Politics for the Common Good, Not Just Power

When we hear the word politics, what first comes to mind? Perhaps most would think of a power struggle, broken campaign promises, corruption, or elite conflict. News of sting operations, money politics, and polarisation during every political contest reinforces the notion that politics is something dirty. As a result, many people, especially the younger generation, become apathetic and view politics as merely the business of the elite. Yet, if we think more deeply, what we have witnessed is not the essence of politics, but rather a series of deviant political practices. Judging politics solely by the behaviour of a few of its actors is akin to judging the entire education system by one unethical teacher, or the legal system by an official who abuses their authority. The problem is not politics itself, but the way some people practice it. Since the time of Ancient Greece, politics was understood as a vital part of human life. The term originates from the word ‘polis’, meaning city-state. From this developed the understanding that politics is a way of managing collective life to harmonise different interests and resolve conflicts through agreed-upon rules. Plato, in The Republic, viewed politics as a path to achieving justice. He believed power is not the ultimate goal, but a mandate to be exercised by those with wisdom who prioritise the public interest. A good state is not measured by the magnitude of its ruler’s power, but by its ability to deliver justice for all citizens. This thought was further developed by Aristotle in his work Politics. He famously defined humans as ‘zoon politikon’, beings who naturally live in a community. According to Aristotle, the state is formed not just for survival, but to enable citizens to live a good life. Therefore, the goal of politics is to realise the ‘common good’. This reminds us that from its inception, politics was never intended as an arena for seizing power, but as a means to bring about public welfare. This classical view remains highly relevant today. Miriam Budiardjo explained that politics is the process of determining collective goals and the methods to achieve them. Meanwhile, David Easton defined politics as the authoritative allocation of values within a society. This means that every government policy is essentially the result of a political process that impacts public life. This is very close to our daily reality. When the government builds schools in remote areas, expands healthcare services, improves village roads, constructs dams to support agriculture, or sets the education budget in the state budget, all of these are born from political processes. Behind every policy lies discussion, priority setting, and decision-making. We may not label it as politics, but its benefits are felt directly in our everyday lives. Conversely, when an official is caught in a corruption scandal or abuses their authority, that too is a part of political reality. Unfortunately, society tends to remember failures more vividly than successes. Politics is thus often recalled through its scandals rather than through policies that genuinely benefit the people. This is why political literacy is crucial. The public needs to understand that politics is not just about elections, parties, or power struggles. It is also about how the state budget is allocated, how public services are improved, how laws are drafted, and how the government sets its development agenda. With this understanding, citizens become not just spectators, but active participants capable of critically overseeing governance. On the other hand, state officials bear a moral responsibility to uphold public trust. Power must be seen as a mandate, not a privilege. Policies should be based on the public interest, not on personal or group gain. When politics is conducted with ethics, it fosters public trust; when it loses its ethical compass, it only widens the gap between the government and the people. Ultimately, politics is an inevitability in the life of a nation. As long as people live together, there will be differing interests that must be managed through dialogue, deliberation, and decision-making. Therefore, politics should not be understood merely as a contest for power, but as a collective effort to realise justice, prosperity, and a better life for all. The quality of a state is not determined by who holds power, but by how that power is used to serve the interests of the entire populace.