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What Is Political Science? UNIT 1 Introduction of Political Science 1.1 Meaning, Definition and Origin of Political Science Politics What is Politics??!! I hear about it in tea-stalls, restaurants, buses and in all other places that I go to... I have been hearing this word since childhood... and everybody is so serious when they talk about it... so should I get to know what is politics? Th e term ‘Politics’ is closely related to the Greek word ‘Polis’ meaning ‘city-state’ (for aff airs of the cities-for aff airs of the state). Th e study of politics dates back to 5th century BC(BCE) Greece with immense contributions by political philosophers Plato (428/427 BC – 348/347 BC) and Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC). Before the 20th century, the study of politics was integrated with other disciplines such as history and philosophy. and the relations between states. But the Learning Objectives last two centuries witnessed the study Provides insights into the meaning of politics concentrating on the conflict of Politics and the manner in which between liberty and equality. In the it affects the lives of people. 21st century, a central theme has been the constant conflict between liberty Examines the definitions of Political and security. Some other major themes Science and the changing nature of that are not central to the study of the discipline. politics are development, environmental Explains the scope of Political sustainability, gender equality and Science. international peace and co-operation. Throws light on the various approaches to the study of Political POLITICS IS Science. EVERYONE’S Discusses the relationship between BUSINESS Political Science and other Social Sciences. All through history, political Politics was primarily concerned philosophers have different perspectives with the study of ethics. It further focused on the central theme of politics. The Greek on the study of political ideas, political philosopher Aristotle, the father of institutions and processes within states Political Science, considered the study of 1 11th Std Political Science Eng Medium Vol-1 Page 001-022 Chapter 1.indd 1 2/6/2020 11:50:08 AM politics as a systematic inquiry to assumption that all societies exhibit sharp understand the truth about politics so as diversities with people pursuing different to explain the relationship between the interests and values and hence there State and the individual. He described and requires a mechanism through which the classified different political systems. conflicting interests are reconciled. Also, Aristotle and Plato made immense scarcity of resources is a feature of all contributions to the origin and modern societies and so politics would development of the discipline. Plato mean the mechanism through which analyzed different political systems and goods and resources are distributed. For Aristotle, closely following the trails of his Karl Marx, politics was all about class teacher Plato, gave the analysis a historical conflict and political power and to David perspective. They tried to understand the Easton politics meant ‘the authoritative working of different forms of governments. allocation of values’. Political scientists have explained ACTIVITY politics through its basic concepts such Collect information about Arthashastra as power, order and justice. Power is the and have a discussion in class on it. ability to make and enforce rules and to influence the behaviour of the individuals. Politics was a matter of discussion Power may or may not be legitimate. in the churches during the medieval One needs to understand the difference period as political power remained between power and authority. Authority with the church under the Holy Roman is the moral or legal right and is the ability Empire. The works of philosophers such to control. It implies legitimacy, where as St. Augustine (‘The City of God’) power is exercised through established amalgamated the principles of political institutions and people willingly accept philosophy with those of religion. It it as proper and just. Power, on the other must be noted here that for the Greek hand, may or may not be legitimate. and medieval philosophers, politics was Politics is also concerned about a knowledge centering on the city-state, order which denotes the structures, which by and large had spiritual bond. It rules, rituals, procedures and practices was more of a community than a state. that make up the political system. As the It was during the Italian majority is ruled by the minority, there is Renaissance that Niccolo Machiavelli always an apprehension of the fairness of laid the foundations of modern political the government mechanism. Therefore, science through his emphasis on empirical the exercise of power should be based observation and investigation of political on the foundations of justice. Thus, structures and political behaviour from a power, order and justice are regarded the secular perspective. Politics, in the words basic concepts in politics. Since the late of Harold Lasswell, an American Political 19th century, the study of politics as an Scientist, is ‘Who gets What, When and academic discipline is commonly referred How?’ This definition is based on the to as ‘Political Science’. 2 11th Std Political Science Eng Medium Vol-1 Page 001-022 Chapter 1.indd 2 2/6/2020 11:50:09 AM ARISTOTLE ON HAPPINESS Aristotle believed that happiness was the most important thing in life. He taught that one should not waste one’s time in the pursuits of pleasure, but should seek happiness instead. According to him, true happiness lay not in material things, but in understanding one’s true nature, and regaling one’s full potential. In short, happiness depends upon ourselves, and not on the outside world. One of Aristotle’s most famous quotes is “...happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence...” CONVERSATION Student: Sir, we make a mention of Greek Thinkers can be correlated with the contemporary concepts like Plato and Aristotle in our discussion about of political science like state, government etc. the study of politics. In the Indian context, who is considered the first political thinker? Qualities of King: (Kural no: 382 & 383). Teacher: In the Indian context, Thiruvalluvar, the author of Thirukkural, the ancient legal text, is i) Courage ii)Liberal hand iii) Wisdom & energy considered as one of the first political thinker. iv) Knowledge v) Taking strong decisions. Student: Sir! It is very interesting to know that What a kingdom should and should not have? an ancient Tamil literature seems to be the first (Kural no: 734). political manual in India. i) Complete cultivation i) Excessive starvation Teacher: Though Kautilya, who was the author of Arthasastra, wrote his book in 300BCE that book ii) Virtuous person ii)Irremediable epidemics. concentrated more on the Political Economy, while the Thirukkural of Thiruvalluvar concentrated iii) Merchants with inexhaustible wealth more on Political governance. iii).Destructive foes. Student: Oh is it! Sir! Will you please say something Components of Kingdom: (Kural no: 381) about Kautilya! i)People ii)Army iii)Resources iv)Ministry Teacher: With Pleasure! Kautilya, was the chief v)Friendship vi)Fort Minister of Chandra Gupta Mauryia, who ruled a North Indian State about 300 BCE wrote the book Duties of King: Arthasastra, which literally means Artha=wealth i) Identifying resources and Sastra=knowledge. In short a first literary ii) Collecting revenue source on political economy. iii) Protecting revenue. iv) Distribution of revenue. Student: Sir! Then what is the contribution of Thiruvalluvar to political science? Student: Oh! It is very much Interesting to know more from you, about our ancient literary sources Teacher: Thiruvalluvar has given many concepts on Political Science! in Thirukkural regarding king and kingdom which 3 11th Std Political Science Eng Medium Vol-1 Page 001-022 Chapter 1.indd 3 2/6/2020 11:50:09 AM There is a limited amount the same in other places. But ‘political of power in society, which science’ will mean one and the same thing can only be held by one everywhere. Hence it would be better to person or group at a time. name the discipline as Political Science than as Politics. The Political Scientists - Karl Marx who met at Paris in 1948 also found the term ‘Political Science’ more acceptable. Power is a relationship It is not appropriate to use the two terms in which one group as synonyms, though a few still prefer to of persons are able to style the discipline also as politics. determine the actions of the others in the direction of the former’s The important developments in own end. Political Science since the time it became - David Easton a distinct academic discipline occurred in the United States. Until then, Politics was Power breeds power and a part of disciplines such as philosophy, this form the central tenet law and economics. Political Science as of elitism. an autonomous discipline dates back to 1880 when John W. Burgess established - Robert Michel a School of Political Science at the Columbia University. By 1920’s most of Political Science the leading Universities established an The switch from ‘Politics’ to exclusive department for the study of ‘Political Science’ occurred as the Political Science. The American Political discipline began to emerge as an Scientists showed tremendous interest in autonomous discipline in the modern this direction and took efforts to separate period. The term politics referred to the it from history, law and philosophy. The affairs of the city state, which was a small discipline then had very formalistic and community, in the ancient Greece. But the institutional approach and this trend term nowadays refers to as Gilchrist says, continued up to the Second World War. ‘current problems of the government’. But later, scholars such as Woodrow It means that when someone says he is Wilson and Frank Goodnow stressed interested in politics it implies that he more on the study of social facts over is involved in several political activities the study of static institutions.
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