Politics involves strife as groups pursue their own interests under the guise of high-minded principles. It can be a dangerous pursuit where one risks attacks on their reputation or character. Additionally, some argue that politics rewards those who behave unethically with high office, while punishing petty wrongs. There are also views that see politics as an inevitable and inescapable part of society that influences all aspects of life.

1. What is Politics?

2. Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. - Ambrose Bierce,

3. Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel. ~John Quinton

4. Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times. ~Winston Churchill

5. We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. ~Aesop

6. A political leader is necessarily an imposter since he believes in solving life's problems without asking its question. ~André Malraux

7. Politics, n: [Poly "many" + tics "blood-sucking parasites"] ~Larry Hardiman

8. Mankind will never see an end of trouble until... lovers of wisdom come to hold political power, or the holders of power... become lovers of wisdom. ~Plato, The Republic

9. Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other. ~Oscar Ameringer

10. Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever. Albert Einstein

11. Man is by nature a political animal. Aristotle

12. To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. Confucius

13. In our age there is no such thing as "keeping out of politics." All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia. George Orwell

14. Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies. Groucho Marx

15. The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world. Jimmy Carter

16. The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men Plato