Intro to Political Science & Texas Government
I.
II.
III.
Political Science is an academic and research discipline and is the study of theory and
practice of politics and includes a description and analysis of: political systems & political
behavior.
A. What is meant by academic and research?
B. What is meant by theory and practice?
C. What is meant by description and analysis?
D. What are political systems?
E. What is political behavior?
F. In other words, politics is the study of who gets what and how.
Politics
A. Political scientists have defined politics differently over the years
1. Harold Laswell – Who Gets what, when, and how.
2. David Easton – the authoritative allocation of resources
B. No matter what the definition, politics encompasses the following
1. Finite Resources
2. People or Animals
3. Authority / Power
4. Values
5. Conflict
6. Decisions
7. Compromise
Government – organization extending to entire society that can legitimately use force to
carry out its decisions. Government includes:
 Defined territory
 People
 Institutions & Procedures
A. What does Government do?
1. Protect National Security & Sovereignty
2. Provide Order & Stability
3. Maintain a legal system
4. Provide Goods & Services
5. Taxation
6. Socialization
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