politics and governance pt1

• S. G. Richards: '“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” (1978)'
• Politics


  Refers to the activities and policies used to gain and hold power in a government or to influence the government
• Politics focuses on

  The pursuit and exercise of power
• Politics is the study of state, the art, and the science of government
• Unknown: '“A disagreement in which incompatible policies are advocated can only be resolved ultimately by one side obtaining the power to make its viewpoint prevail over the other”'
• Those who have greater control in the situation are the PEOPLE
• Conflict is not necessarily bad. There is no politics if there is no conflict
• The acquisition of power is a prerequisite of achieving political objectives
• Harold Lasswell: 'Politics--Who Gets What, When, and How'
• To govern the state, power is needed. Influence and order will not occur without power. Sometimes, people think that politics is dirty due to corruption, lack of transparency, and abuse of power for personal benefits. Politics is not dirty, but "dirty politics" happens when a person abuses the power they hold
• Governance


  Encompasses the structure and processes that ensure the effective and responsible use of power, including the formulation and implementation of policies
• Politics exists because of the disagreement of people in society
• Governance is concerned with


  The manner in which power is wielded and how decisions are made and implemented
• These differences produce different attitudes to public issues and lead to the activity of politics. Politics therefore involves conflict
• Definition of Politics

  The way in which we understand and order our social affairs, and acquire greater control over the situation
• Politics is concerned with the determination, by official governmental decision making and action, of who in political society receives what benefits, rewards, and advantages, and how much of them they receive, and when they receive the benefits, rewards, and advantages
• Politics involves strategy

  Maintaining cooperation among people with different needs and ideals in life, or resolving conflict within the group, whether it is a family, a tribe, a village, or a nation-state
• Political Science deals with the systematic study of political structures, political processes and political behavior
• According to Lasswell: 'Politics is concerned with determination, by official governmental decision making and action, of: 1. Who in political society receives what benefits, rewards, and advantages and how much of them they receive, 2. When they receive the benefits, rewards, and advantages, and 3. The methods by which they receive them'
• The goal of political science is to deepen human understanding of the forms and nature of political action and to develop theoretical tools for interpreting politically meaningful phenomena
• Political processes


  • How laws are made
• Various forms of the Traditional Approach

  • Philosophical
  • Historical
  • Institutional
  • Legal
• Traditional approaches in the study of political science make very little attempt to relate theory and research
• Traditional approaches in the study of political science are largely normative and stress on the values of politics
• Historical approach in the study of political science emphasizes on the study of history of every political reality to analyze any situation
• Legal approach in the study of political science focuses on the legal aspects of political systems
• Three Branches of Government

  • Legislative
  • Executive
  • Judiciary
• Political science is a classical discipline that deals with the study of political phenomena
• Political behavior

  • Human [leader] behavior
• Political science focuses on the theory and practice of government and politics at the local, state, national, and international levels
• Traditional approaches in the study of political science emphasize on the study of different political structures and institutions
• Traditional approaches in the study of political science believe that since facts and values are closely interlinked, studies in political science can never be scientific
• Philosophical approach in the study of political science firmly believes that values cannot be separated from the study of politics and political system
• Institutional approach in the study of political science is concerned with the study of formal structures and institutions like legislature, executive, judiciary, political parties, etc.
• Legal Approach


  • Concerned with the legal process, legal bodies or institutions, justice, and independence of judiciary
• Behavioral Approach


  • Stresses upon the use of empirical and scientific methods to study political behavior
  • Shifts emphasis from the study of the state and government to the day-to-day problems, activities, and behavior of individuals and groups
  • Focuses on removing bias and prejudices
• Historical Approach


  Emphasizes the study of the history of every political reality to analyze any situation
• Institutional Approach

  • Study of formal structures and institutions like legislature, executive, judiciary, political parties, etc.
• Behavioral Approach


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

  • Belief in uniformities in political behavior expressed in generalizations or theories
  • Emphasis on regularities and patterns in political behavior
  • Emphasis on testing and verifying everything
  • Use of research tools and methods that generate valid, reliable, and comparative data
  • Measurement and quantification of collected data
  • Objective research without values influencing
  • Systematic research in Political Science
  • Belief in the study of Political Science verified by evidence
  • Integration of Political Science with other social sciences like history, sociology, and economics