Polity

For ither uises, see Polity (disambiguation).

A polity is a state or ane o its subordinate civil authorities, sic as a province, prefecture, county, municipality, ceety, or destrict.^[1] It is generally understood tae mean a geographic aurie wi a corresponding government. Thomas Hobbes considered bodies politic in this sense in Leviathan.^[2] In previous centuries, body politic wis an aa understood tae mean "the physical person of the sovereign:" emperor, keeng or dictator in monarchies an despotisms, an the electorate in republics. In present times, it mey an aa refer tae representation o a group, sic as ones drawn alang ethnic or gender lines. Cabinets in liberal democracies are chosen tae represent the body politic.^{[citation needit]}

See also

• Entity
• Politeia
• Political system