The Political System

Abstract

The term ‘political system’ has become increasingly common in the titles of texts and monographs in the field of comparative politics. The older texts used such terms as ‘government’, ‘nation’, or ‘state’ to describe what we call a political system. Something more is involved here than mere style of nomenclature. This new terminology reflects a new way of looking at political phenomena. It includes some new names for old things, and some new terms to refer to activities and processes which were not formerly recognized as being parts or aspects of politics.