Both initiated force and defensive force can be wielded either by individuals, gangs, or governments. The study of governments and of the purposes and methods involved in their exercise of force is the province of politics, discussed in detail in the final section. The Fallacy of Political Reductionism is the logical error that assumes that ends of human action can be obtained only through the exercise of governmental force. Implicitly, it attempts to reduce the entire realm of purposeful human action to the political operations of government. This fallacy is extremely widespread, leading to muddled thinking by observers across the political spectrum, regardless of whether they are popularly labeled as "left-wing" or "right-wing." Because the fallacy pertains directly to the relationship between ethics and politics, it is fitting that we dissect this logical error in detail as we conclude our discussion of ethics and prepare to embark on our study of political systems.