Polities

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Polity \Pol"i*ty\, n.; pl. {Polities}. [L. politia, Gr. ?: cf.
     F. politie. See 1st {Policy}, {Police}.]
     1. The form or constitution of the civil government of a
        nation or state; the framework or organization by which
        the various departments of government are combined into a
        systematic whole. --Blackstone. Hooker.


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     2. Hence: The form or constitution by which any institution
        is organized; the recognized principles which lie at the
        foundation of any human institution.
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              Nor is possible that any form of polity, much less
              polity ecclesiastical, should be good, unless God
              himself be author of it.              --Hooker.
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     3. Policy; art; management. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
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     Syn: Policy.
  
     Usage: {Polity}, {Policy}. These two words were originally
            the same. Polity is now confined to the structure of a
            government; as, civil or ecclesiastical polity; while
            policy is applied to the scheme of management of
            public affairs with reference to some aim or result;
            as, foreign or domestic policy. Policy has the further
            sense of skillful or cunning management.
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