Philippine Politics

and Governance

CHAPTER 1- The Concepts

Politics and Governance
 What is Politics?
The word politics comes from the
Greek word polis which means
city-state. In the ancient world,
city-states are small countries
regarded as centers of culture and
civilization where people interact
under a unified government. What
transpires in the polis is politics.
 What is Politics?
The origin of the word therefore
suggests that politics is a term
encompassing the totality of human
activities transpiring within the city-
state.
As it is applied now, it denotes
everything that transpires in the state as
well as among states.
 Definitions of Politics
Politics denotes a social activity. It is in
essence the interaction of individuals.
As the Greek philosopher Aristotle
explains, it is the master science
through which individuals collectively
set structure, purpose, and ideals in
their lives. Politics, therefore, does not
emerge from the activities of a single
individual but from that of many.
 Definitions of Politics
Politics is the science of government. As a
science, it is a systematic body of knowledge
(for the most part, practical) that deals with
the government and regulation, maintenance
and development, and defense and
augmentation of the state. It also deals with
the protection of the rights of its citizens,
safeguarding and enhancement of morals, and
harmony and peace of human relations.
 Definitions of Politics
Politics as the art of government. It is an
art because it involves the exercise of
control or authority within the society
through the creation and enforcement of
consensus arrived at by the leaders. It
involves the process through which the
government skillfully addresses the needs
of the society by carefully allocating
benefits, rewards, and penalties.
 Definitions of Politics
Politics is who gets what, when, and
how. The definition underscores the
reality of scarcity in the society. While
human needs and wants are so diverse
and numerous, the resources are always
limited. The struggle involved in
allocating the scarce resources, and
determining what to produce, how to
distribute, and use them is said to be
politics.
Approaches to the Study of Politics
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
-is the traditional approach in
which the primary goal is to
understand the essence or
truth about politics
-this approach aims to
establish what politics ought
to be
-as such, it is normative or
prescriptive, analytical,
speculative, and essentially
ethical.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
-is the empirical approach in
which it places little
emphasis on abstract and
normative questions
-concentrates on a
dispassionate and objective
description of the realities
of politics
-as such, it is descriptive,
empirical, objective, and it
avoids ethics.
Approaches to the Study of Politics
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY POLITICAL SCIENCE
-it is normative or -it is descriptive because
prescriptive because it it simply establishes
prescribes standards or what politics is
rules of conduct; it and not what it ought
establishes what ought to to be; it describes the
be the nature of politics political phenomenon
and not what it simply is. but does not prescribe
Socrates, Plato, and standards or rules of
Aristotle are among the conduct.
proponents of this
approach.
Approaches to the Study of Politics
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY POLITICAL SCIENCE
-it is analytical because the -it is empirical
approach is to a large extent because it studies
an examination and literary only observable
analysis of the various classic facts, and not
writings of intellectuals and abstract values and
philosophers such as concepts.
Confucius, Lao Tzu, Plato,
Aristotle, St. Augustine, St.
Thomas Aquinas, Machiavelli,
Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and
Marx, to name some.
Approaches to the Study of Politics
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY POLITICAL SCIENCE
-it is speculative because -it is objective because it
it entails abstract, adheres strictly to the
theoretical and not methods of the natural
scientific explanations of sciences; it considers only
the varied subjects of the observable
politics. (quantifiable) facts that
can be measured through
the scientific method.
Approaches to the Study of Politics
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY POLITICAL SCIENCE
-it is essentially --it avoids ethics, in
ethical because the that values are not
approach basically within its scope; only
presumes that directly observable
ethics is the facts are studied.
foundation of
politics
What is Political Science?
-it is a social discipline that
deals with systems of
government and analysis of
political activity and political
behavior
Development of Political Science
ARISTOTLE
-he wrote the first systematic
work focused on political affairs
known as the Politics that
named him the Father of
Political Science
Development of Political Science
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI
-he wrote The Prince a
handbook for rulers in the art of
government that named him
the Father of Modern Political
Science
Development of Political Science
PROF. FRANCIS LIEBER
-in contemporary time, he
wrote Manuals of Political
Ethics the first systematic
treatise on political science that
gives as a well thorough
understanding of the discipline
Development of Political Science
In the Philippines,
Department of Political Science
was established in the College
of Liberal Arts in 1915,
University of the Philippines.
Development of Political Science
TEODORO M. KALAW
-is the first Filipino student of
politics and defined political
science in his Manual Ciencia
Politica in 1918.
Development of Political Science
According to him political
science is the nature and
organization of the State, the
structure and functions of the
high branches of government,
and the theory of political and
civil liberties.
 What is Governance?
The word governance came from
the Latin verb gubernare, or more
originally from the Greek word
kubernaein, which means to steer.
Basing on its etymology, governance
refers to the manner of steering or
governing, or of directing and
controlling, a group of people or a
state.
 Definitions of Governance
Governance is commonly
defined as the exercise of
power or authority by
political leaders for the well-
being of their countrys
citizens or subjects.
 Definitions of Governance
It is the complex process
whereby some sectors of the
society wield power, and enact
and promulgate public policies
which directly affect human and
institutional interactions, and
economic and social
development.
 Definitions of Governance
The power exercised by the
participating sectors of the society
is always for the common good, as
it is essential for demanding respect
and cooperation from the citizens
and the state. As such, a great deal
about governance is the proper and
effective utilization of resources.
 Politics vis-a-vis Governance
Governance is
essentially related to
politics, in that politics is
often defined as the art
of governance.
 Politics vis-a-vis Governance
Just as politics talks about
governments, institutions,
power, order, and the ideals of
justice, governance also deals
with the public sector, power
structures, equity, and ideals
of public administration.
 Politics vis-a-vis Governance
Nevertheless, they are distinct
from each other in the sense that
politics is broader than governance.
Traditionally, the study of politics
entails the concept of the good life
and the ideal society, which are so
broad they include a web of subjects
and every possible form of
government.
 Politics vis-a-vis Governance
Traditionally, the study of
politics entails the concept of
the good life and the ideal
society, which are so broad
they include a web of subjects
and every possible form of
government.
 Politics vis-a-vis Governance
The study of governance,
on the contrary, is generally
attuned to the concept of
democracy, and on how the
government and the civil
society arrive at a decision in
meeting their needs.
 Government vis-a-vis Governance
Governance is traditionally
associated with government. In
literatures, they are often used
interchangeably. But in the 1980s,
political scientists broadened the
meaning of governance as
including, not just government
actors, but also civil-society actors.
 Government vis-a-vis Governance
Today, governance includes
three sectors: the public sector
(state actors and institutions), the
private sector (households and
companies), and the civil society
(non-governmental organizations).
These three sectors are said to
work hand in hand in the process
of governance.
 Government vis-a-vis Governance
This new use of the term
focuses on the role of networks
in the achievement of the
common good, whether these
networks are intergovernmental,
transnational, or international. In
other words governance is
broader than government in that
other sectors are included in it.
 What is Good Governance?
Is understood through its eight
indicators or characteristics: 1.
participatory, 2. rule of law, 3.
effective and efficient, 4.
transparent, 5. responsive, 6.
equitable and inclusive, 7.
consensus oriented, and
accountability.