you can incorporate into your writing.

Politics encompasses movements and ideas that aim to control and encourage progress. It attempts to run a country through relevant developments and efficient governance. Though it started in the 19th century , it’s also the root of many disputes. Because of its complexity, politics is a famous essay topic coaxing writers to be open-minded and wise. It’s also an extensive subject to tackle.

5 Best Essay Examples

1. the impact of media on teens’ views on politics by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 2. the problem of gun politics in the united states by anonymous on papersowl.com, 3. education: controversial issue in florida politics by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 4. the politics of modern day abortion in jamaica by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 5. the importance of public awareness in politics by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 1. the role of a politician, 2. why do we need political parties, 3. qualifications of a good politician, 4. the effect of having uneducated politicians , 5. social media and political campaigns, 6. politics and corruption, 7. if i were a politician….

“With the spike in internet usage and the rapid spread of thoughts and ideas, the effect on the human psyche comes into question. Applications like Instagram and Twitter have a “Like-Button” that acts as a representation for interest and has created an uproar on the need for attention amongst teens.”

The author examines the different media released online that are easily accessible to young people and how these contents receive engagement through likes and comments. The essay talks about government officials with social media accounts and how their simple posts can instantly change a teen’s view about politics. The piece also includes statistics on teens’ participation in these networking sites, the elections, and the effects of teens on politics.

“Every day 39 children and teens are shot and survive, 31 injured in an attack, 1 survives a suicide attempt and 7 shot unintentionally. Not only is the 2nd amendment giving access to guns to protect ourselves, it is giving others access to commit violent crimes that involve a firearm. Guns are not just used to have protection against harm, but it is also used to create dangerous scenarios out in the public.”

The essay delves into gun politics problems for US citizens. It mentions how bearing guns give people easy access to heinous acts such as mass shootings and suicides. The writer offers relevant statistics to demonstrate how severe the situation is, citing people who die or get injured from gun violence. At the end of the piece, the author says that they believe the 2nd amendment isn’t for protection but for crimes and violence.

“Some schools are already implementing full-time education, while others are not ready to accept students in person. Undoubtedly, this can still be dangerous for all stakeholders, but the state does not have a definite policy in this regard. Nevertheless, online education also comes with some challenges. It is difficult for teachers to maintain the required level of quality of distance learning.”

The essay focuses on Florida’s politics and how it affects the state’s educational system. Even after the pandemic’s peak, some Florida schools still struggle to implement policies that may help their schooling structure. The author also mentions that these institutions do not prioritize students’ mental health and don’t take racism seriously, which leads to high suicide rates and violence.

“Currently Jamaica maintains one of the most unique positions, with abortion being illegal officially, but still performed as part of the status quo in particular situations. The discussion around abortion in Jamaica is inherently complex, stemming from colonial influences on modern sociopolitical and religious perspectives.

The author shares their opinion about Jamaica’s political view on abortion and the protection of women. Abortion is illegal in Jamaica. However, some still do it by paying medical professionals handsomely. Abortion is a complex issue in Jamaica, as there are many things politicians need to consider before coming up with a solution. Although this topic still needs a lengthy discussion, the author believes there is a massive opportunity for change as people gradually forget the traditional beliefs about abortion.

“It’s imperative to get involved with politics so people can get educated and grasp their own opinion instead of listening to others. These aspects are vital to the understanding of how the government works and how a citizen of America will shape the country.”

The writer explains that being aware of politics is key to voting correctly during elections. Moreover, they say that involving young people in politics will help with the structure of the laws in the country. This is because understanding politics and governance yourself is better than believing others’ opinions, mainly when the country’s future depends on this framework.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead. 

7 Prompts on Essays About Politics

List the duties and responsibilities of a politician running the country. Then, add your opinion on whether your country’s politicians are successfully fulfilling their duties. You can also discuss whether politicians are necessary for a country to thrive.

Political parties are groups of people sharing the same political ideas. They usually band together and support each other in hopes of earning the public’s trust. They also help shape the opinions and decision-making of the citizens on who to vote for. Use this prompt to discuss why political parties are essential in a government, give examples, and add some of their principles. You might also be interested in our guide on the best books about American politics .

Everyone can be a politician. But to be good at their job, they must have an excellent educational background and character to manage the country’s issues and its citizens. Identify and explain each qualification. You can also add events or names of politicians considered good at their jobs. 

Education is a right for everyone in most countries, and so does having educated politicians. An uneducated politician can’t successfully run a nation because they lack the knowledge to discern what’s best for different segments of the economy, etc. As a result, they tend to make wrong decisions and affect citizens’ political behavior. Discuss the risks of giving uneducated politicians government positions and add previous incidents to support your claims.

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are utilized to spread information, including political campaigns. A single post from a knowledgeable person across these three platforms can change a silent reader’s mindset about a particular political party. This prompt explains how politicians use social media in today’s political campaigning. You can also add the dangers of immediately believing viral posts online. 

Politics is also concerned with managing budgets to improve infrastructures and institutions. However, because it involves large sums of money, corruption is also rampant. Use this prompt to explain how corruption happens within the government, including the measures used to stop it. You can add statistics about the most and least corrupt countries. Then, add examples or scenarios to make your essay more interesting.

Being a politician is not easy because you’ll have to consider not only yourself and your family but the welfare of many in every decision you make. Use this prompt to share what you want to focus on if you are a politician. For example, you’ll pay more attention to education so the youth can have a better future.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers.

Home — Essay Samples — History — Vladimir Lenin — Biography And Political Career Of Vladimir Lenin

Biography and Political Career of Vladimir Lenin

• Categories: Vladimir Lenin

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Published: Oct 25, 2021

Words: 1620 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Table of contents

Early years, youthful revolutionary, the revolution of 1905 and wwi, russian leader, later years.

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What Can You Do With a Political Science Degree?

If you feel passionately about politics and systems of power, then you might have considered a degree in political science. Before you decide on a college degree, however, it's always wise to explore some of the potential career paths that you can pursue with your degree.

The good news is that there's plenty you can do with a political science degree. Whether you're interested in getting into politics yourself or see yourself working in an adjacent field, there are many possibilities when it comes to political science degree jobs. By taking the time to read about some common jobs with political science degrees, you can determine whether this path may be right for you.

Exploring Career Paths for   Political Science   Graduates

The overall demand for political scientists continues to increase across the country, with the latest data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projecting a  7% increase in political science jobs  between 2022 and 2032 alone. That's faster than the average for all occupations nationwide.

Understanding the Versatility of a   Political Science   Degree

One of the biggest advantages of studying political science is the flexibility and versatility of this type of degree. In fact, as you'll see as you explore political science degree jobs below, graduates can explore careers in a vast range of fields, including:

• Public policy
• Journalism and public relations

Key Skills Gained from Studying   Political Science

In addition, political science graduates gain various valuable skills that can be applicable to a number of career paths. For example, political science students must develop strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as comprehensive analytical and decision-making skills. Political science students also tend to develop public speaking and presentation skills during their studies. All of these competencies can be useful across a broad range of political science degree jobs and industries, making this a highly versatile degree.

In-Demand Careers in the Political Sphere

When you think about studying political science, one of the first career paths that probably comes to mind is that of politics and campaigning.

Political Analysts: Shaping Policy and Opinion

Political analysts play a central role in studying and understanding different political systems and how they operate. They may work for governments and third-party organizations as a means of better understanding political ideas, policies, and trends. This type of work can be especially appealing to those who enjoy studying politics and its impact on populations. The work of political analysts can also shape public policy, which can be very impactful for those with the right knowledge and skills.

Campaign Managers: Driving Political Campaigns to Success

If you dream of someday working on a political campaign, studying political science can help you gain the skills you need to explore jobs with a political science degree in campaign management. Specifically, campaign managers are responsible for directing political campaigns—often representing one candidate and working to improve their public image. Campaign managers may also be responsible for raising donations, scheduling appearances or speeches, and hosting other special events.

Leveraging Your Degree in the Legal Field

It is common for those with political science degrees to end up working in the legal field, either as legal assistants or even full-fledged attorneys.

The Role of Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Having a solid understanding of politics and government systems can be considerably useful and applicable to the field of law. Political science graduates, then, can use their knowledge and experience here to move into work as  paralegals and legal assistants .

These professionals generally serve as assistants to lawyers, taking on such responsibilities as conducting legal research and maintaining important files for cases and clients.

Pathways to Becoming a Civil Rights Attorney

For those who want to advance their careers in law after getting a political science degree, it is also possible to pursue additional education and become an attorney. Typically, working as an  attorney  requires a doctoral degree, but holding a political science degree can provide the foundational skills and knowledge needed to pursue an advanced legal degree.

Oftentimes, those who have studied political science end up going into civil rights law with the goal of making a difference by protecting and advocating for clients' personal rights.

Opportunities in International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Graduates with a background in political science may go on to work for international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), too, which are nonprofit organizations that operate independently of a government while aiming to address key social and political issues.

Working in International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Even though NGOs do operate outside of the realm of the government, working for an international NGO requires an extensive understanding of politics, public policy, and related topics that can be acquired as part of a political science degree program.

Political science graduates who work for NGOs often find themselves in consultancy and program analyst roles, but the possibilities are limitless.

Careers at the United Nations and Other International Bodies

Those with relevant backgrounds may also qualify for jobs with political science degrees within other international bodies, such as the United Nations. No matter if you are interested in working on a specific campaign or advocating for new policies, the  United Nations  regularly posts vacancies on its website for such roles as:

• Consultants
• Administrators
• Peace and humanitarian specialists

Engaging With the Public Sector

With a background in political science, you might also consider entering the public sector for yourself—either as a government official or a policy advisor.

Local Government Officials: Serving the Community

Local government officials are usually elected positions that are focused on serving the community. Examples of local government roles may include mayor or city council member. However, inspector generals and budget analysts may also work for local governments and may be appointed rather than elected. Regardless, working in the public sector as a government official can be a fulfilling way to serve your local community while putting your political science knowledge to use.

Policy Advisors: Crafting Solutions for Public Issues

Additionally, policy advisors tend to have a background in political science, as this type of work requires professionals to have a deep understanding of how public policy is created and how it can impact populations.

As a policy advisor, you are responsible for conducting research to draft and develop public policies that may eventually be implemented or signed into law. This work can be an ideal way to make a direct and positive impact without having to campaign or run for formal office.

The Intersection of Politics and Media

Many students who study political science also go on to work in the media, whether it be as political journalists or in public relations roles on larger political campaigns. At the end of the day, the fields of politics and media are undoubtedly intertwined as media coverage of political events becomes more widespread.

Political Journalism: Reporting on the Political Landscape

For those interested in covering pressing and emerging topics related to politics, a career in political journalism could be a good fit. As a political journalist, you might work for a local newspaper or even a larger publication—writing stories and editorials that inform public opinion. You may even be responsible for interviewing political figures and taking other measures to keep the public informed about political developments and other news.

Public Relations   Roles in Political Campaigns

Political campaigns also hire public relations specialists as a means of helping control and enhance the image of their campaigns and candidates. Public relations specialists in a political campaign may be responsible for a number of tasks, ranging from setting up community events to writing and publishing press releases.

Public relations specialists often need to have a background in political science in order to understand the nuances of working on a campaign and the importance of maintaining a positive public image. Working in public relations on a political campaign can be a challenging yet rewarding experience, especially for those who enjoy working with the public.

Education and Advocacy: Teaching the Next Generation

There is an ongoing need for political science professionals to prepare future generations, so you might consider becoming a high school teacher or even a community organizer with your political science degree.

High School Teachers: Inspiring Interest in   Political Science

High school students are usually required to take basic courses in government, politics, and related subjects. With this in mind, schools need experienced and knowledgeable teachers  to handle these classes and inspire interest in political science in future populations. If this sounds like an area in which you might thrive, then you could explore a degree in political science in conjunction with an elementary education degree. If you like the idea of working with students and inspiring future generations, this type of work may be ideal for you.

Community Organizers: Mobilizing for Change

Political science graduates develop a strong understanding of how populations can inspire (and have inspired) political change through petitioning, organizing, and advocating for change. As a political science degree holder, you can use your knowledge and expertise to become a  community organizer .

In this type of role, you can coordinate and supervise programs and even entire organizations that aim to support populations and spearhead change through public policy and law.

Transitioning Into the Business World

Studying political science also helps build upon skills that can be applicable in the business world. If you have interest in going into business with a political science background, you can apply your analytical, research, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills to numerous potential career paths.

Corporate Government Affairs Specialists

Many larger companies and corporations hire government affairs specialists as a means of communicating more effectively between their businesses and government agencies or officials. In this type of job with a political science degree, you essentially act as a liaison between your company and other government entities, taking on such tasks as attending meetings, giving presentations, and handling other communications.

Political Risk Analysts: Navigating Uncertainties for Businesses

Another business-related role that may be applicable to political science graduates is that of a political risk analyst. In these particular kinds of political science degree jobs, you are responsible for analyzing risks related to politics, economics, and social factors that could have an impact on a company's bottom line. This work requires solid data analysis skills along with the ability to think critically and communicate effectively. Political risk analysts play a key role in helping businesses make informed decisions based on potential risks.

Explore a Bachelor's Degree in   Political Science

Political science degrees are highly versatile; therefore, political science graduates can explore careers across a wide variety of industries. From government and public policy to education, business, and law, the possibilities are limited only by your own motivation.

Of course, completing your political science degree from a reputable program with a comprehensive political science curriculum can make all the difference as well. At University of the Cumberlands, we're proud to offer a  bachelor's degree in political science  that can help you better understand political processes while sharpening your critical thinking skills and awareness of politics in human affairs.

Want to learn more about our political science degree program? Get in touch to  request additional information , or get started with your online  application  for enrollment today. 

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• Essay on Elections

My Idea Of A Political Career: Civic Action And Reform Essay Examples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Elections , Supreme Court , Corruption , Criminal Justice , Crime , Democracy , Politics , Social Issues

Published: 01/15/2020

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I have given considerable thought to a political career, but not so much to running for office or serving in an appointed capacity as to being an activist working on various civic reforms and social justice issues. Being a politician or bureaucrat in the traditional sense has no appeal to me but I can see myself working for nonprofit groups to bring about social change. Our democracy is in trouble in this country, and even though I was generally pleased with the results I did not care for all the billions of dollars that were spent. I have heard that it might have been $7-8 billion altogether, but there is no way of knowing thanks to the Citizens United decision and all the secret money that has flooded into the political process. To my mind, this is just another form of corruption on a massive scale and I would want to get involved with organizations like Common Cause or People for the American Way that are working to restore our democracy. I read the Center for Responsive Politics, and I know very well that billions of dollars was already corruption the political system even before the Citizens United decision. Most of this is coming from the wealthy and big business interests for the purpose of serving their own narrow agendas rather the common good of all the people in this society. Even in 2000, over $3 billion was spent on the presidential elections, increasing to $4 billion in 2004 and $5.3 billion in 2008, while this last election was simply off the charts. Billions of dollars are also being spent in the off-year elections, which leads me to question very seriously whether we still have a democracy left at all (OpenSecrets.org, 2011). I believe that Citizens United was one of the worst Supreme Court decisions since Dred Scott in 1857. In earlier Supreme Court decisions like Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the majority had found that uncontrolled spending on elections led to “corruption or the appearance of corruption” (Hasen 583). John Roberts, Samuel Alito and the other conservatives on the court have effectively abolished all limits on campaign spending, however, at both the state and federal levels (Hasen 587). Because of Citizens United, it would take an amendment to the Constitution to restore some kind of rational and democratic control over donations, and this is what I think should be done, even though it is very difficult and will take many years. Perhaps it can never be done and democracy will completely die, but it is still worth making the attempt. This is the most important issue that I would like to work on as a political activist, but a secondary one would be abolishing the Electoral College or at least changing the state laws so that the presidential candidate who receives the majority of the vote will always win. In recent elections, almost all the money has been spent to win a few key swing states like Ohio, Virginia and Florida, but if the Electoral College were abolished then the campaigns would have to organize in many other states since all votes really would count (Raskin 62). Even better, there would never be any more Supreme Court decisions like Bush v. Gore (2000), which was a travesty of justice and a pure display of partisanship (again) by the five Republican justices. In this they even ignored the constitutional role of Congress in decided disputed elections, and offered no real logical case at all why the election should have been given to Bush by a 5-to-4 vote (Ackerman ix). Right it seems to me that the very wealthy, large corporations and various special interests are trying to buy or elections, which means this country is really in danger of becoming an oligarchy or an aristocracy. I want to work against this in any way that I can, but with organizations since one person alone cannot accomplish much. I think there are some other important issues that I might work on, such as abolishing the Electoral College and allowing presidents to be elected by a majority of the popular vote, but I regard campaign finance reform as the first priority for political activists. Perhaps what is needed most of all is Supreme Court reform or at least some limitation on its sweeping powers, but I have never really been sure what to be about it since it was designed from the beginning to be the most elitist and antidemocratic branch of government.

WORKS CITED

Ackerman, B. Bush v. Gore: The Question of Legitimacy. Yale University Press, 2002. Hasen, R.L. “Citizens United and the Illusion of Coherence”. Michigan Law Review, Vol. 109.581, February 2011: 581-624. The Money behind Elections, OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics, 2011. http://www.opensecrets.org/bigpicture/index.php Raskin, J.B. Overruling Democracy: The Supreme Court vs. the American People. Routledge, 2003.

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Getting ideas for writing task 2 – essays about politics.

In this tutorial we will look specifically at getting ideas for the IELTS topic government and politics , we will then look at the collocations you can use to boost your score.

If you are stuck for ideas , then you need to fill your head up with information about politics.

To get the full benefit from this you will have to do the exercise, so grab a pen and let’s get started.

I want you to go through the questions below and come up with ideas for each essay question.

We are going to improve and develop our idea generating skills.

This is an essential part of writing effective Task 2 articles.

Go through each question and try and get ideas, and back them up with examples if possible.

You really just need two ideas, then from these ideas we build the body paragraphs, then the introduction and conclusion. It’s really quite simple. If you need a simple essay structure for your ideas, then check out this online IELTS course.

Here is a quick tip: Simplify the question, what is the question saying?

For example:

Some believe that politicians are the most influential people in the world, while others believe scientists are the most influential. Which side do you agree with and why? Provide specific reasoning for your answer.

If we simplify the question we get: Who are more influential, scientists or politicians?

This is a valuable to skill to develop because once we are clear about what we will write, we can develop ideas and start planning the our essay.

Try and simplify the questions below, THEN develop your ideas.

2. How can the government of a country prevent illegal drugs from entering the country? Explain your solution to this problem and provide specific examples and reasoning.

3. Many countries have different priorities when it comes to what they spend most of their time focusing on. While some countries focus on healthcare and education, other countries focus on infrastructure and employment. Out of these two compounded areas of focus, which do you find to be most beneficial? Provide ample details and examples for your answer.

4. People in developing countries have a positive outlook when it comes to economic growth, while people in developed countries do not have this same positive outlook. Why is this so? Explain with specific examples.

5. Many people in many countries prefer to shop in supermarkets as opposed to small, local shops. What is the developmental effect of supporting supermarkets instead of local businesses and how does it affect the local economy? Provide specific examples and reasoning.

Sample media:

5 Comprehension questions eliciting the collocations?:

Why is our inability to create and sustain economic growth the challenge of our time?

What are the three key drivers of economic growth according to Dambisa Moyo?

While they don’t need to grow as fast as developing countries, why is it important for developed countries to continue growing economically in the future?

What is capitalism and how does Dambisa relate it to economic growth in her talk? Explain.

What is Dambisa’s fundamental message to people on the topic of economic growth, why it has stalled, and how we can fix it?

Topic specific collocations

Economic growth  -  Economic growth is the main goal in developing countries in order to improve the way people live.

Private sector -  The private sector of businesses has more money than the public sector.

Fundamental question - The fundamental question of the day is whether or not it will rain.

Developed economies - In developed economies, people are able to live in peace because the government has money to spend.

Emerging markets   - Emerging markets in small countries can help increase their economic growth.

Financial crisis - The financial crisis in the United States caused our economic growth to be destroyed.

Human progress - The invention of computers has contributed substantially to human progress.

Practical experience - You will need practical experience in order to get a job with construction because they don’t want you to hurt yourself.

Social programs - Social programs such as the use of food stamps in the United States help poor families in need.

Living standards - The living standards in small African countries in much lower than the living standards in developed countries such as the United States.

Broad minded - Broad minded people need to be leaders in every country in order to appeal to all the people and their different mindsets.

Dominant ideology - The dominant ideology in Tennessee supports the idea that abortions should not be legal.

Greater population - The greater population puts their faith in politicians to make important decisions for their country.

Political models - Different political models include the Republican and Democratic ways of thinking in the United States.

Inventive ideas - Inventive ideas help progress the country by bringing new and helpful products to the market.

Sample task 2 essay gap fill exercise

The ___________ ________ is whether scientists or politicians are the most influential in the world. Both scientists and politicians bring forth progressive ideas in order to improve the ______ _________ for people in society. While politicians are responsible for many amazing changes such as the creation of ______ ________ to help the poor and _________ ______ that have created democracy and freedom, scientists have made discoveries that have fueled _____ ________ over time.

Firstly, politicians can be considered more influential, because they are in charge of changing our laws and our way of life. While scientists make discoveries, politicians are the ones who distribute these discoveries and cause the people to embrace these _________ _____. For example, scientists discovered that global warming is a major problem in our world today, but politicians are the ones who take this problem, make it a ________ ________, and teach how to fix the problem. Therefore, politicians can be seen as the most influential people.

Secondly, politicians can be seen as more influential because they do, in fact, have the most influence. Why scientists may be smarter and _____ ______ sometimes, politicians are well known and their job is to influence others and lead. For example, studies have shown that politicians are more favorable to scientists in the public eye, because they are trusted by their specific supporters. Politicians of all backgrounds have a set of followers who wholeheartedly believe in them and are influenced by them.

In conclusion, politicians are more influential than scientists because they are well-known, followed by many, and are in charge of implementing and distributing the ideas of scientists to the _______ __________.

Answers Fundamental question Living standards Social programs Political models Human progress Inventive ideas Dominant ideology Broad minded Greater population

Sample essay

The fundamental question is whether scientists or politicians are the most influential in the world. Both scientists and politicians bring forth inventive ideas in order to improve the living standards for people in society. While politicians are responsible for many amazing changes such as the creation of social programs to help the poor and political models that have created democracy and freedom, scientists have made discoveries that have fueled human progress over time.

Firstly, politicians can be considered more influential, because they are in charge of changing our laws and our way of life. While scientists make discoveries, politicians are the ones who distribute these discoveries and cause the people to embrace these inventive ideas.

For example, scientists discovered that global warming is a major problem in our world today, but politicians are the ones who take this problem, make it a dominant ideology, and teach how to fix the problem. Therefore, politicians can be seen as the most influential people.

Secondly, politicians can be seen as more influential because they do, in fact, have the most influence. Why scientists may be smarter and broad minded sometimes, politicians are well known and their job is to influence others and lead.

For example, studies have shown that politicians are more favorable to scientists in the public eye, because they are trusted by their specific supporters. Politicians of all backgrounds have a set of followers who wholeheartedly believe in them and are influenced by them.

In conclusion, politicians are more influential than scientists because they are well-known, followed by many, and are in charge of implementing and distributing the ideas of scientists to the greater population.

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• School Education /

Essay on Politics in 500 Words

• Updated on  
• Jan 16, 2024

Essay on Politics: Every day we see or hear in the news about politics. Politics is not just about government, bureaucracy, elections, or political parties . The process of decision-making, active participation of the people, belief systems and values, etc. are all aspects of politics. Every year, there are elections in a state or region of the country. In a democracy like ours, people are free to choose their leaders. People vote for the candidate who they think will best represent their interests. This is what we were taught right from the beginning. This is just one of the many features of politics, for it is a multifaceted concept. 

Table of Contents

• 1 What is Politics?
• 2 How Politics Shape the Future of a Country?
• 3 100 Words Paragraph on Politics

Also Read: Essay on Road Accident

What is Politics?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, Politics refers to the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power. Talking practically, politics refers to all the activities a person or group of people wants in their interest. 

On a bigger level, politics involves the distribution and exchange of power among organizations and administrations, such as political parties. Politics includes different mechanisms and values, such as governance, political institutions and ideologies, elections, international relations, public policies, social change, etc. These mechanisms and values allow us to know what politics is about and how it works.

The concept of politics has been followed since ancient times. Today’s politics is more or less like the ancient Hindu political philosophy of Dharma. Dharma meant rules and orders, which everyone was abiding by through birth. It included duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and the right way of living.

How Politics Shape the Future of a Country?

Politics is meant for development. We have seen how political parties and other people play politics for their benefit. During election times, politicians make big promises to gain people’s interest. All the promises and decisions of political leaders are taken to shape the future of the country. 

• The progress in the economic, social, and cultural aspects of a country or region depends on political decision and their effective implementation. Policies related to education, healthcare, infrastructure, and the economy shape the conditions in which citizens live and work.
• To bring economic development, governments work on fiscal and monetary policies, taxation and trade agreements, and other similar laws.
• Infrastructural developments can be introduced to shape the physical and technological landscape of a country.
• Effective social policies like healthcare, education, and equality can help deal with everyday life.
• Friendly and cooperative diplomatic policies can help establish strong global relationships with other nations. Treaties, alliances, and trade agreements shape a country’s position in the international community, influencing its security, economic ties, and diplomatic engagements.
• Political decisions can have a significant impact on environmental challenges. Policies related to climate change, natural resource management, and environmental conservation determine a country’s commitment to sustainability and the well-being of future generations.
• Political support for research, development, and innovation drives technological advancements. Governments that invest in science, technology, and education contribute to a country’s ability to compete globally and adapt to the challenges and opportunities of the future.

A country with good and effective politics can thrive for longer. This can be only possible through effective decision-making by the political leaders, who form the decision-making body. Politics can shape the future of an individual and a country at the same time.

Also Read: Essay on My Ambition in 300 Words

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100 Words Paragraph on Politics

Now that we have gone through an Essay on Politics, let us explore a paragraph on politics:

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC in 6 Months?

Ans: Politics refers to the activities of governance and decision-making in a country. Politics involves the distribution and exchange of power among organizations and administrations, such as political parties. Politics includes different mechanisms and values, such as governance, political institutions and ideologies, elections, international relations, public policies, social change, etc. These mechanisms and values allow us to know what politics is about and how it works.

Ans: Politics is an important field of study that goes beyond the traditional notions of partisan conflicts. It is an academic discipline that examines the structures, processes, and behaviors that shape governance and decision-making within societies. Politics makes us aware of governance, policy analysis, civic engagement, diversity of ideologies, social justice and advocacy, etc.

Ans: The different types of politics are democracy, totalitarianism, and authoritarianism, which include features of both democracy and authoritarianism.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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