This document provides an introduction to the concepts of power, politics, and government. It defines key terms like authority, government, and power. It discusses different theories of legitimate political power, such as the divine right of kings and social contract theory. The purposes of government are outlined as maintaining order, protecting rights, and providing public goods. The building blocks of government are coercion and revenue collection. Different forms of government like tyranny, aristocracy, and democracy are also introduced. Modern nation-states are defined as independent territories with stable populations and their own code of laws. Politics is described as the process of collective decision making, usually within governments, that aims to achieve certain purposes through collective action and institutions.

4. The Power to Rule