Politics, Politician, and Other Derogatory Terms

There is so much reference to “politics” these days, whether one is a candidate for office or a voter, that it would seem useful to take a look at the word and its ramifications.

The word has an honorable enough origin, going back to the Greek word for citizen. It is also related both to the word for city, as in the Acropolis, or “the highest city,” and (perhaps a surprise to some) to the word for police. One dictionary states that “politician commonly implies activity in party politics, especially with a suggestion of artifice or intrigue.”

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Richard Armour

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There is so much reference to “politics” these days, whether one is a candidate for office or a voter, that it would seem useful to take a look at the word and its ramifications.

The word has an honorable enough origin, going back to the Greek word for citizen. It is also related both to the word for city, as in the Acropolis, or “the highest city,” and (perhaps a surprise to some) to the word for police. One dictionary states that “politician commonly implies activity in party politics, especially with a suggestion of artifice or intrigue.”