The introductory chapter opens with a brief statement of the context and theme of this study. Two nodal terms are unpacked to clarify the methodology and structure of the book. The first is polity: a general theory of polity underpins observations about the ‘Internet Polity’ here. This is elaborated in Aristotelian terms and via formulations of ‘global polity’. The extent to which ideology might be associated with polity is also considered. The other nodal term is internet: a section is devoted to sharpening the everyday senses of ‘internet’, and proposing distinctions from ‘Internet Technology’ and ‘Internet Infrastructure’. Notes on the relationship between technical communication and ordinary language follow. The chapter ends with an overview of the two parts of the book.