Political Science Notes

POLITICAL SCIENCE
Definition:
- May be defined as the study of the state and government. The word political comes from the Greek word ¡°polis¡±, which means a ¡°city-state¡±, the only form of government known to the ancient Greeks. The word ¡°Ciencia¡±, meanwhile, means knowledge or study. From the word polis comes other derivatives, such as polites(citizen) and politikos (government official). Thus, in Filipino, the word politiko has come to mean a politician, or someone involved in government and politics.
Birth and Development of Political Science
Began as early as the 14th century B.C. When Aristotle wrote Politics
Aristotle became the father of political science(Man by Nature is a political Animal!)
As a branch of Modern Learning, the subject political science has undergone 3 stages of development
Religious stage
Metaphysical Stage
Modern Stage

Religious Stage


The government with its leaders and laws was considered as divine or divinely-inspired. This stage began during the prehistoric era and continued as long as the divine right of Kings.
Metaphysical Stage
The state is now considered as a human institution (no longer divine).
The state is now glorified at the expense of the individuals who comprise it and laid the foundations of modern totalitarian governments.
Modern Stage
The state is still considered as a human institution but it was deemed capable of being improved by rulers and subjects according to certain principles and laws.
Proponent of this stage is Niccolo Machiavelli (writer of THE PRINCE). – also credited as the ¡°Father of Modern Politics¡±
Scope of Political Science
Political Theory
Doctrines related to the origin, form, behaviour and purposes of the state.

Public Law
A.) Organization of the Government
B.) Limitations of Government Authority
C.) Powers and Duties of Governmental Offices/Officers
D.) Obligations of the State



Scope of Political Science
Interrelationship with other Branches of Learning
HISTORY
¡°History is past politics – Politics is present history¡±
Economics
¡°Pol. Sci. Was once paired with economics thus was called ¡®Political Economy¡¯. Economic development affect the organization, development and activities of the state.¡±
Geography
¡°Geopolitics¡±

Interrelationship with other Branches of Learning
Sociology and Anthropology
¡°Concerned with the origins and nature of social control and government authority.¡±
Psychology
¡°Promotes mental and emotional processes¡±
Philosophy
¡°The concepts of Plato, Aristotle, Locke and etc. Are underlying forces in the framing of the constitution and laws.¡±
Interrelationship with other Branches of Learning
Statistics/ Logic
¡°A political scientist must employ scientific and systematic methods in gathering and evaluating data and in drawing conclusions ¡°
Jurisprudence
¡°A branch of public law which is a concerned with the analysis of existing legal systems and also with the ethical historical, sociological, psychological foundations of law.¡±
Function and Importance of Political Science
Discover Principles that should be adhered to in public affairs and study of operations of Government
Findings and Conclusions may be of immense practical use to constitution makers.
Deals with problems of social welfare, government economic programs, international cooperation...
Goals of Political Science
Education for Citizenship
Essential Parts of Liberal Education
Knowledge and understanding of the Government
THE STATE
THE STATE
A sovereign state, commonly simply referred to as a state, is a political association with effective internal and external sovereignty over a geographic area and population which is not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. While in abstract terms a sovereign state can exist without being recognised by other sovereign states, unrecognised states will often find it difficult to exercise full treaty-making powers and engage in diplomatic relations with other sovereign states.
- wiki
THE STATE
Definition of the State:

In Political Science, the state is a group of people, permanently inhabiting a definite territory, independent from foreign rule, and having an organized government.

- Zaide
THE STATE
Definition of the State:

A community of persons more or less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portions of territory, having a government of their own to which the great body of inhabitants render obedience and enjoying freedom from external control
- De leon
Elements of the State
For the State to be recognized in the international community, it has to have all these four elements or else it will not to be a real state:

1. People
2. Territory
3. Government
4. Sovereignty
People
The people is the most important element in a nation; the spirit of the land and grain are next; the sovereign(ruler) is the least in importance
- Mencius
Without the people that comprises the state; there would be no state as such. (Antarctica; comprises 10% of the worlds area but it is not a state)
Number of People in a state may vary ( China / Vatican)
Territory
Every State must have a territory which it exercises full control. The territory may vary from a mere dot on the map to a greater part of a continent or potions of two continents.

E.g. Australia( worlds smallest continent)
Russia (largest state)
Vatican (smallest state)

Government
A state must have a machinery of political administration, which is obeyed by the people and which is able to enforce its authority.
There is no standard form of government; it may be a monarchy, republic, democratic or dictatorship
Sovereignty
Means supreme authority in internal affairs and freedom from foreign control.
2 aspects:
Internal Sovereignty which means complete authority to rule over the people inside the state
External sovereignty which is independent from foreign control.

Sovereignty
An effective Sovereignty have 3 aspects;
Permanence
Exclusive
Comprehensiveness
Origin of the State
Divine Right Theory
It holds that the state is of divine creation and the ruler is ordained by God to govern the people. Reference has been made by advocates of this theory to the laws which Moses received at Mount Sinai.
Necessity or Force Theory
It maintains that states must have been created through force, by some great warriors who imposed their will upon the weak.


Origin of the State
Paternalistic Theory
It attributes the origin of the states to the enlargement of the family which remained under the authority of the father and mother. By natural stages, the family grew into a clan, then developed into a tribe which broadened into a nation, and the nation became a state.



Origin of the State
Social Contract Theory
It asserts that the early states must have been formed by deliberately and voluntary compact among the people to form a society and organize government for their common good. This theory justifies the right of the people to revolt against a bad ruler.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN A STATE and a NATION
1. State is a political concept and nation is an ethnic concept. A Nation is a group of people bound together by certain characteristics such as common social origin, language, customs, and traditions, and who believe that they are one and distinct from others. The term is more strictly synonymous with ¡°People¡±
DISTINCTION BETWEEN A STATE and a NATION
2. A State is not subject to external control while a nation may or may not be independent of external control

3. A single state may consist of one or more nations or peoples and conversely, a single nation may be made of several states.
STATE DISTINGUISHED FROM GOVERNMENT
The acts of the government (within the limits of the delegation of powers) are the acts of the state, the former is meant when the latter is mentioned, and vice versa.
The government is only the agency through which the state expresses its will. A state cannot exist without the government, but it is possible to have a government without a state.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
As to the number of persons exercising sovereign:
a.) Monarchy
- Absolute Monarchy
- Limited Monarchy
b.) Aristocracy
c.) Democracy
- Direct or Pure Democracy
- Indirect, Representative, or Republican Democracy
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
2. As to the extent of powers exercised by the central or national government:
a.) Unitary Government
b.) Federal Government

3. As to relationship between the executive and the legislative branches of the Government
a.) Parliamentary Government
b.) Presidential Government