PolSci

Lecture 1:
The study of
Political Science
 Political Science
Systematic study of state and government

Political
Greek word polis
City or sovereign state

Science
Latin word scire
to know
Scope of Political Science

Political Theory
Entire body of doctrine
relating to the origin, form, behaviour
and purpose of the state
 Public Law
Organization of government
limitation of government authority
powers and duties of
government offices and officers
obligation of one state to another
 Public Administration
Methods & techniques
used in the
actual management of state affairs
by the different
branches of government
Why should a student study Political Science

1
Education for citizenship
Teaching g the students
their obligation as a citizens of the
country
2
Essential part
of liberal education
eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty
3
Knowledge & understanding
of government
A good citizen must
know the answer to the following:
how the government operates;
interest & forces behind policies;
result of the policies; rights & obligation
 Concepts of
State and Government
 State
A community of
persons more or less numerous
permanently occupying
a definite portion of territory
 Elements of State

1 People
Mass of population living within the state
No requirement as to the number
not be too small or too large
2 Territory
Land jurisdiction of the State
Territorial domain
Aerial domain
3 Government
rule or to govern
Refers to the agency through which
the will of the state is formulated,
expresses and carried out.
4 Sovereignty
Supreme power of the state
to command and enforce obedience
from people within jurisdiction
2 manifestation:
Internal: within its territory
External: without subject to or
control by other state
(independence)
 Origin of State
Divine Right Theory
State is a divine creation

Rulers is obtained by God

to govern the people
Necessity or force theory

State is created through force

Great warriors imposing into the weak
 Paternalistic

Enlargement of the family

which remained under the authority
of the father or mother
family clan

nation tribe

State
Social Contract Theory

State is formed by
deliberate & voluntary compact
among people to form a
society and organize government
for their common good
 State
Political concept

vs.
Nation
Group of people bound together
by characteristic (people)
 State
Subject to external
control

vs.
Nation
May or may not be independent
of external control
 State
May consist of 1 or more nation

vs.
Nation
Made up of several State
 State cannot exist
without a government
but
it is possible to have a government
without State
 A government may change (form)
but the state as long as its
essential elements
are present, remains the same
Purpose & necessity of government

1 Advancement of the
public welfare

It should exist & continue to exist

for the benefit of the people
governed.
2 Consequence of absence
Without an organized structure
there would be anarchy & disorder.
Feeling of fear & insecurity
Progress & development will not be
possible
 Forms of government
As to number of person exercising
sovereign powers
Monarchy
Supreme & final authority is in the
hands of a single person
Absolute: ruler rules by divine right
Limited: ruler rules in accordance
with a constitution
Aristocracy

Political powers is exercised by

a few privileged class
Democracy
Political power is exercised by
majority of the people
Direct or pure
Indirect, representative or
republican
 Forms of government
As to extent of powers
exercised by the
central or national government
Unitary government

Control of the national & local affairs

is exercised by
the central or national government
Federal government
The powers of government are divided
between two sets of organs
National affairs and Local affairs
 Forms of government
As to the relationship
between the
executive & legislative branches
of government
Parliamentary government
The state confers upon
legislature the power to terminate
the tenure of office of the real executive.
Presidential government
The state makes the
executive constitutionally
independent
 Philippines
Representative democracy ,
Unitary & presidential government
with separations of power

Some aspects of pure democracy:

initiative and referendum