Politics is who gets what, when, how.
Interpretation
This quote defines politics as the distribution of resources and power in society.
Harold Lasswell's quote encapsulates the essence of political dynamics by emphasizing the mechanisms of distribution within a society. It highlights that politics is fundamentally about the allocation of resources and power among individuals and groups, determining not only who benefits but also the timing and methods through which these benefits are realized. This perspective reveals the strategic nature of political interactions and the significance of understanding these processes to engage effectively in political discourse.
In practice
In a political debate, one might say, 'As Harold Lasswell pointed out, politics is about who gets what, when, and how.'
So great are the psychological resistances to war in modern nations, that every war must appear to be a war of defence against a menacing, murderous aggressor. There must be no ambiguity about whom the public is to hate. Guilt and guilelessness must be assessed geographically and all the guilt must be on the other side of the frontier.
The key to U.N. reform is giving Americans a clearer picture of what the U.N. is and what it isn't, what it can be and what it can't be.
We need to learn to work with political systems that are not perfect instead of taking the view: let's first fix the politics, then we'll fix the rest.
Why should Iran have a deterrent strategy? Well, it's surrounded by hostile enemies. Both of its borders have been under occupation by a hostile superpower, the United States, which is constantly violating the U.N. charter by leaving open what they call the saying, 'all options are open' - meaning the threat of war.
It is difficult to make our material condition better by the best law, but it is easy enough to ruin it by bad laws.
Growing up, politics never trickled down to the areas we come from. But people from Obama's camp, and Obama himself, reached out to me and asked for my help on the campaign. We've sat and had dinner, and we've spoken on the phone. He's a very sharp guy. Very charming. Very cool.
The next few months are critical to Pakistan's future direction as a democratic state committed to promoting peace, fighting terrorism and working for social justice.
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