How has politics been understood by various thinkers?

Politics has been understood in various ways by different thinkers throughout history. For example, Aristotle viewed politics as the art of governance aimed at achieving the common good, while Machiavelli emphasized the pragmatic and sometimes ruthless aspects of power. Marx focused on the socio-economic structures that shape political relations, analyzing how class struggle influences governance. In contrast, liberal thinkers like john Locke highlighted individual rights and the role of consent in political authority.