| Politics:
* The art of controlling the state and society;
* A set of social ideas and purposeful activities, based on the ideas, linked with the formation of vital relations between the states, people, nations and social groups.
Thinkers of the past defined politics differently: as “imperial art” to control all other arts (oratory, military, judicial, etc.) and the skill “to protect all citizens and whenever possible, to make the best out of the worst” (Plato); as knowledge of correct and wise government (Machiavelli); as the leadership of the machinery of the state or influence on this leadership (Max Weber), as the struggle of class interests (Marx). Modern political scientists define politics as an activity concerning the public interests, expressed in the behavior of public groups and also as a set of behavioral models and institutes, regulating public relations and creating both imperious control as well as competition for possessing the power.
Two key approaches for understanding politics exist in modern political science - consensual and confrontational.
A consensus between the people - politics is created by publicly fighting groups of people, mutually defined in the concepts "friend/enemy".
* The level of competence of the officials and their rational use for duly and the complete solution for the tasks, put by the supreme political management of the state;
* The accuracy of the scientific analysis with the use of modern modeling methods of projects of large political resolutions, which excludes or at least reduces the risk of acceptance of inadequate resolutions by the political management of the state.
Major factors determining the credibility and efficiency of politics, are its conformity to objective requirements for the development of the material and spiritual life of society, the correct account of real economic opportunities of the state, its national - ethnic peculiarities and the political and geographical position. Accordingly, politics can promote or apply the brakes on the progress of the society.
Politics is a multi dimensional social phenomenon, which can be considered as the tool of the conscious self-regulation of the society. An entire series of definitions about politics exist, which are suggested by various theoretical directions, in which, one of the basic aspects of political activity is emphasized: institutional, legal, economic, psychological, social, anthropological, etc.
In a general view, politics can be determined as a social activity, directed towards the preservation or change of the existing sequence of the distribution of power and ownership in a state organized society (internal policy) and the world community (foreign policy, world politics).
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This is the sixth contest in the series of contests "Best of Freaking News pictures of 2007". Today's category is the "best political picture". All the entries were nominated by the Freaking News staff, so this contest is for voting only. Authors, please feel free to edit your authors comments, but please don't change the titles or otherwise edit the entries. 
