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Introduction To Political Science

Political science is the study of governments, political processes, and political behavior. It began in ancient Greece with city-states like Athens, where philosophers like Socrates and Plato discussed politics, and Aristotle wrote about different forms of government. Political science examines how societies are organized, how power is distributed and maintained, and how conflicts are resolved. It is the systematic study of the state and political activity, and seeks to understand politics in all its forms in order to create more just, peaceful, and prosperous societies.

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Soha Rajpoot
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208 views

Introduction To Political Science

Political science is the study of governments, political processes, and political behavior. It began in ancient Greece with city-states like Athens, where philosophers like Socrates and Plato discussed politics, and Aristotle wrote about different forms of government. Political science examines how societies are organized, how power is distributed and maintained, and how conflicts are resolved. It is the systematic study of the state and political activity, and seeks to understand politics in all its forms in order to create more just, peaceful, and prosperous societies.

Uploaded by

Soha Rajpoot
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Political

Science
Word Political Science:-
• Derived from the Greek word ‘Polis’ means ‘City-State’
• A city-state, or polis, was the community structure of ancient Greece.
• Each city-state was organized with an urban center and the surrounding countryside.
Characteristics of the city in a polis were outer walls for protection, as well as a public space that
included temples and government buildings.

• Greeks were the first people to live in the ‘City States’


• Socrates born in Athens, Greece
• Aristotle Father of the Political Science born in Stagira, Greece (book Politics)
• Plato in Athens, Greece
Politics
• Politics is an activity, an event, a process or a conflict or struggle
among groups of people
• For instance, in a family, a classroom, college etc.
• An occupation or public career
• A systematic study and theory or philosophy of political activities,
struggles or conflicts etc.
• Politics is a struggle or confrontation between two or more parties or
persons with a view to control the government so that one of them
may impose his decision or policy on the other by means of
governmental power and authority.
Significance
• Man is social animal (Aristotle)
• Owing to many needs like food, shelter, warmth, defense he need to interact
with others
• So, he need to work, Cooperate, compete to satisfy his needs.
• Sometimes he may even come to conflict.
• So, to settle the disputes, he needs to interact with others. Because if these
conflicts are not tackled properly, disputes, anarchy, and misery and poverty
would continue and there would be an end of social life.
• So, political science as a subject organize the human activities, and human
society. It tells us about our rights and obligations, society, state,
government and its institutions. So that the human life may become better,
peaceful, and happier.
• Political science is the study of such politically organized society, political
systems, political processes and state.
Definition
• Dr. Stephen Leacock, ‘political science deals with the government’
• Professor G.W Garner says, ‘Political Science begins and end with the
state’
• Paul Jane, ‘Political Science is that part of social sciences which treats
the foundation of state and principles of government’
• Swiss writer Bluntschli, defines political science as the science which
is concerned with the state and endeavors to understand and
comprehend the state in its fundamental condition, in its essential
nature, its various forms of manifestations and its development.
• G.E.G Catlin approached the study of Political science from the
standpoint of power, ‘All the politics is by nature power politics’
• Harold D. Lasswell defines the political science is primarily concerned
with, “Who gets what, when and how?”
• He also defines political science as an empirical discipline, as the ‘study of
shaping and sharing power’
• Political Science is systematic study of state or government, which is a
power structure, making authoritative decisions and allocating resources
and values for the internal security and development of external defense.
Why is there politics at all?
Can't we have a society without politics?
Answer:
No, its not possible because;
1. Material needs and wants of human beings are unlimited whereas
the resources are limited. So, there should be an authority which could
make authoritative allocations to the persons or classes/groups.
2. There are differences of opinions, believes, religions, culture, color,
sex, class, castes, clans, ideologies, way of living lives etc. So, some
people want to impose their ideas and ideologies over others while
others oppose them. Hence, arises a conflict and need for a government
to settle it.
3. Some persons or people want to establish what they call an ideal
society or state, while others oppose the very concept of the ideal
society or state, or the methods of establishing them.
4. In international life and relations, disputes may arise between two or
more governments, states or nations over territories or for the purposes
of domination and exploitation or for war or for relations of peaceful
cooperation.

• So, the politics is the mean or the art of influencing, manipulating


or controlling the people by controlling the government.
Two Levels of Politics
A French Political scientist, Maurice Duverger, in his book: The idea of
Politics suggests that the study of politics should be undertaken at two levels
1. Micro Politics
2. Macro Politics
At micro level political study deals with the relations of an individual with
the other individuals in such political activities as elections, voting, party
meetings, committee work etc. (family, school, club, tribes, student
community, trade unions etc.)
At macro political level Maurice Duverger writes, that direct contact does not
exist or is replaced by the indirect contact between intermediaries by
administrative relationships. (National/Country-wide, industrial or labor
organizations, corporations, multinational companies, theoretical contacts,
minister’s handshake and television appearance of the head of state)
• However, there is not a hard demarcation between micro and
macro politics
• They affect each other.
• In fact, micro political today may become macropolitical
tomorrow
• History reveals that revolts and revolutions began as micro
political activities of small group of rebels or revolutionaries.
• Macro politics is also affected by the nature and quality of
micro politics. It is a well-known principle of the political
science that strength and stability of a state very much
depends upon the vitality of its local government bodies.
STATE

Elements Nature
Types

territory Secular
Unitary
sovereignty
Federal Theocratic
Population
Moderate
confederation
government

Democracy
Monarchy
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
Despotism
Theocracy
Ideologies

Capitalism Communism Socialism

Fascism Totalitarianism
Concepts

Liberty

Rights Equality Law

Duties
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