'Polity' (
Greek: Πολιτεία or Πολίτευμα transliterated as ''PoliteÃa'' or ''PolÃteuma'') was originally a term used in
Ancient Greece to refer to the many Greek
city states that had an assembly of citizens as part of the political process.
Suffrage did not include women, slaves, serfs, or
metics. Thus, voting citizens usually included only a minority of the adult males.
Today it is usually a general term that refers to political organization of a group. It is often used to describe a loosely organized society such as a
tribe or
community, but can mean any political group including a
government or
empire,
corporation or
academy. It is also used in the phrase ''ecclesiastical polity'' as a synonym of
church government.
See also
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Entity
★
Body politic
★
Ecclesiastical polity