The Game of Politics

Name: The Game of Politics
Author: Ambrose Bierce

The Game of Politics by Ambrose Bierce is a satirical novel that explores the absurdity and corruption of politics in the late 19th century. The story follows a group of politicians who are more interested in their own power struggles than in serving the people they represent. Through a series of vignettes, Bierce skewers the hypocrisy and greed of these politicians, revealing the dark underbelly of political machinations. The novel is a scathing critique of the political system and its tendency to prioritize self-interest over public good.

By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1874 · Genre: Political Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction · 9 chapters · 7,127 words

First lines

IF ONE were to declare himself a Democrat or a Republican and the claim should be contested he would find it a difficult one to prove. The missing link in his chain of evidence would be the major premise in the syllogism necessary to the establishment of his political status -- a definition of "Democrat" or "Republican." Most of the statesmen in public and private life who are poll-parroting these words, do so with entire unconsciousness of their meaning, or rather without knowledge that they have lost whatever of meaning they once had. The words are mere "survivals," marking dead issues and covering allegiances of the loosest and most shallow character. On any question of importance each party is divided against itself and dares not formulate a preference.

What this Textopian page supports

The Game of Politics is listed on Textopian as an essay by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1874 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Essay
Author: Ambrose Bierce
Date: 1874 CE
Language: English
Genres: Political Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Drama
Length: 7,127 words
Structure: 9 chapters, 52 paragraphs
Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Game of Politics by Ambrose Bierce
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Game of Politics?
How does this essay by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Political Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Political Fiction — The title itself points towards politics and given the author's well-known inclination towards political satire, the genre becomes even more evident.
Satire — Bierce's writing style was satirical, targeting human nature and institutions like politics. This book's title and known content supports its classification as Satire.
Historical Fiction — Many of Bierce's writings are set against the backdrop of historical occurrences, and it's plausible that the political events depicted in this book are historical in nature.
Speculative Fiction — From what is known about Bierce's work, there is often an element of speculation about the future direction of the politics and human society. This qualifies the book as speculative fiction.