ppgc 1

• Politics


  The way in which we understand and order our social affairs, and acquire greater control over the situation
• Political Science is a classical discipline that deals with the study of political phenomena. Its goal is to deepen human understanding of the forms and nature of political action and to develop theoretical tools for interpreting politically meaningful phenomena
• Various forms of the traditional approach

  • Philosophical
  • Institutional
  • Historical
  • Legal
  • Regularties
  • Techniques
  • Verification
  • Quantification
• S. G. Richards, 1978: '"Politics exists because people disagree about the aims and objects of human endeavor and, probably even more so, about the methods to be used in achieving them" - The Nature of Politics and Government'
• Amable Tuibeo: '"Politics is the strategy for maintaining cooperation among people with different needs and ideals in life, or for resolving the conflict within the group, whether this is a family, a tribe, a village, or a nation-state"'
• Traditional approach to the study of political science

  Combination of views on and orientations to politics in philosophical, ethical, and institutional terms
• Governance


  The strategy for maintaining cooperation among people with different needs and ideals in life, or for resolving conflict within a group
• Harold Lasswell, 1936: '"Politics--Who Gets What, When, and How" - defining politics as involving questions as to "who gets what, when, and how"'
• B. Ponton & P. Gill: '"Politics is the way in which we understand and order our social affairs, and acquire greater control over the situation"'
• Political Science deals with the systematic study of political structures, political processes, and political behavior
• Behavioral approach to political science


  Mainly emphasizes on scientific, objective, and value-free study of political phenomenon
• Characteristics of Behavioral approach

  • Values
  • Systematization
  • Pure Science
  • Integration
• It is very important to care about politics because you should know what is going on around you
• Pure Science believes that the study of Political Science should be verified by evidence
• Participation in Good Governance


  • Requires the active involvement of all affected and interested parties in the decision-making process
• To do objective research, one has to be value-free
• Effectiveness & Efficiency in Good Governance


  • Meeting the needs and proper utilization of resources to ensure the best possible results for the community
• Integration of Political Science with other social sciences

  Should not be separated from various other social sciences like history, sociology, and economics, etc.
• You should care about politics because the decisions people make will affect many lives
• The word “governance” came from the Latin verb “gubernare,” or more originally from the Greek word “kubernaein,” which means “to steer”
• Consensus-Oriented Governance


  • Decisions are made after taking into consideration the different viewpoints of the actors in society, and a strong, impartial, and flexible mediation structure must be established to reach a consensus
• Responsiveness in Good Governance


  • The interests of all citizens must be well protected in a prompt and appropriate manner so that each of them can appreciate and take part in the process of governance
• Accountability in Good Governance


  • Answerability or responsibility for one’s actions, where actors have an obligation to explain and be accountable for the consequences of the decisions and actions they have taken on behalf of the community they serve
• Transparency in Good Governance

  • People must be open to information regarding the decision-making process and its implementation, and transactions involving public interests must be fully disclosed and made accessible to the public
• GOVERNANCE


  The complex process whereby some sectors of society wield power and enact and promulgate public policies which directly affect human and institutional interactions and economic and social development
• Bertolt Brecht: '“The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in political events. He doesn’t know the cost of living, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, the rent, the shoes, and of the medicine, all depend on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.”'
• Rule of Law in Good Governance


  • Expresses people's will and exercises their sovereignty, ensuring that the government is of the law and not of men
• Systematization research in Political Science

  1. Must be systematic

  2. Theory and research should go together
• Another reason you should care about politics is because you should have a say in what will happen
• Equity & Inclusiveness in Good Governance

  • All members of society, especially the most vulnerable ones or those at the grassroots level, must be taken into consideration in policy-making