Editor's Pick: Politics

Politics is one subject that dominates popular discourse. Turn your head somewhere and you would catch something political for sure. The amount it is talked and written about makes it one of the most important subjects to prepare for when it comes to reading for CAT/GRE/GMAT reading comprehensions. In order to assist you with your reading from this particular area, we bring to you: Editor’s Pick, Politics, a section that features the best of political writing. To assist you, we provide a series of reading links, suggestions, author recommendations and subject-terminology on this page. These would assist you to understand the subject and its related writings, and help you master passages from this area.

Article Compilation for Politics

How does this section work?

Well, it is simple. We will keep adding fresh reading links to this page, in the column given on the right of the page. The column would carry fresh articles every month that you should explore and read. Also, we would be adding fresh RCs from the area, as and when they are uploaded on the website. All in all, this section of the website would be constantly expanded to offer you the best possible reading suggestions.

Authors to explore in the field of Politics

The world of politics has a host of amazing writers and commentators, who should be read and explored. These authors offer wonderful insights into the world of political affairs and help us understand how the world of politics operates. A few of the authors that we recommend you should explore are:

1. Paul Krugman: Paul Krugman is an American economist, Professor of Economics and International Affairs and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. In 2008, Krugman won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Krugman is known in academia for his work on international economics (including trade theory, economic geography, and international finance), liquidity traps, and currency crises. He is the 21st most widely cited economist in the world today and is ranked among the most influential academic thinkers in the US. (source: wikipedia)

2. Thomas Friedman: Thomas Friedman is an American journalist, columnist and author. He writes a twice-weekly column for The New York Times. He has written extensively on foreign affairs including global trade, the Middle East, globalization, and environmental issues and has won the Pulitzer Prize three times. His most famous book is ‘The World is Flat.(source: wikipedia)

3. Mehdi Hasan : Mehdi Hasanis a British political journalist and the co-author of a biography of Ed Miliband. He is the political editor of UK version of The Huffington Postand the presenter of Al Jazeera English shows The Café and Head to Head.(source: wikipedia)

4.Arun Shourie: Arun Shourie is an Indian journalist, author and politician. He served as an economist with the World Bank (1968–72 and 1975–77), a consultant to the Planning Commission, India, editor of the Indian Express and Times of India and a minister in the government of India (1998–2004).(source: wikipedia)

5. Shyam Saran: Shyam Saran was Foreign Secretary with the Government of India. He is a 1970 batch Indian Foreign Service officer. Before this, he has served as Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Indonesia and Myanmar, High Commissioner to Mauritius, Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Deputy Chief of Mission in Tokyo and Counsellor in the Indian Embassy in Beijing. He is current Chairman of the Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS) thinktank and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi.(source: wikipedia)

Terminology for politics

Here is a list of words and their meanings that are often used in the world of politics:

Absent vote: An absent vote is cast by a voter who is actually out of his division but within his State or Union Territory and may be cast at any polling place within the state or union territory.
Absolute majority: A number of votes constituting the more than half the majority of votes that is 51 per cent.
Accord: An agreement which is not binding as like a treaty.
Adjournment: A temporary interruption during a Parliamentary session.
Anarchy: The condition of disorder brought about by the absence of any controlling authority.
Autocracy: Autocracy is a form of government where a single individual holds unlimited decision taking power.
Autonomy: Autonomy is a limited form of Independence where the ruling authority has the power to take decisions only about their domestic affairs and not about the foreign affairs.
Backbencher: A member who is not in a leadership rule but sits on the back bench in a Parliamentary session.
Ballot: A written form of secret voting.
Bill: A proposed legislation to be debated in the house of Parliament for approval to be made into an Act.
By-election: A local election held to fill a suddenly vacated seat.
Constitutional Referendum: A proposal to alter the Constitution being put to the public vote.
Cumulative voting: Type of block voting where a voter has the option of voting to one or more candidates while each candidate receiving the proportionate share of vote.
Deficit spending: Situation where the Government expenditure is more than its income.
Dirigisme: Direct government control over the country’s economic as well as social institutions.
Donkey vote: Kind of vote cast by a voter where he simply ticks the first option visible without bothering to consider his decision.
Fabian society: A movement that was founded by George Bernard Shaw, Sidney and Beatrice Webb in 1884 who believed that the only possible way to introduce socialism is by using education and gradual legislative changes.
Honeymoon period: The first few months of a new government where the incumbent is granted grace non-belligerent period by his opposition party and the media.
Incumbent: The current holder of a seat in the legislature.
Kitchen Cabinet: An informal name used for the chief executive’s closest advisor.