Concept of Political Science

Political Science

A course discipline, a subject that is taught in most colleges &

universities throughout the world. It contemplates about laws for
political behavior, system,& structures & principles of the state.
It is a very broad field of study.

Under the umbrella organization of Social Science, profession of

social actions

Its curriculum is almost definite to comprise the study of law,

political theories and philosophies, foreign relations, public
administration and development studies that relate to the
politico-administrative structures of the state.

Most dynamic of all disciplines due to topics involved in its

framework of study from a basic social unit of society the
Family; to the basic political unit of government the Barangay;
to the basic particle of local government the Municipality; to
the urban political unit the City; to the largest political unit
the province; & to the most complex political organization the
Central Government, which represents the perfect body politic
the State.

Science Politique ( Political Science ) coined by Jean Bodin, French

philosopher, gave the discipline a name.

Montesquieu expounded concept to mean all functions of gov are

carried out through legislation, execution & adjudication

Operationally, Paul Janette defined it as a branch of Social

Science, which deals with the foundations of the state & the
principles of gov.

A branch of Social science, that deals w/ theory, organization,

government, & practice of State (Rodee)

Man is by nature a political animal (Aristotle)

The basic underlying substance of human existence is politics.

Man is predisposed to be involved in politics. The only way to
optimize the potentials & capabilities of an individual & to
achieve the highest form of social existence is through
interaction w/ others in a state

In its simplest term, Political Science is the systematic study of

the state & its government

Politics ( Polis - Greek word meaning city or sovereign state)

Science ( Scire - Latin word meaning to know )
Politics
- science of government & the art on practice of administering
public affairs (Blacks Law Dictionary)
- a process of making government policies. By nature, politics
everywhere involves conflict some form of struggle among people
trying to achieve different goals & satisfy opposing interests.
Conflict arises from the very nature of human life itself.
- in broadest sense, it includes the decision enforcing processes in
any group that makes & enforces rules for its members.
- is unavoidable. Man involved or will be involved in some kind of
politics (Dahl)
- every Filipino comes face to face w/ politics in almost every aspect
of life. He encounters politics in governance of country, in
communities (LGUs); in school, church, in business establishment,
labor union, socio-civic org. & a host of other orgs., a myriad of
situations. He may choose to ignore politics, but he can never
escape from its influence.
Goals of Political Science
1. Knowledge-based
provides knowledge & understanding of a gov w/ all its
component curricula like public law, political theory, public
administration, pol. philosophy, etc.
- appreciates the role of government in providing welfare of the
people, & other institutional policies directed at building a
stronger state.
- will teach the students the basic limitations of their rights and
liberties.
2. Competence-based

 primary characteristic of pol. Sc. Is to inculcate the objectives &

principles of the state that should be abided by, not only the
officials, but also the citizens
- competence of the discipline integrates purpose & operations of
gov machineries in order to attain the common good.
- scope includes a wide array of learning the fundamental &
other laws of the land, public administration, political theory,
development studies, & foreign relations
3. Skill-based
prepares the students for future career path, be it in legal
profession, government service, politics, academe, etc. The test
of Pol. Sc. makes the citizens responsible, participative, action
oriented, law-abiding, in keeping w/ their duties as vanguards of
societies & real agents of the state.
Scope of Political Science
- no clear cut boundaries in terms of content, but there is a broad area
in the middle : politics, government, political system & power
Importance in the Study of Pol. Science
1. Education of citizens, equipping them to charge the
obligations of democratic citizenship
2. Essential part of liberal education
3. It seeks to gather knowledge & understanding of government,
how it operates, the conduct of elections, etc.
4. Enables every Filipino to discharge & exercise more
intelligently & more efficiently his duties as a citizen.
5. Useful equipment to participate effectively
Divisions of Political Science
1. Courses in Political theories
2. Courses in Descriptive & Comparative Governments
3. Courses in Public Law
4. Courses in Diplomacy & International Organizations
5. Courses in Public Administration
Different Areas Related to Political Science
Makes Pol. Sci. more meaningful & significant as it draws strength &
energy from them.
1. History oldest & most venerable, a record of what has
actually happened. An analysis of causes & factors that influence
states growth & development makes it necessary to rely on
historical facts.

2. Economics Economic conditions influence the organization,

development & activity of states, which in effect modify or
prescribe economic conditions.
- Pol. Sc. & Economics are intertwined & reinforcing
3. Geography Conditions such as location of state, population,
expansionism, sphere of influence, & natural resources are some
of the concerns.
Geopolitics a science which emphasizes that the domestic
& foreign policies of a state are dependent upon its physical
environment.
- considers the location of a state as a very important factor
in its growth, development, & survival
4. Sociology study of society viewed as an aggregate of
individuals
5. Philosophy A study of truth or principles of all knowledge.
Ethics, the branch of Philosophy that contemplates the moral
background the proposed changes in social legislation
6. Psychology science of the mind. It tries to explain why
people act, think, & feel as
they do
7. Jurisprudence science of law, is
concerned w/ analysis
of existing legal systems as well as the ethical, historical,
sociological & psychological foundations of law. Law & State are
inseparable.
8.
Statistics numerical facts about people, or business
conditions. They are collected & classified systematically
9. Logic branch of Philosophy dealing w/
principles
of
reasoning & inference.
- means of convincing or proving
Concept of State
State a community of persons more or less numerous,
permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent of
external control, and possessing an organized government to which a
great body of inhabitants render habitual obedience (James Garner)
Essential Elements of a State
1. People most essential, the indispensable element. Without
people no functionaries to govern & subjects to be governed.
2. Territory People might exist but if they do not
have a
fixed territory to live in would render useless their existence. It is
a fixed portion of the surface of the earth inhabited by people of
state.
3. Government - an agency through which the will of state of
state is formulated, expressed, & carried out.

4. Sovereignty - Supreme power of State to

command and
enforce obedience or compliance to its inhabitants.
Manifestations of Sovereignty
1. Internal - authority of state to rule within its territorial
jurisdiction.
2. External freedom from control of other states.
Nation - a community of persons bound together by common
characteristics such as race or origin, religion, language, customs and
traditions and believe that they are one & distinct from the others.
Differences Between State and Government
1. State is permanent while government is temporary
2. A State cannot exist without a government but it is possible to
have a government without a state.
3. State is an ideal concept while government is an
instrumentality of political unity.
Differences between State and Nation
1. State is a political or legal concept while nation is a racial or
ethnic concept.
2. State may comprise several nations while a nation may
occupy two or more states.
3. State must be independent while nation may or may not be
independent.
4. State presupposes the existence of government & territory
while in a Nation those are not essential.
Theories of a State
1. Divine Right theory State is a divine creation and God has
chosen his vice-regents on earth to rule it.
2. Social Contract theory- believes that the State founded by
mans covenant or contract.
3. Patriarchal theory believes that the State is a mere
expansion of family; family grew into a clan, clan into tribe, tribe
into nation and nation into State.
4. Necessity and Force theory maintains that the State is
founded because the weak seeks protection & the strong ones
protect & rule them in return.
5. Instinctive theory holds that the State is founded out of
mans instinct for
association.
6. Economic theory - believes that the State must have been
founded to take charge of mans multifarious needs.
7. Historical theory - asserts that State is a
product of human
development.

State Recognition - an act which grants to a State international status.

Family of Nations composed of European
states formed to
protect the interest common to member states.
United States of America first non-European state admitted to
Family of Nations
Turkey - first non-christian state admitted to the Family of Nations