How is the study of rhetoric useful for making sense of politics? The term politics is generally understood as the politics of a state, such as legislators, bureaucrats and ministries. “Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in matters that truly concern them” (Paul Valéry, Father Poet). Paul Hirst suggests that politics exists where there are a plurality of actors, with different ways of calculating their interests and the possibility of conflict. This essay will explain how the study of rhetoric is useful in making sense of politics by defining the terms politics, power relations, rhetoric and I will use Kevin Rudd's apology speech to illustrate this. Politics is the set of activities and relationships that are continually negotiated between social actors capable of exercising different degrees and forms of power. It is about power relations; it involves conflicts and arguments. In order to understand the approach to argumentation, we must first understand what rhetoric is. However, Dean argues in the book Governing Societies: Political Perspectives on Domestics and International Rule that political governance in contemporary societies is best understood as a matter of confrontation, struggle and resistance. According to Dean, politics concerns the entire relationship between the state and non-state actors. (Dean 2007)Foucault's thinking on power is different from the general view. It suggests that power is not an ability that a person can possess; rather, power is something that is exercised through interactions. Power comes through relationships or networks of relationships. Foucault suggests that a power relationship is a relationship between actors who seek to influence each other. He declares in the middle of paper ......to show them sincerity. Kevin Rudd delivered an apology speech to all Aboriginal and Stolen Generations in 2008, immediately after he became Prime Minister. It was a deliberative speech because it was well planned and with intentions. The speech is pathetic because it was delivered in full awareness of counter-opinions. The word "sorry" was used three times in Rudd's speech (News.com.au 2008). According to Rudd, he says the apology is intended to "remove a great stain on the soul of the nation" (ABC News 2008). However, it was also because he wanted to prove to the public that their approach is different from the old approach. His speech was intended to counter the fact that what the Howard government had done in the past was wrong. By giving this speech he presented himself as a person of integrity and established a good image and reputation with the Australian public..