In human thermodynamics, political thermodynamics is the study of application of the laws and principles of thermodynamics to the analysis of rules, laws, and decisions in government or, in a general sense, the way in which groups of people make decisions in accordance with statistical or chemical thermodynamics. [1] A term in this subject is political entropy.

History
The first to conceive of the idea of a type of political thermodynamics was American thermodynamicist Frederick Rossini, known for his work in chemical thermodynamics, who used the combined law of thermodynamics to understand the paradox between freedom and security in social life, during one part of his 1971 Priestly Medal Address. [2] This lecture, 35-years later, in 2006, came to spark quite a debate between Americans chemist Harold Leonard, physical chemist John Wójcik, and chemist Todd Silverstein. [3]

Author Harold Nieburg coined the term "political thermodynamics" in the title of chapter five (Political Thermodynamics: Energy and Entropy) of his 1973 book Culture Storm: Politics and the Ritual Order. [5]

In 1975, American political scientist Stephen Coleman completed his PhD dissertation on entropy systems view of political systems, particularly on voting and elections, coining terms such as "political entropy" and discussing ideas on microscopic entropy measurements in political systems; albeit using Shannon's information theory. [7]

In 1996, German metallurgical thermodynamicist Jürgen Mimkes authored a 110-page article on “Politics and Thermodynamics” and was in attendance at the 2003 “Talks on (inter) nation conferences on Politics and Thermodynamics”. [6]

Objections
Not all scientists, however, agree that thermodynamics is applicable to politics. In 2007, Russian bioelectrochemist Octavian Ksenzhek put forward the argument that thermodynamics is applicable to economics, but that is reign in political affairs is not possible. According to Ksenzhek, in relation to the thermodynamics of the formation of unions, "apart from economic reasons for joining or not joining societies into huge unions, a significant role may also be played by political considerations ... this aspect, however, is beyond the scope of a thermodynamic approach." [4]

References
1. (a) Thims, Libb. (2007). Human Chemistry (Volume Two), (preview), (ch: 16, section: “Rossini’s political thermodynamics”), Morrisville, NC: LuLu. (b) Politics (definition): the art and science of government or that concerned with guiding or influencing government policy; the total complex of relations between people living in a society.
2. (a) Rossini, F.D. (1971). Chem. Eng. News., April 5, 49 (14): 50-53, American Chemical Society. (Priestly Medal Address)
(b) Leonard, Harold, E. (2006). “Chemical Thermodynamics in the Real World.” Letters, Journal of Chemical Education, (83) 39, Jan, No. 1. pg. 39.
3. (a) Leonard, Harold, E. (2006). “Chemical Thermodynamics in the Real World.” Letters, Journal of Chemical Education, (83) 39, Jan, No. 1. pg. 39.
(b) Wójcik, John F. (2006). ‘A Response to Chemical Thermodynamics in the Real World.’ J. Chem. Educ. (83) 39.
(c) Silverstein, Todd, P. (2006). “State Functions vs. State Governments”, Journal of Chemical Education, Jun. (83): 847, Letters.
4. Ksenzhek, Octavian S. (2007). Money: Virtual Energy - Economy through the Prism of Thermodynamics, (pg. 118). Universal Publishers.
5. Nieburg, Harold L. (1973). Culture Storm: Politics and the Ritual Order, (pg. 81). St. Martin’s Press.
6. Publications (Mimkes) – Google Translation (German-to-English).
7. Coleman, Stephen. (1975). Measurement and Analysis of Political Systems: a Science of Social Behavior. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Further reading
● Byeon, Jong H. (2000). “Non-equilibrium Thermodynamic Approach to the Change in Political Systems” (abstract), Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Vol. 16, Issue 3, pgs. 283-91.