ABSTRACT
There have been many attempts to find a suitable definition of politics, but most people seem to agree that it is an activity that is related to the governing of a society. David Easton believes that politics is the ‘activity of trying to influence the direction of social life and public policy’,1 and he emphasises that politics is not merely a struggle for power, but that it is related to the goals and direction of a society. The United States is usually described as a ‘liberal democracy’ and in such societies, where freedom of expression and association are encouraged, there is a more open and active display of political activity than in the closed autocratic systems within which governments do not allow groups to canvass support for alternative policies. As a pluralist society, America has thousands of different factions who wish to promote their own interests and objectives, and the study of American politics can therefore be seen as an examination of the continuous process of groups competing to influence the formal institutions of government in order that official policies reflect their preferences and goals.
