1 [treated as singular or plural] The activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power: the party quickly gained influence in French politics thereafter he dropped out of active politics
https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/fr/definition/anglais/politics
Politics is not (quite) about politics. Indeed, one could think that politics is only about sex and the story of a ménage à trois. That was what I thought the first time I read the novel but in the end I think that Politics is not (quite) about sex.
A big part of the book shows the different relations between Moshe, Nana and Anjali and of course it leads to various sex scenes. Adam Thirlwell is the author and the narrator of the story and tells us everything we (the reader) need to know about the characters and their personalities. This is my favorite part of the novel, when the narrator speaks directly to us, breaking the 4th wall, giving us all the informations needed to understand the novel, I’m not used to this kind of narration, he is breaking completely the traditional style of narration. Sometimes, the narrator takes his time and explains us through examples and historical anecdotes what happens in the novel and why his characters are thinking this way or behave in such manners.
The most interesting anecdotes are politics anecdotes. For instance, the narrator speaks about the sexual fantasies of Adolph Hitler or the vision of sexuality by Mao Tse Toung. This is why, I think, this book is not only about sex. All this sex scenes in the novel are not free, its existed because of the decisions and choices made by the protagonists. Sex is politics. Nana is not really interested by sexual intercourses, but she did it because she loves Moshes and wants to make him happy. This situation can be compared with a National Government which takes popular or unpopular decisions. The narrator considers a ménage à trois, like a socialist Utopia. He makes a comparison between sexual activities and dictatorships or some anarchist movements.
This why I think this book’s cover is the best choice for the cover. The reader can easily understand that these footprints are two people having sex, and just below the drawing the reader can read the title Politics. Then, the reader can easily understand that sex is politics in a way.
I like the idea to explain politics through sex or to explain sex through politics. Moreover the narration style allows the reader to better understand the plot and what Adam thirlwell tries to explain us.