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.
We weren't getting a fair deal on the budget and I wasn't going to have it. There's a great strand of equity and fairness in the British people - this is our characteristic. There's not a strand of equity and fairness in Europe - they're out to get as much as they can. That's one of those enormous differences. So I tackled it on that basis.
Great powers can't get tired, because the international order is not self-governing.
I'm always rather nervous about how you talk about women who are active in politics, whether they want to be talked about as women or as politicians.
The failure of the Russian Socialist Republic will be the defeat of the proletariat of the whole world.
A Conservative Government is an organized hypocrisy.
The over-representation of Wall Street banks in senior government positions sends a bad message. It tells people that one - and only one - point of view will dominate economic policymaking.
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