Politics is commonly defined as the process that determines the distribution of power and resources. It
also refers to the theory and practice of how people influence others in making decisions and carrying
out projects or programs. Politics, as defined within political science, refers to human behavior with
regard to matters related to government activities such as the formulation and execution of policies,
creation of laws, selection of government officials; negotiations with foreign governments and other
entities or organizations; protection of territorial boundaries; preservation of cultural heritage and
tradition; and upholding the public interest and welfare. Politics is often associated with the concept of
power and the exercise of legitimate authority in a state.
Political Science is a branch of the social sciences that deals with the study of politics. It deals with
systems of government and the analysis of political activity, political behavior, and political theories and
practices. As a social science, political science follows scientific methodology in the investigation and
study of human behavior in relation to political activities and developments. It draws upon the fields of
economics, law, sociology, history, anthropology, public administration, public policy, national politics,
international relations, comparative politics, psychology, political organization and political theory.
Political Science studies the allocation and transfer of power in decision making; the roles and systems
of governance including governments and international organizations; political behavior and public
policies.
Political Scientist >people who devote their academic careers to the study of Political Science
>they are engaged in analyzing the relationships underlying political events and conditions >They also
attempt to formulate general principles about the way the world of politics works>utilize a wide variety
of frameworks to understand social behavior
These conceptual frameworks include positivism, interpretivism, rational choice theory, behavioralism,
structuralism, post-structuralism, realism, and pluralism.
Normative Theses>or ideal descriptions of political situations, int heir analysis of politics
Positive Theses>which describe political situations as they are, as well as specific policy
recommendations.
Field of Study and Branches of Political Science
Political Theory-is concerned with the study of the ideas and contributions of classical thinkers such as
Chanakya, Aristotle, Niccolo Machiavelli, Cicero, Plato and many others.
Comparative Politics- compares and analyzes the various types of constitutions, political actors,
legislature and associated fields among countries, as well as within a single country over a period of
time.
Public administration-is the study of the implementation of government policy and public service.
International relations-deals with the political-economic interaction between nation-states as well as
intergovernmental and transnational organizations.
Public law-is a field of law that studies the relationship between the government and citizens.
Political Methodology-is the branch of political science that uses quantitative methods to describe and
define political phenomena.
Key Concepts in Political Science
State>is defined as an organized political community living under a government. It is composed of the
following elements: population, territory, government, and sovereignty.
Population refers to the people that compose the state, while territory refers to the place where the
people that compose the state are located, and includes the land, natural resources and air space
located within it.
Government>is the system that administers or controls the state, and is the instrument through which
the will of the state is made known and implemented.
Sovereignty refers to the ability of the state to govern itself without outside influence and interference.
Legitimacy is the right of the government to exercise power and authority, and also refers to the
recognition given to a state by foreign governments and international organizations.
Governance refers to all actions and activities related to governing. It is defined by the interaction and
decision-making among policy-makers, public officials, and citizens involved in addressing collective
problems.
Ideology is a set of ideas and beliefs that define the views and actions of individuals, groups, and
institutions. Political ideology, meanwhile, refers to the principles and theories that the government
follows or carries out. These political theories are adopted by government and applied to state
activities, political conditions and developments. Democracy itself has emerged as an ideology and has
been defined and discussed in modern studies and theories on the conduct and development of state
functions, government policies, and governance.
The development of Political Science
Politics in Greco-Roman Times
-political science was established as a formal discipline in the 19th century
-Plato and Aristotle>fundamental concepts
>discussed various political concepts such as government, leadership, and citizenship
PLATO>”The REPUBLIC and The Laws focused on political analysis and theories relating to governance
Aristotle>The Politics and Nicomachean Ethics dealt with politics and the history of Greek statesmanship
and citizenship.
Greeks’ concept of democracy, as well as their varied thoughts on politics, was a unique and significant
intellectual development in the ancient world.
Medieval and Renaissance Political Thought
The decline of the Roman Empire was characterized by the emergence of monarchies and tyrannies.
The end of the Roman period gave way to Medieval times and the rise of powerful feudal nobles. St.
Augustine of Hippo was recognized for his writings such as City of God, which was a philosophical
criticism of the political corruption that characterized the latter part of the Roman Empire. St.
Augustine’s books also analyzed the social causes of Rome’s decline and why it became prone to attacks
by Germanic tribes. During the High Middle Ages, St. Thomas Aquina’s writings on ethics were inspired
by Aristotle’s works. Meanwhile, during the reign of the Abbasid Caliphate, the Arab scholar Averroes
wrote a very rich commentary on Plato’s The Republic.
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam and Ferdowsi’s Epic of Kings>served as analyses of political structures and
developments in the Islamic civilization
In Renaissance Europe, the study of political behavior was revived as feudalism declined and political
systems gave way to the rise of the middle classes and stronger monarchies.
Important thinkers during this period include Niccolo Michiavelli who advocated radical pragmatism and
analyzed the behavior of princes and rulers in Europe in his book, The Prince
The English philosopher Thomas More, meanwhile, advocated a moral and ethical ideal state in his book
Utopia.
The Age of Enlightenment up to the 19th century
>The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were the golden age of political enlightenment.
>this period was defined by the works and contributions of philosophers such as Denis Diderot, John
Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, and Voltaire.
>philosophers advocated the need for a strong government that will impose law and order and protect
the rights and privileges of people
>Locke was a strong proponent of Natural Law, which promoted the idea that each individual person
possesses inalienable rights that cannot be violated by the state.
>Rousseau proposed the concept of Social Contract, which limited the powers of the king and made the
government answerable to the people
>Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson contributed much to the development
of American Republicanism and democracy>But despite the long history of political thought and the
varied and significant contributions of philosophers, theorists, and writers, the study of politics was still
considered an offshoot of philosophy>It was only in the late nineteenth century that political science
was established as a formal academic discipline within the social sciences.>This development was
brought about in American universities such as Johns Hopkins University, Columbia, and its journal, the
American Political Science Review, was first released in 1906.
Modern Political Science