7/8/2017
Easton's Model and It’s Feedback
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Easton’s Model and It’s Feedback
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Easton’s Model in Politics:
Why General?
David Easton’s theory is popularly known as General Systems Theory and here
the very word general is used in the following senses:
In the
rst place, it is general in the sense that Easton has outright rejected the
idea that a separate political theory can be constructed for national politics and
another for international politics, or it is useless to construct each theory for each
national politics or state.
He rather believes that there shall be a “Uni ed theory of Politics” for all nationstates which will explain their political systems. Easton launches this idea on the
ground that before him the traditional political scientists dealt each state politics
separately and this approach created confusion in the minds of students as well
as researchers.
In the second place, Easton wanted to devise a system of analysis which will
embrace all the general problems which are found in all the political systems or
in the politics of all states or most of the states. Here the two words “general”
and “problems” are quite signi cant.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Easton conducted a thorough research about the existing state of political science
and this enabled him to arrive at the conclusion that in all developed, developing
and under-developed political systems there are some common problems such as
sharing of power among the elites, separation of power, state activities etc.
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These problems are found in di erent shapes and dimensions in di erent
systems but the fact is that problems exist. So Easton believes that there shall be
a general theory which will be capable of analysing all the issues. Easton has
found that some political systems have survived while others have not.
There are some typical problems for a particular type of government in some
states while the same type of government works satisfactorily in other countries.
In order to analyse the nature of these peculiar issues and problems it is
necessary to build up a general theory and the existing partial theories will have
no use. Again, the amalgamation of all partial theories will not serve our purpose.
So it is a great necessity to build up a general theory for all political systems.
In one of his works Easton says “The main objective of the general theory is to
establish criteria for identifying the important variables requiring investigation
in all political systems”. This particular approach to political studies has opened
to us a new horizon of political science. It is no longer con ned to the study of
institutions such as political parties, legislature, executive and judiciary etc.
What is Systems Analysis?
In the opinion of Easton political science is faced with two main problems—
concrete and theoretical. For a comprehensive, balanced and realistic political
analysis it is necessary that the concrete and theoretical aspects or characteristics
should be clubbed together. This objective can be achieved with the help of an
analysis which is called systems analysis.
Let us de ne it after Easton: “Systems analysis is a theoretical approach that in
its general orientation tends to facilitate research about practical social issues. In
e ect, this mode of analysis interprets political systems as a major social
arrangement for engaging in collective action”.
The following are the most important points of Easton’s de nition:
It is a general orientation and facilitates research which the traditional approach
failed to do. The systems analysis is again a social arrangement.
Political system is viewed as a purposefully organised form of behaviour. Easton
has observed that number of political systems have survived in the face of crises
and stresses. This is, due to the self-regulatory mechanism of the political
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system. The survival of the political system has been termed by Easton as
persistence.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
It means that various problems and crises cannot destroy the political system. It
has the power to resist the crises. In a political system there are institutions or
mechanisms which select, reject or sort out the problems and
nally make the
facts and issues suitable for the system. This system or method can be compared
with a sieve. The function of a sieve is to remove the obnoxious or undesirable
elements and separate the desirable ones.
It is the duty of the political scientists not only to select the issues and problems
but also to analyse them in the proper perspective. Here two things are essential.
One is to collect data and facts which are called empirical way. In other words, in
the systems analysis empirical method is a must. Another step is to go into the
depth of the problem and to analyse it properly.
Easton says: “because the raw materials upon which political systems works
consists of social problems, system analysis has had to be problems oriented in
its approach”. What is implicit Easton’s observation is that it is the primary duty
of political scientists to adopt utmost caution in respect of the selection of issues
and problems.
The concluding words of Easton about the systems analysis should act as an eyeopener for us. He says: “a system analytic approach alerts us to search for an
understanding of how it comes about that what later turn out to be critical needs
for a society are not, in fact, even formulated as demands or if they are they
never manage to reach the stage of viable political issues”.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
What Easton says here is that “a systems analysis helps us to
nd out the
problems and guides us to properly analyse them. Systems analysis suggests that
we need to interpret outputs as a gigantic conversion process whereby demands
are or are not transformed into issues”.
A Self-Regulatory System:
A crucial part of Easton’s general systems analysis is that political system is a
self-regulatory system. He believes that political system is surrounded by an
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environment into which there are number of systems such as economic systems,
social system, cultural system etc. Again, within the environment there are other
elements.
All the systems as well as elements of the environment react upon the political
system and this, in turn, reacts to it. In other words, a political system is neither
sterile nor neutral to any move or action. As soon as a move or action reaches the
domain of the political system it immediately or at a convenient time responds to
that action. But this action or reaction does not stop; rather it is a continuous
process.
One thing is to be noted here. When outside forces enter into the domain of
political system they may disrupt the normal functioning of political system or
simply disturb it. Question is: does the political system stop its function or does it
collapse? Easton and his followers have maintained that because of the onslaught
of the forces coming from the environment or other systems, political system
does not collapse.
Easton has discovered it from his study of di erent political systems and a
comparative analysis. If the outside forces could destroy the political systems it
could not survive at all. But reality teaches us that political systems have survived
and will continue to survive. Easton calls it persistence and it is known to the
readers as persistence theory or concept. The introduction of the self-regulatory
mechanism constitutes a vital aspect of systems analysis.
Why does a political theory survive? Easton’s categorical reply—and the same
corroborated by others—is that every political system is endowed with certain
self- regulatory mechanisms whose function is to combat the forces about to
adversely a ect the political system or to disturb the normal functioning of the
system. No political system is free from stress and strain emanating from other
systems or environment.
But this self-regulatory mechanism succeeds in keeping the political system
una ected. Or, if it is at all a ected, it makes no harm to the political system.
The self-regulatory mechanism exposes once again the interdependence of
systems and sub-system.
It is not correct to hold the view that a political system always
ghts the outside
forces. Political system has the ability to adopt the issues or stresses and strains.
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In other words, political system makes all sorts of compromises with them and
nally they are assimilated with the political system.
This quality of adaptation or assimilation is a unique feature of political system.
The survival of political system is the consequence of double action—it combats
and it adapts. Even if everything changes system survives. By assimilating other
features political system enriches itself and at the same time it also contributes
to the development of other systems. This is called give and take policy.
While explaining the self-regulatory character of political system Davies and
Lewis have shed light still on another aspect of General Systems Theory. They
have said that being in uenced by the forces of other systems or any element of
the environment the political system can remodel its own structure or change its
process. Even, it can reorient its functions to suit the needs required by the
forces.
In the re-modeling of structure or reorienting of processes there is an important
contribution of communication which should not escape our attention. There is a
constant in ow or out ow of information to the political system or out of the
political system. This is the communication network. The information is
communicated by the agencies which are quite active within the system. This is
the communication theory elaborated and popularised by Karl Deutsch.
The communication is so important that if its network fails to communicate
necessary information emanating from other systems or to send any information
arising from the system (political) itself then it will not be possible for the
system to respond and, in that case, it will be in a stationary position. In other
words, the political system will not be embraced by any change.
The self-regulatory mechanism also highlights a quite di erent concept which is
popularly termed as social change. Thus self-regulatory mechanism is an
interesting and complicated concept. It has been asserted that self-regulatory
mechanism, communication network and general system theory all are allied
concepts.
An Open System:
Since political system is intimately related with the environment and other social
systems it is not dissociated from them. In other words, according to Easton,
political system is not a closed system but an open system. It is due to the fact
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that political system responds both negatively and positively to the outward
in uences. These may cause from environment or other systems.
This receptiveness makes it an open system. Easton has borrowed the openness
of political system from physics. “From the standpoint of physics” says
Bertallanfy “the characteristic state in which we
nd the living organism can be
de ned by stating that it is not a closed system with respect to its surroundings
but an open system which continuously gives up matter to the outer world and
takes in matter from it but which maintains itself in this continuous exchange in
a steady state or approaches such a steady state in its variations in time”.
The openness of political system can aptly be compared with a living organism
which states that all the parts of animal and human body are closely related with
each other. Similarly, though political system is a distinct system and has its own
boundary it cannot remain aloof from other systems.
The decision of the authority which belongs to the political system invariably
a ects other social systems and vice versa. The decision of the political authority
in regard to religious and economic matters a ects the economic or social system
and these two systems respond to the decisions of the political authority.
Again, if any pressure group takes any decision relating to social or political
issues the authority of the political system will express its reaction. It is quite
unfortunate that political scientists of the traditional age ignored this.
The openness of political system simultaneously makes it an interdependent
system. It denotes that political system cannot work, survive and thrive being
divorced from other systems and also from the environment. There is a policy of
give and take. “By interdependence we mean” observes Almond, “that a change
in one subset of interactions produces changes in all the other subsets”.
Almond cites few examples to explain the term interdependence. He says that the
rise of pressure group creates an impact on the party system, executives,
legislative and other aspects of state administration. Government’s positive steps
to disprove the material condition of the backward classes have changed the
entire political scenario of backward areas and their inhabitants. They are also
including themselves into the mainstream of population.
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In this way changes in society are taking place. The action of the political system
is political no doubt but the reaction has wide rami cation. It may be noted here
that in the traditional approach to the study of politics there was no place of
openness. Political science was treated as a closed system which indicates that
political system neither in uences other systems nor is in uenced by others.
Equilibrium and Systems Theory:
If we observe meticulously the various aspects of Easton’s general systems theory
it will be obvious to us that all the elements/properties/aspects of general
systems theory are interlinked and one such concept is equilibrium. The concept
has substantial relevance in mechanics and economics.
But Easton, borrowing it from these subjects, applies it to the study of general
system theory. The biologists also use the term. Di erent parts of human and
animal bodies discharge their duties systematically and this leads to an
equilibrium position. If any part or sub-organ faults that will create a disruption
in the entire system.
In political system equilibrium regularly occurs. Easton o ers us the following
interpretation of the concept. In his opinion two ideas are associated with it. One
is “all the elements or variables in a political system are functionally
interdependent”. There is another idea.
The elements/variables act and react with each other and this continues until all
of them or many of them reach a state/ position of stability. This equilibrium
position has also been called a steady state. Both equilibrium and steady state
denote same idea. The action and reaction of the variables/elements after some
time reach a stage when both action and reaction stop further movement.
But this halt or steady state/equilibrium is not permanent. With the arrival of
new forces the steady state changes and they move new stage or position. This
instability is caused by the fact that since political system is an open system it
cannot remain indi erent to the action of new elements. Its chief property is to
react. It is, therefore, obvious that action and reaction, movement and response
all are the properties of equilibrium.
According to Easton, action, reaction, equilibrium, disequilibrium all are the
salient features of a pluralistic society. In such a society there exists number of
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interest groups, pressure groups, political parties, domestic and international
pressures, and di erent organs of government.
Their existence is not of prime importance, the important fact is that all of them
function with maximum freedom like the various systems, groups, parties,
organisations, all are interdependent. The general tendency of any pluralistic
society is to act and react and at the same time to arrive at a compromise
—”Society consists of multiplicity of groups which are always jostling one
another to establish a balance or adjustment”.
The elements of political system are so alert that if they fail to reach an
adjustment or compromise that will cause harm to the political system. The
absence of equilibrium or the existence of disequilibrium means instability of the
political system and this instability will invite enemies of the political system to
interfere.
Thus, two opposite tendencies simultaneously work in the political system. The
elements jostle or
ght or act and react among themselves and, at the same time,
they do not forget to reach a compromise which is called steady state or
equilibrium. The clandestine motive was to counteract the advent of Marxism.
Input-Output Concept and the System Theory:
In the analysis of general systems theory a crucial section is input-output
concept and Easton is the champion of this analysis. Davies and Lewis in their
Models of Political Systems has defend inputs in the following language: “Inputs
can be de ned brie y as constituted by the demands made upon the political
system and the supports of the system itself”.
Here the two emphasised words are required to be explained. Demands are
generally made by the public or by the organisation and groups or parties on
behalf of the general public. Demands include higher wages, better health care,
more facilities for education, improved infrastructure etc. These demands are
generally placed by the public or organisations before the authority of the
political system. On the inputs side there are also supports from the system.
Sometimes it is found that the authority supports the demands made by the
public and this support strengthens the cause of the demands as well as the
demands and in that case the authority adopts measures for the ful llment of the
demands.
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The functioning of the political system reveals that a gap crops up between the
rise of the demands and their ful llment. This is occasioned by the fact that
communicating the demand to the authority takes time and even for the
ful llment of demand intervention of authority is necessary which is limited by
several factors.
Outputs are another aspect of the political system. The fact is that when the
authority
nds that demands raised by the people are legitimate and are to be
met then the authority takes measures and adopts policy. We call these measures
and policies as the results of the demands and supports.
In Eastonian term we call them outputs. In economics, outputs are the products.
A manufacturer employs raw materials, labour etc. to produce commodities. With
the help of the factors of production the producer produces something and it is
called output.
Easton attaches maximum importance to the input-output analysis and in his
opinion it is a mechanism that deals with the decisions and activities connected
with the decisions. In our experience we generally come across that in every
political system except the autocratic ones general public frequently make
demands to the authority and it is so much common that no political system can
be imagined without demands and authority’s initiative or eagerness to meet the
demands.
So the input-output mechanism is at the core place of political system. It is a part
of the general systems analysis because very often people make demands being
in uenced by the elements of other systems or the elements may come from the
environment. In a closed system there may arise demands and also the supports.
But this happens in a limited sense or scale. Since the political system is open the
impact of the other systems is profound and di erent factors make the system
lively.
Classification of Demands and Supports:
Easton’s article—An Approach to the Analysis of Political System was published
in the April issue of 1957 of World Politics. In this article he has classi ed the
demands and supports. First we shall classify demands following Easton.
Demands for allocation of goods and services, educational opportunities and
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recreational facilities, demand for better transport system etc. Secondly,
demands for the regulation of behaviour.
These demands include safety and security of the citizen, change of the marriage
system or its regulation, improvement of health and sanitation. Thirdly,
sometimes people may demand for better/wider participation in the a airs of the
state.
Many people demand that their names are to be included in the voters’ list.
People also demand change in election system. Fourthly, many citizens demand
more information from the authority—information relating to the management
of state a airs, information regarding foreign a airs such as treaty agreement
etc.
Supports are of various types. Some are:
(a) Citizens support the political system by paying taxes,
(b) They obey the law.
(c) They may prevent other persons from disobeying law.
(d) Voluntary participation in various a airs of the state,
(e) They lend support to government in the adoption and implementation of
policies and schemes.
(f) If some people place illegitimate and unreasonable demand rational section of
the society opposes it and argues on behalf of the state authority that irrational
demands should not be met.
Outputs:
Demands are the sources of outputs. There is a chain of action and reaction. In
any democratic country people
rst of all place certain demands or claims before
the government and in response to those demands authority takes action. The
action may be positive or negative.
Several possibilities may occur:
(1) Authority accepts the demand and consequent upon it adopts certain
decisions. This is a very common procedure.
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(2) If the authority thinks that the demand is unreasonable and irrational and
un t for acceptance then it is summarily rejected. This is also a common picture.
(3) The authority neither implements the demand nor rejects it. It simply keeps
in abeyance.
(4) It may also happen that in the judgment of authority the demand is quite
reasonable but it is, for the moment, not possible to meet the demand. In that
case the authority promises to consider the demand favourably.
(5) The authority may take political move. In order to counteract the demand
made by certain people the authority employs its own supporters to propagate
against the demand. Whatever may be the type or nature of response in all cases
the action of the government can be called output. If we study Easton’s analysis,
we shall
nd that the conversion process of demand into output is really a
complex one. The process is linked with many outside and inside factors.
Feedback:
Definition of Feedback:
C. O. D. de nes feedback as information given in response to a product, a
person’s performance of a task etc. used as a basis for improvement. The
modi cation or control of a process or system by its results or e ects. The return
of a fraction of the output for an ampli er. These are the several meanings of
feedback. Precisely speaking, the feedback is the interconnection of input and
output terminals.
The concept is used in electrical engineering to denote the transfer of energy
from the output of an electric network to its input. So we can call feedback a
process of conversion in which input is converted into output and again output
acts as input, which is, again, turned into output. In this way the process
continues. By the deliberate action of political authority the demands and the
supports ultimately create outputs or the decisions of the authority. In political
system the conversion mechanism is not so easy.
The demands and the supports for the demands, passing through a round-about
process, are converted into the decisions. The process is complicated because
many factors sometimes interfere with the feedback or conversion process.
Again, in the process the communication network has a role to play.
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This is the feedback mechanism and it was
rst employed by Easton to explain
how the political system is in uenced by outside elements and again the latter
also in uences the former. By introducing the feedback Easton attempts to
highlight the functioning of the political system.
Nature of Feedback:
Mention has been made that feedback is a very complex process. The conversion
of demands into decision does not take place easily. It takes time. Moreover, the
authority of the political system may not be willing to take quick action to satisfy
the demands. Even the decision may not satisfy the common people.
There are other aspects of the conversion process. It is to some extent
mechanical. In any pluralistic society it is a very common feature that people will
have grievances which sometimes assume the character of demands and they or
their elected representatives convey them to the government and, in turn, the
authority takes action.
There is no novelty or exceptionality in this process and most probably because of
this feedback is called mechanical. It is a fact that not all demands are met and
nobody expects the hundred percent satisfactions of the demands. This happens
everywhere. The agitators or people demand in excess of their necessity and the
political system takes action in accordance with its ability.
The initiators of the feedback system have dynamited the concept. In all
democratic structures demands are very frequently raised and the government
keeps itself alert about the demands. The fact is that no responsible and
democratic government can maintain silence in the face of the piling up of
demands.
Since there is a perennial in ow of forces and elements into the political system
(and these are coming from other systems) reaction to all these is also taking
place. The system never faces any stagnation and in that sense dynamism
nds a
niche in the political system. We can reasonably say action and reaction, in ow
and out ow, openness of the political system all these have introduced
dynamism into political system.
Feedback can be called a link-link between conversion of input into output and
vice-versa on the one hand and the environment on the other hand. The feedback
process links other systems and environment with the political system. We can
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also say that it is the feedback which keeps the political system in working
condition. In that sense the feedback is a useful technique or mechanism.
Easton’s feedback mechanism is political in nature while that of physics is not. It
is political because political actions play a vital role in all the stages of the
process. Parties, pressure groups and political leaders raise the demands and
exert pressure upon the authority to take action in regard to the ful llment of
demands.
They do not do it not because of their philanthropic nature but for their own
interest. They want to serve political purposes, to win elections. The concept of
feedback mechanism is relevant only in democratic set up because in autocracy
the organisations hardly enjoy any freedom to raise demands and people cannot
organise agitations in support of demands.
Concept of Stress:
Easton has said that political system is an open system and because of this it is
always subject to stresses coming from the environment. Political system applies
its mechanism, ability or political manoeuvering to cope with the stress.
Few considerations are to be looked into:
(1) The political system can ignore the stress or the forces that have come from
the environment.
(2) It can keep them in abeyance for an inde nite period of time and can take no
action at all.
(3) The political system can challenge the stresses or demands and say that it will
not take any action to ful ll the demands.
(4) The authority of the political system can say that the government will launch
a political
ght at the political level against the stress.
But a negative step adopted by the political system will invariably aggravate the
situation and threaten the very persistence or stability of the political system.
Hence the only alternative is that the system must respond positively to the
stress and this course of action will help the stabilisation of the political system.
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It is generally observed that the political systems of the Third World are subject
to various stresses and day by day these multiply. It is due to the presence of
many factors the main being the inability of the government to meet the
demands.
Easton says that there are two kinds of stresses. One is demand stress and the
other is support stress. In the opinion of Davies and Lewis’ “Demand stress may
result from the failure of the system to cope successfully with information
feedback from its original output”.
The political system may not be in a position to keep itself abreast of the
information feedback. The feedback is really a complex process and the structure
of the political system is not capable of coping with it. Easton has also said that
the type of demand is such that it is not possible for the system to meet it
without any delay. Or it may be that it is beyond the capacity of the system to
meet demands. It is called “demand input overload”.
The support stress can be explained in the following way:
“All political systems are subject to support stress at sometime; by which is
meant that the system may su er a loss or at least an erosion, of the support
given to it by the members of the system. This may result from cleavages among
members within the system”.
If the political system su ers from cleavages or disintegrative force, the support
stress may not be helpful for the existence of political system. The supports of
the political system shall be helpful if there are structural bases in the political
system which means that there shall be institutional supports such as electoral
arrangements, party system, groups and their activities, sympathetic attitude of
organisations, the loyalty of the people and the party. A very good and cordial
relationship shall exist between the authority and the people.
Evaluation:
1. Easton’s systems analysis has been evaluated from a number of angles. In the
rst place, Easton’s model is treated as a technique of social change and
introduces dynamism into the political system. The elements or forces come from
other systems or from environment and all these profoundly in uence the
political system which the system cannot overlook or
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If so, the demands or stresses force the system to act accordingly and this
nally
uproot the traditional structure or existing set up and a new one is introduced. In
this way social change takes place. Dynamism also
nds a convenient position in
the political system. The entire structure appears to be dynamised.
2. Easton’s model helps us to understand how a political system persists or
maintains itself in the face of stresses that originate in other systems or
environment as a whole. He says that every political system has self-regulatory
mechanism and adaptive capacity. The forces may threaten a political system and
the self-regulatory mechanism can combat those anti-system forces or
unreasonable demands.
It is also found that political system has adaptive capability. Exogenous forces are
assimilated with the political system and after some time these lose their
separate identity. The case of Indian history and culture may be cited. Many
foreign cultures and civilisations have come to India and in course of time they
were mixed with Indian culture and Civilisation making all of them into one.
Similarly, no political system can be called absolutely pure. With the passage of
time many external forces in uence a system and slowly but steadily they form a
single system. The formation of new culture or tradition through the assimilation
of di erent cultures and tradition is not new. But how it works in a political
system that we come to know from the Eastonian paradigm enshrined in a
general systems analysis. It is no doubt a great achievement of Easton.
3. Easton’s
rst book, The Political System was published in 1953 and his
fth
book, The Analysis of Political Structure was published in 1990. In-between two
books he also wrote three other books which deal in a greater detail various
aspects of systems analysis. He in all these books not only introduced empiricism
but also a conceptual vocabulary. Gabriel Almond in an article.
“The Political System and Comparative Politics make the following observation:
The Analysis of Political Structure (1990) has involved the (1) elaboration and
testing of a framework for the logical ordering of empirical political theories and
the formulation of conceptual vocabulary that might serve to unify political
study”. By propounding the general system theory Easton has succeeded in
building up a “coherent theoretical scheme” which was absent in the traditional
political theory. This has raised the prestige and viability of political theory.
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4. Gabriel Almond’s structural functionalism is also indebted to Easton’s systems
analysis. He has unequivocally expressed his indebtedness in the following
words: “The dynamic, interactive, input output model presented by Easton in
1957 enabled me to explicate the functional categories that have played such an
important part in my work and to impute meaning to them by arranging them
according to the systemic scheme”.
5. Easton’s systems analysis is a landmark contribution to the comparative
politics and Gabriel Almond has acknowledged it. Almond is a pioneer in the
comparative political analysis. Easton’s conceptual framework has stupendously
facilitated the comparative politics.
With the help of concepts devised by Easton it becomes now easy to go through
the political system of developed, developing and underdeveloped political
systems. In fact, before Easton political scientists did not think it prudent to shed
light on the comparative aspects of political systems.
6. Eugene Meehan (Contemporary Political Thought: A Critical Survey) says;
“Like Parsons Easton does not think of a theory in term of the creation of
conceptual framework. The result is a highly abstract structure that is logically
suspect, conceptually fuzzy and empirically almost useless. Easton’s political
system turns out to be an abstraction whose relation to empirical politics is
virtually impossible to establish.
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The promise of conceptual framework with high empirical relevance simply has
not been ful lled”. Meehan vehemently opposes empirically based political
theory. In his judgment empirical data and facts cannot say everything in details
and cannot enlighten the exact nature of political phenomena.
7. Some critics are of opinion that Easton has not given proper importance to
individuals who, in reality, constitute the political system. He has proposed that
only the behaviour in relation to politics is to be judged and analysed. But the
opinion or judgment of the individual is in uenced by many factors and it is
unfortunate that he has not brought them under active consideration.
It is a great shortcoming of his empirically based political system. Let us clarify
the points. The behaviour and attitude of persons are in uenced by variety of
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Easton's Model and It’s Feedback
factors and any unbiased analysis of politics must account for them. It is allegedhe has failed.
8. Easton makes utmost e orts to highlight the interactions among the various
systems on the one hand and system and environment on the other hand. But he
does not utter a single word about the impact upon the individuals. For a proper
and balanced analysis it is essential that the impact of individual behaviour upon
the functioning of system as well as the impact of system and environment are to
be adequately assessed.
9. Though there are several criticisms against Easton’s systems analysis and
though the validity of these criticisms cannot be denied, it is a fact Easton’s
model is an eye opener to an approach to study political science in the
perspective of whole environment, various systems and interactions among
them.
This particular aspect has been brought to us by Easton. His credit also lies in the
fact that most probably he is the
rst man to treat political system as an open
system. In this connection we wish to remember the glowing tribute of Wasby to
David Easton.
He says:
“The political system idea serves to keep us attuned to the broad implications of
political acts and institutions, and to the inter-relatedness of events rather than
to their idiosyncratic or particularistic aspects. Until the system approach was
developed political scientists studying one area of politics or government had no
way in which to place in context the phenomena they were studying or to relate
institutions to each other systematically.”
Wasby further observes that the general systems analysis encourages the political
scientists to study the subject in broader perspective. We
rmly believe that the
systems analysis is the proper approach to study political science.
10. Even his critics admit that his is a comprehensive approach to the study of
political “science. We think that the systems analysis of political science has
raised it from a deep slumber. There is a vast and gigantic
eld of research for
political science and following the footsteps of Easton the political scientists can
activate their energy to rejuvenate the research.
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Easton's Model and It’s Feedback
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