Discussion on Politics
The meaning of politics
• Politics is the study of (who gets what, when and how) as Harold Laswell states
. • Politics is the exercise of power, the science of government, the making of collective decisions, the
allocation of scarce resources and the practice of deception and manipulation.
•Politics is about human relationships. It is how humans behave differently when dealing with others
when there is cooperation, competition and conflict. *(and other social interactions )
Characteristics of Politics ( Shieveley, 2013)
1. Politics always involves the making of collective decisions for group of people.
2. Those decisions are made by some members of the group, exercising power over other members of
the group.
POLITICS - the actual process of how humans interact in groups
- constitute man’s activities in the real world
- the practices of elective and non-elective political systems
- the process by which people try to influence the government
- the process by which the government decides which policies will be enacted
- the practice of state and government
- issues, problems, and activities taking place in society
- day-to-day actual activities of the government
- relative (varying)
- everyone is involved.
POLITICAL SCIENCE - the scientific study of politics
- study of politics, political systems, and governments
- focuses on the theory and practice of government
- theory of state and government
- seeks to study the origin, nature and functions of the state, government and its all organs
- universal studied by few
What is your own definition of politics and of Political Science?
Politics is the actual process of how humans interact in groups while political science is the study of the
former.
The values of politics.
1. Politics helps you to know your rights
2. Politics clarifies what you yourself believe.
3 . Politics is a living, breathing subject.
4. Politics helps you to understand our nation’s parties.
5. Politics prepares you for adult life.
Governance is all of the processes of governing, whether undertaken by a government, a market or
a network, over a social system (family, tribe, formal or informal organization, a territory or across
territories) and whether through the laws, norms, power or language of an organized society.[1] It relates
to "the processes of interaction and decision-making among the actors involved in a collective problem
that lead to the creation, reinforcement, or reproduction of social norms and institutions." [2] In lay
terms, it could be described as the political processes that exist in between formal institutions.
A variety of entities (known generically as governing bodies) can govern. The most formal is
a government, a body whose sole responsibility and authority is to make binding decisions in a
given geopolitical system (such as a state) by establishing laws. Other types of governing include an
organization (such as a corporation recognized as a legal entity by a government), a socio-political group
(chiefdom, tribe, family, religious denomination, etc.), or another, informal group of people. In business
and outsourcing relationships, governance frameworks are built into relational contracts that foster
long-term collaboration and innovation.
Governance is the way the rules, norms and actions are structured, sustained, regulated and
held accountable. The degree of formality depends on the internal rules of a given organization and,
externally, with its business partners. As such, governance may take many forms, driven by many
different motivations and with many different results. For instance, a government may operate as
a democracy where citizens vote on who should govern and the public good is the goal, while a non-
profit organization may be governed by a small board of directors and pursue more specific aims.
In addition, a variety of external actors without decision-making power can influence the process of
governing. These include lobbies, think tanks, political parties, non-government organizations and the
media.
GOVERNMENT is merely an instrument for the purpose of governance while GOVERNANCE is the
exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority to manage a nation’s affairs..
Governance embraces all of the methods--- good and bad ----- the societies use to distribute power and
manage public resources and problems.
The concept of governance which is defined as the process of decision-making and the process by which
decisions are implemented. While government is defined as the group of people with the authority to
govern a country or state; a particular ministry in office. (Oxford Dictionary)
Characteristics of good governance: ( UNESCO for Asia and the Pacific)
1. Participation
2. Rule of Law
3. Transparency
4. Responsiveness
5.Consensus Oriented
6. Effectiveness and efficiency
7. Accountability
Political Ideology
A political ideology is a coherent set of views on politics and the role of the government. Consistency
over a wide range of issues is the hallmark of a political ideology. However, given the often contradictory
variables that go into molding public opinion and political values (outlined in the previous sections),
there is reason to question whether Americans think in ideological terms at all. The exceptions would be
the activists in political parties or in groups that espouse specific causes.
In contrast to other countries, Americans have shown essentially no interest in political ideologies either
on the extreme left (communism) or the extreme right (fascism). American politics functions largely in
the middle of the political spectrum as a contest between liberals and conservatives.
Most political parties will fit into a few of these descriptions, for instance the Democratic Party of the
USA would have elements of Democracy, Liberalism, and others, to different extents. It is rare that a
major political party in any country would only fit into one category. Anarchism, being anti-state, is
rarely found in traditional governmental systems
A. IDEOLOGY
a : a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
b : a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture
c : the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a socio-political program
d : is a more or less coherent set of ideas that provides the basis for organized political action, whether
this is intended to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power.
B. Political Ideologies • is a set of related beliefs about political theory and policy held by an individual,
group of individuals or a particular social class
• political ideologies form the basis of how they view the world around them and the proper role of
government in the world.
•- (a)offer an account of the existing order, usually in the form of a ‘world-view’,
-(b) advance a model of a desired future, a vision of the ‘good society’, and
- (c) explain how political change can and should be brought about- how to get from A to B. (Heywood
2003, 12)
Characteristics of ideologies.
• Ideologies provide an explanation for problems that confronts modern societies by providing futuristic
visions.
• Ideology is action-oriented.
• Ideologies mobilize a large number of people.
Possible answers: What: For me, ideology is the thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or
culture. Why: For me, Ideologies are important because it provides an explanation for problems that
confronts modern societies by providing futuristic visions.
The definition of ideology and political ideologies by doing “one- sentence summary”. Students are
asked to write a single summary sentence that answers “( what and why ” questions about the topic.
“To be clear: ideology is a belief system with an inadequate basis in reality; religion is a belief system
with no basis, in reality, whatever.” – Martin Amis.
Functions of Political Ideologies:
1. It offers an analysis of the status quo by examining what works and what does not work as well as
other various issues and problems that the state and the broader society are confronted with.
2. It evaluates alternatives to the status quo and prescribes a preferred or desired social order.
3. It specifies the means by which the preferred or desired social order can be achieved
Introduce the different political ideologies such as:
“Political ideology is the state means to an end, or is the state the end in itself?”
1. Anarchism - is anti-state, asserting that all hierarchical power structures are corrupt. Anarchism
is similar to Communism in the desirability of the destruction of the state and socioeconomic
classes--the difference, however, is that there is no temporary 'lower stage', or Dictatorship of the
Proletariat.
Anarchism does not mean chaos; rather it implies localized direct, participatory forms of governance
which should challenge whatever forms are agreed upon by those directly affected. In this sense,
anarchism might be described as a form of 'ultra-democracy', with the total absence of elements
such as centralism, remote representation or entrenched power bases or systems.
As anarchism is inconsistent with 'government' as it is most commonly conceptualized, its most
potent expressions have been through different organizations.The most historically successful
Anarchist views are those of Anarcho-Syndicalists, who believe in complete unionization of workers
to achieve equal rights and labor value rather than capital. Anarchism is emerging, through means
such as the Internet, as a potent ideology in the anti-capitalist movement, where myriad grass-roots,
non-hierarchical groups have coordinated direct participatory political actions.
2. Socialism - In its early forms, socialism was a reaction against the stark inequality and misery
produced by the Industrial Revolution and emerging capitalist economies, where those with property
had political voice but those without were open to exploitation and oppression. Though many
somehow confuse communism and socialism, they are two different things. Socialism is concerned
with welfare of the people, and as such is concerned with providing healthcare and education and
the provision of other necessities of a healthy life in order to create a more 'level' society. The
reasons for nationalization of industry and other aspects of society vary depending on the specific
socialist system. Communism also has these goals in mind, but is very anti-capitalistic in nature.
Unlike communism, one of the corner stones of socialism is to have the state own all capital and
natural resources within its sovereign territory. This means that the people being represented by the
government, will control everything and thus social classes would be greatly undermined or
eliminated altogether (a Communist ideal). So, increasing education so that people may properly
elect representatives, providing high-quality media that is untainted by private interests, and
reducing apathy are often socialistic goals. The main difference between Communism and Socialism
are that Socialists seek change through government. Communists feel this is slow, this is reflected
by Marx in his books, and thus the need for revolution, which would let them quickly change things.
Marx argued that the powerful had never, throughout history, willingly relinquished their power and
that revolution would be necessary to overthrow capitalism. History has many examples by which
socialists have achieved change, and many countries have a democratic socialist party in power.
3. Liberalism - In this section we will study:
Individualism - individual freedoms, in a civil society.
Classic Liberalism - Including natural rights, utilitarianism, economic liberalism and social
Darwinism. Emerged alongside the rise of capitalism to reflect the political interests of the
burgeoning middle classes. During the transition between absolute monarchies to constitutional
governments, liberalism articulated the rights of those outside the traditional power structure to
freedom from arbitrary rule and economic restrictions.
Modern Liberalism - Including Freedom, Welfarism, and Keynesianism. Liberalism first
developed a welfare agenda in response to the rampant social inequality and misery that
emerged in the wake of the industrial revolution and in response to the articulation of rival
ideologies such as socialism.
4. Conservatism - emerged in response to the rise of liberalism and the liberal challenge to
absolutism and social hierarchy based on privilege. Conservatism emphasized a 'natural order'
based on tradition and slow evolutionary change. The hierarchical nature of society was seen as part
of an evolving order, in which institutions adapt gradually with the times. European conservatism
originally supported the fitness of a monarch and aristocracy to rule, since these institutions were
seen to have developed over a long period and to be important for social stability. Conservatism still
tends to resist radical change, however its goals have changed. Conservatism today opposes state
control of activities that have traditionally been matters for the family and individual responsibility
5. Fascism - is a less rational theory of ideas than it is a recipe for power and political opportunism.
Fascism emerged in the context of post-World War I economic difficulties and social crisis and
articulated a rejection of liberalism and parliamentary rule as 'failures'. It also articulated a rejection
of communism as a further direct threat to the middle class groups that had felt severely the impact
of those economic and social difficulties. In their places, fascism emphasized 'strong' leadership,
appealing to a long tradition of autocracy prior to recent and allegedly 'failed' democratic regimes.
The ideology is nationalist, authoritarian, militaristic, (somewhat) socialist and action-based rather
than theory-based. War, expansionism and totalitarian controls of the populace are all justifiable in
terms of power.
“Ideologies gives us the picture of the existing reality, answering “what is wrong, what went wrong
and why”
POWER
The Meaning of Power
• Politics always involves the exercise of power by one person or persons to another person or persons
(Shively, 2012)
• Power is the ability to get someone to do something he/she wants to accomplish thus making things
happen in the way he/she wants. In having such ability, along with the exercise of power is an influence.
➢ Influence is the process by which a person’s affects the behavior and feeling of another person.
➢ In order to influence a person there must an authority which is the right to change another person.
Power is a well prime ingredient of politics (Roskin et.al.,2012).
