Politics and governance are closely related concepts that deal with how power and authority are exercised in society, but they focus on different aspects. Politics refers to the activities, processes, and behaviors aimed at achieving societal goals through the exercise of power. It involves decision- making about who gets what resources, when, and how, often through mechanisms like political parties, elections, and policy debates. Politics is necessary for building a just society and requires compromise among competing interests
. Governance , on the other hand, is about how political leaders and institutions direct, control, and manage the affairs of a country, community, or organization. It includes the principles, policies, and organizational arrangements that structure the relationships between service providers, beneficiaries, and excluded groups. Governance is experienced by citizens through the delivery of public services and the administration of laws and policies
. In summary:
- Politics is the process of making collective decisions and exercising power.
- Governance is the implementation and management of those decisions and the structures that enable them.
Both are intertwined in practice, as governance is shaped by political dynamics, and politics is often influenced by governance outcomes, such as public service delivery and state legitimacy
. This understanding is central to fields like political science and public administration, which study how governments function, how policies are made and executed, and how societies are organized and governed