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Political Theory POLITICAL THEORY MA [Political Science] Second Semester POLS 801C [ENGLISH EDITION] Directorate of Distance Education TRIPURA UNIVERSITY Reviewer Dr Nivedita Giri Assistant Professor, Jesus & Mary College, University of Delhi Authors: Dr Biswaranjan Mohanty: Units (1.2-1.2.4) © Dr Biswaranjan Mohanty, 2016 Mr Rukmana Meher: Units (1.2.5-1.5, 2.2-2.6, 3.3-3.4, 4.2-4.4.2) © Mr Rukmana Meher, 2016 Neeru Sood: Units (3.5, 4.4.3-4.4.4) © Reserved, 2016 Vikas Publishing House: Units ( 1.0-1.1, 1.6-1.10, 2.0-2.1, 2.7-2.11,3.0-3.2, 3.6-3.11, 4.0-4.1, 4.5-4.9) © Reserved, 2016 Books are developed, printed and published on behalf of Directorate of Distance Education, Tripura University by Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication which is material, protected by this copyright notice may not be reproduced or transmitted or utilized or stored in any form of by any means now known or hereinafter invented, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the DDE, Tripura University & Publisher. Information contained in this book has been published by VIKAS® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. and has been obtained by its Authors from sources believed to be reliable and are correct to the best of their knowledge. However, the Publisher and its Authors shall in no event be liable for any errors, omissions or damages arising out of use of this information and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular use. Vikas® is the registered trademark of Vikas® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. VIKAS® PUBLISHING HOUSE PVT. LTD. E-28, Sector-8, Noida - 201301 (UP) Phone: 0120-4078900 • Fax: 0120-4078999 Regd. Office: 7361, Ravindra Mansion, Ram Nagar, New Delhi – 110 055 • Website: www.vikaspublishing.com • Email: [email protected] SYLLABI-BOOK MAPPING TABLE Political Theory Syllabi Mapping in Book Unit - I Unit 1: Different Interpretations of Different Interpretations of Political Theory: Political Theory The Classical Tradition of Political Theory; Importance (Pages: 3-59) and Limitations of Classical Tradition Moves towards a Science of Politics – Positivism and Logical Positivism Behaviouralism and Post-Behaviouralism Debate on the ‘Decline’/‘Revival’ of Political Theory Unit - II Unit 2: Impact of Positivism on Impact of Positivism on Political Science: Political Science Use of Rational Actors Models (Pages: 61-101) Public Choice Approach Influence of General Systems Theory: Input-Output Analysis (David Easton) Structural-Functionalism (Almond and Powell) Communication Model Unit - III Unit 3: Contemporary Liberalism Contemporary Liberalism: (Pages: 103-160) Contemporary Liberalism Libertarianism Communitarianism Multiculturalism Feminism Unit - IV Unit 4: Marxist View of Marxist View of Science and Approach: Science and Approach Analysis of Political Economy – Structuralist and Marxist (Pages: 161-204) Neo-Marxist Political Theory: Analysis of Mode of Production – Key Debates Nature of State – Theory of Relative Autonomy and Authoritarian Statism Critical Theory Post-Colonial Political Theory CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 UNIT 1 DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF POLITICAL THEORY 3-59 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Unit Objectives 1.2 Introduction to Political Theory 1.2.1 Evolution of Political Theory 1.2.2 Meaning of Political Theory 1.2.3 Nature and Scope 1.2.4 Traditional and Contemporary Perspectives 1.2.5 Classical Tradition of Political Theory 1.2.6 Limitations of Classical Tradition 1.2.7 Traditional Approaches to Political Theory 1.3 Moves towards a Science of Politics: Positivism and Logical Positivism 1.3.1 Positivism 1.3.2 Logical Positivism or Neo-positivism 1.4 Behaviouralism and Post-Behaviouralism: An Overview 1.4.1 Behaviouralism 1.4.2 Post-Behaviouralism 1.5 Debate on the ‘Decline’/‘Revival’ of Political Theory 1.6 Summary 1.7 Key Terms 1.8 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 1.9 Questions and Exercises 1.10 Further Reading UNIT 2 IMPACT OF POSITIVISM ON POLITICAL SCIENCE 61-101 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Unit Objectives 2.2 Use of Rational Actors Models 2.3 Public Choice Approach 2.4 Influence of General Systems Theory 2.4.1 David Easton’s Systems Analysis 2.5 Structural-Functionalism 2.5.1 Almond-Powell Model 2.6 Communication Model 2.7 Summary 2.8 Key Terms 2.9 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 2.10 Questions and Exercises 2.11 Further Reading UNIT 3 CONTEMPORARY LIBERALISM 103-160 3.0 Introduction 3.1 Unit Objectives 3.2 Contemporary Liberalism 3.2.1 Neo-Liberalism 3.3 Libertarianism 3.4 Communitarianism 3.4.1 East Asian Arguments for Cultural Particularism 3.4.2 The Debate Over the Self 3.5 Multiculturalism 3.5.1 Response to Multiculturalism 3.6 Feminism 3.6.1 Feminist Movements and Ideologies 3.6.2 Impact of the Society 3.6.3 Relationship to Political Movements 3.6.4 Reactions to Feminism 3.7 Summary 3.8 Key Terms 3.9 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 3.10 Questions and Exercises 3.11 Further Reading UNIT 4 MARXIST VIEW OF SCIENCE AND APPROACH 161-204 4.0 Introduction 4.1 Unit Objectives 4.2 Marx’s Views on Science 4.3 Analysis of Political Economy: Marxist and Structuralist 4.3.1 Marxist Approach to Political Economy 4.3.2 Structuralist Approach to Political Economy 4.4 Neo-Marxist Political Theory 4.4.1 Analysis of Mode of Production: Key Debates 4.4.2 Nature of State: Theory of Relative Autonomy and Authoritarian Statism 4.4.3 Critical Theory 4.4.4 Post-Colonial Political Theory 4.5 Summary 4.6 Key Terms 4.7 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 4.8 Questions and Exercises 4.9 Further Reading Introduction INTRODUCTION Politics plays a defining role in the society. It not only lays the foundation of our NOTES social life but also is the building block of the civil society. It performs the legal and administrative function of the society protecting states from complete anarchy. This title, Political Theory presents a comprehensive study of various political theories and their interpretation. Political theory as a subject teaches us how to live together, collectively. A political theorist attempts to explain or define precisely ideas such as freedom, equality, democracy and justice. Ideas that may have a sound foundation or be backed by reasoned arguments or may even be based on misguided premises. According to John Dunn (1990) in Reconceiving the Content and Character of Modern Political Community, the purpose of political theory is to diagnose practical predicaments and show how best they can be confronted. He also believes that this can be done by developing the following three skills: · Ascertaining how one gets to know where one is and understanding why things are the way they are · Deliberating about the kind of world one wishes to live in · Judging how far, and through what actions, and at what risk, one can hope to move this world as it exists today towards the way one wishes it to be Study of political theory helps you to differentiate between legitimate functions of government and the arbitrary use of power. Unit 1 introduces the meaning of political theory, the classical tradition of political theory and the science of politics. It also, delves into the concept of behaviouralism and post-behaviouralism. Unit 2 analyses the role of positivism in political science constituting the application of Rational Actors Model, Public Choice Approach, General System Theory, Structural-Functionalism and communication model. Unit 3 explores the different facets of contemporary liberalism including the perspectives put forth by John Rawls and Robert Nozick. Unit 4 explains the Marxist approach to political theory constituting of a thorough evaluation of the mode of production and nature of state. This book, Political Theory, is written in a self-instructional format and is divided into four units. Each unit begins with an Introduction to the topic followed by an outline of the Unit objectives. The content is then presented in a simple and easy-to-understand manner, and is interspersed with Check Your Progress questions to test the reader’s understanding of the topic. A list of Questions and Exercises is also provided at the end of each unit, and includes short-answer as well as long-answer questions. The Summary and Key Terms section are useful tools for students and are meant for effective recapitulation of the text. Self-Instructional Material 1 Different Interpretations of UNIT 1 DIFFERENT Political Theory INTERPRETATIONS OF POLITICAL THEORY NOTES Structure 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Unit Objectives 1.2 Introduction to Political Theory 1.2.1 Evolution of Political Theory 1.2.2 Meaning of Political Theory 1.2.3 Nature and Scope 1.2.4 Traditional and Contemporary Perspectives 1.2.5 Classical Tradition of Political Theory 1.2.6 Limitations of Classical Tradition 1.2.7 Traditional Approaches to Political Theory 1.3 Moves towards a Science of Politics: Positivism and Logical Positivism 1.3.1 Positivism 1.3.2 Logical Positivism or Neo-positivism 1.4 Behaviouralism and Post-Behaviouralism: An Overview 1.4.1 Behaviouralism 1.4.2 Post-Behaviouralism 1.5 Debate on the ‘Decline’/‘Revival’ of Political Theory 1.6 Summary 1.7 Key Terms 1.8 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 1.9 Questions and Exercises 1.10 Further Reading 1.0 INTRODUCTION Political theory, described as the invention of the Greeks, is a very wide and comprehensive subject. It is defined as an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or a nation. It basically studies the problems, activities, aims and objectives of the state and the government.
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