That's not politics, that's just being a good person/employee. Politics is when you try to look that way, no matter the cost.

Often times, doing the good stuff and building credit for that takes a long time and the right environment to identify and credit it.

Playing the politics game is much faster/easier and leads to quick results, because all you have to do is be visible as much as possible and manipulate a little bit here and there.

People aren't great at identifying the career manipulator and in the short term will give those guys the promotion/responsibility.