“Politics means striving to share power or striving to influence the distribution of power, either among states or among groups within a single state.”Max Weber · Politica, o vocație · 1919 · paragraful 1
Weber defines politics in realistic, not idealistic terms. It is not about the common good, but about participating in power—either as a politician holding office or as a citizen influencing decisions. This definition includes both international diplomacy and the struggle between parties or interest groups within a country. A union negotiating with the government is doing politics.
Why it matters For today's citizen, this definition defuses the naivety that politics should be 'pure' and shows that any social involvement is essentially a form of struggle for power.