Is politics crap? People often say so. What was its purpose in the past? Very often, it was used to conquer territory and acquire property. War is said to be the continuation of politics by other means, and perhaps it can also be said that politics is the continuation of war by other means. So it's no picnic. There used to be a notion, which still persists in some quarters, that politics consists of intrigue and trickery. As Metternich used to say, politics is about people, and therefore it is only an expression of their qualities, as well as their faults, hobbies, mistakes, vices, and virtues. Some politicians were even said to view politics as a game they played to show off to their mistresses. People who want to make history often enter politics; in their youth, they read biographies of famous men, such as Napoleon. They do not want to be buried in some remote rural cemetery, but in major cathedrals. But this is not easy to achieve; it usually requires the necessary qualities and, above all, courage. As is sometimes said, politics is a strange river; when a person enters it, they are usually swept away by the current. In some cases, they can steer in the current, but few are those who can steer their ship against the current.

      When we read the newspapers, turn on the television, or look at the internet and start thinking about what is happening, we may wonder whether it is all just coincidence or whether it is influenced by some laws of nature. How will political parties behave, who will win the elections? We see a diversity of opinions, sometimes even hatred in their promotion, but why is this so, since we are all Czechs after all? There is a certain contradiction here: everything is strictly scientifically analyzed and controlled, even things that seem unimportant, while politics, which is certainly of the utmost importance, is often conducted randomly, haphazardly, without any thought, and by people who are, to put it mildly, far removed from science. A particularly large contradiction can be observed between strictly planned production and economics within individual companies and the often spontaneous politics of the state. Political parties have various particular interests, often completely contradictory, which can completely suppress the public interest. Moreover, history shows that people who have no moral qualms about promoting their own interests often come to power.

Is politics in the 21st century different than before? Or is it gradually ceasing to exist and heading towards its demise? In the past, it resolved conflicts between large groups of people whose interests differed fundamentally, between slave owners and slaves, feudal lords and serfs, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, but now these fundamental differences have disappeared. The importance of the criterion of relation to the means of production is diminishing, as are the differences in the nature of work, between physical and mental labor, industrial and agricultural labor, and in social status determined by income, education, and prestige. State power increasingly represents the interests of society as a whole. Nevertheless, people's needs and interests still differ. A number of conflicts are also shifting to the international arena. Conflicts between states have not disappeared. External contradictions have always influenced internal contradictions to a greater or lesser extent; they can exacerbate, accelerate, or slow them down. The importance of science in policy-making is also growing.

It is clear that if policy is to yield positive results, it can hardly be implemented without a solid theoretical foundation. It should not passively adapt to new conditions, but should be based on scientific research into future measures, thus creating conditions for the optimal functioning of society. Theory should, more than before, precede practice, anticipate the approval of important decisions, help develop scientifically justified policies, and reveal key issues that need to be addressed. The more sophisticated the theory of politics, the more it creates the conditions for higher-quality factual and political decision-making. The importance of politics can also be seen in the fact that there are moments in history when brief moments or coincidences can determine the fate of nations for decades or even centuries. They can influence them in a positive or negative sense. Politics should anticipate and influence them.

This treatise is based on and follows on from the author's previous book, entitled "100 Years of Defeats and Victories, On Politics and the Meaning of Czech History," which dealt, in a popular form, with, among other things, some of the problems of politics with regard to Czech history.

Since political theory and political science itself are not yet fully developed, some of the ideas presented below may prove controversial. However, this is precisely one of the aims of this work: to stimulate discussion on the subject and contribute to the further development of this discipline.

To a strict theorist, some of the statements may seem insufficiently substantiated scientifically, but this is partly due to the intention to keep the book popular and relatively easy to read, intended for a wider audience.