Abstract: Rawls's understanding of the political has been criticized as circular and ambiguous; the few clearer definitions are difficult to defend due to the controversial nature of the concepts or reasonable pluralism. A new definition centered on political ideal can, by clarifying and revising some of Rawls's original definitions, systematically explain and distinguish the sub-concepts within the cluster of political concepts in his later political philosophy-such as political conceptions, political values, political domains, and political issues-and their roles and functions. Moreover, this understanding shed light on the lack of sufficient theoretical resources in Rawlsian political philosophy to address the so-called the remainders of politics problem in dealing with fundamental issues of political life under conditions of reasonable pluralism.