GIBAGA, STIFFANY M.

BSID 4-1

DEFINITION OF TERMS

A.
1) Politics
 are the actions or activities concerned with achieving and using power in a
country or society. The verb that follows politics may be either singular or plural.

 Politics can be used to talk about the ways that power is shared in an organization
and the ways it is affected by personal relationships between people who work
together. The verb that follows politics may be either singular or plural.

 the practice or study of the art and science of forming, directing,

and administrating states and other political units; the art and science of
government; political science

 opinions, principles, sympathies, etc, with respect to politics

 the policy-formulating aspects of government as distinguished from the

administrative, or legal
Politics definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/politics

Politics in the Philippines has traditionally been dominated by clans and political bosses
and patronage and is characterized by law makers that make decisions based on fiscal
incentives rather that beliefs and voters that make choices based on personality rather
than reasoned policies. Under the traditional itang na loob system of patronage, or
obligation earned through favors, voters expect money or jobs in return for their political
support. In many cases politician’s performance was based on dole-outs not on programs
or policies. Philippine concepts about debt repayment and kinship responsibilities plays a
major role in how political networks are set up and run

Hays, J. (2019). POLITICS IN THE PHILIPPINES | Facts and Details. Retrieved from
http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Philippines/sub5_6f/entry-3904.html

2) Political Science
 Political science focuses on the theory and practice of government and politics at
the local, state, national, and international levels. We are dedicated to developing
understandings of institutions, practices, and relations that constitute public life
and modes of inquiry that promote citizenship.
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What is Political Science? | Department of Political Science | University of

Washington. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.polisci.washington.edu/what-
political-science

 the study of political institutions, or of the principles, organization, and methods

of government

 The study of the processes, principles, and structure of government and of

political institutions.
 The systematic study of government and politics.
 The analytical study of public policy and policies, past, present, and prospective.
Political science dictionary definition | political science defined. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.yourdictionary.com/political-science

The definition that can be found in Van Dale's dictionary reads as follows: ‘study
of political phenomena'. Not very clearly put. When it comes to ‘politics' the very same
dictionary states that it involves ‘a whole system of fundamental principles set down by
an administrative body', the ‘policy of a ruling government', ‘how law is enforced' or ‘the
whole governing body'. We do not learn much from these references either. You soon
discover that politics and political science involve far more than what is seen on the
surface. For example, power and the distribution of wealth, justice and all of the other
issues that do not make it onto the political agenda. Political science goes beyond the
politics carried out in a national parliament. It should be evident that politics can be
defined in both a broad and narrow sense. Narrow: The politics carried out in a national
parliament and a bit of foreign politics. Broad: All types of power relationships that exist
in human interaction. Political scientists are specialized in power and different types of
power relationships. Political scientists study politics in a broad sense of the word,
because politics is everywhere.
About Political Science. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.ru.nl/politicalscience/political-science/what-political-0/

3) Nation

 A nation is a large group of people with strong bonds of identity - an "imagined

community," a tribe on a grand scale. The nation may have a claim to statehood or
self-rule, but it does not necessarily enjoy a state of its own. National identity is
typically based on shared culture, religion, history, language or ethnicity, though
disputes arise as to who is truly a member of the national community or even
whether the "nation" exists at all (do you have to speak French to be Québécois?
are Wales and Tibet nations?). Nations seem so compelling, so "real," and so
much a part of the political and cultural landscape, that people think they have
lasted forever.
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Forum, J. (2019). What Is a "Nation"?. Retrieved from

https://www.globalpolicy.org/nations-a-states/what-is-a-nation.html

 A Nation is a large group of people who are linked by a similar culture, language,
and history. Members of some nations share an ethnicity (almost everyone in
South Korea is Korean, for example), whereas other nations consist of ethnically
diverse groups of people (the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and
Singapore, for instance). However, the members of a nation see themselves as
connected. Fellow members are often regarded as part of an extended family.
Many members of a nation take pride in being a part of something bigger than
themselves as individuals, and they celebrate their nation.

(2019). Retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/us-government-and-

politics/political-science/nations-and-states/section1/

 a human group conscious of forming a community, sharing a common culture,

attached to a clearly demarcated territory, having a common past and a common
project for the future and claiming the right to rule itself’. So awareness, territory,
history and culture, language and religion all matter. However, it is rare in the real
world to find a case of a nation with a clear-cut and homogenous character in
terms of this list of possibilities. Each nation is unique in the (alleged) makeup of
its special character and worth. One crucial question is whether – and to what
extent – a group must be aware of its alleged distinctiveness from other groups, in
order to be classed as a nation. One could argue that a nation can objectively be
defined as a group of people which possesses a shared and distinct, historically
persistent cultural identity, and which makes up a majority within a given
territorial area. If that is the case, then one could argue that even if such a ‘nation’
is not pushing for a right to self-determination (in any form), it nevertheless is a
nation.

What is a ‘nation’? – Nationalism, Self-determination and Secession. (2019). Retrieved

from https://opentextbc.ca/nationalism/chapter/what-is-a-nation/

4) Country

A country is a region that is identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A

country may be an independent sovereign state or part of a larger state, as a non-
sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with
sets of previously independent or differently associated people with distinct political
characteristics. Regardless of the physical geography, in the modern internationally
accepted legal definition as defined by the League of Nations in 1937 and reaffirmed by
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the United Nations in 1945, a resident of a country is subject to the independent exercise
of legal jurisdiction

Country. (2019). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country

 an area of land that forms an independent political unit with its owngovernment;
a nation considered esp. as a place
 land that is not in towns, cities, or industrial areas and is either used
for farming or left in its natural condition

COUNTRY | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (2019). Retrieved from

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/country

5) States

A state is a compulsory political organization with a centralized government that maintains

a monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a certain geographical territory.
Some states are sovereign; some states are subject to external sovereignty or hegemony where
ultimate sovereignty lies in another state. The term state is also applied to federated states that
are members of a federal union, which is the sovereign state.
Speakers of American English often use the terms state and government as synonyms, with both
words referring to an organized political group that exercises authority over a particular territory.
In British and Commonwealth English, state is the only term that has that meaning, while the
government instead refers to the ministers and officeholders who set the political policy for the
territory.

State (polity). (2019). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_(polity)

Some see a "state" as an ancient institution, going back to Rome, Greece and before, and
theorized by Plato, Aristotle and other classical philosophers. Others insist on the unique features
of the modern state, with its extensive rule of law, citizenship rights, and broad economic and
social responsibilities. A state is more than a government; that is clear. Governments change, but
states endure. A state is the means of rule over a defined or "sovereign" territory. It is comprised
of an executive, a bureaucracy, courts and other institutions. But, above all, a state levies taxes
and operates a military and police force. States distribute and re-distribute resources and wealth,
so lobbyists, politicians and revolutionaries seek in their own way to influence or even to get
hold of the levers of state power. States exist in a variety of sizes, ranging from enormous China
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to tiny Andorra. Some claim a long lineage, while others are of modern construction. In all but
the short term, states are in flux. They expand and contract as military and political fortunes
change. Some, like Poland, even disappear and re-appear later. Or they may be divided up
(sometimes peacefully) by communities that prefer to go their separate ways (Czechoslovakia).
Others, such as Iraq, may be occupied or run as a colony or protectorate. States can also "fail" -
their governing institutions collapse due to civil war and internal strife (as in Somalia) or because
the state has little authority outside the capital city (Afghanistan). While globalization and
regional integration (like the European Union) challenge the state's powers, the state is still the
dominant arena of domestic politics as well as the primary actor in international relations.

Forum, J. (2019). What Is a "State"?. Retrieved from https://www.globalpolicy.org/nations-a-

states/what-is-a-state.html

B. What are the fields of political science?

C. What are the other related fields of political science?

American Politics

The study of politics in the United States, including the study of national institutions (Congress,
the President, the Supreme Court, executive bureaucracy), state and local government, and
representative processes at all levels (elections, public opinion, interest groups, political parties,
protest and extremist groups).

The biggest subfield of political science in the United States, American government focuses on
voting behavior, political parties, lawmaking, the Constitution, public administration, public
policy, the role of the courts, and other facets of American government. Some departments refer
to this subfield as “civics.”

Comparative Politics

Comparative politics is the study of politics outside the United States or politics compared across
countries, possibly including the USA. The field of comparative politics includes the study of
governing institutions, electoral behavior and procedures, public policy, political economy, social
movements and organizations, protest and revolution.

Comparative politics compares systems of government in other countries. For example, a

comparative political scientist might examine the impact of political parties on elections in
Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, or she might compare the constitutions of
Argentina and Barbados.
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International Relations

International Relations is the study of political relations between nation-states. It includes the
study of diplomacy, military conflict, and conflict resolution, as well as the international political
economy, international organizations, and other processes that operate across the boundaries of
nation-states.

International relations scholars examine the ways in which nations interact. Whereas
comparative politics compare the internal workings of a state, international relations focuses on
how states relate to one another, such as why and how states trade, cooperate, and fight.

Public Policy

Public Policy is a very broad field of study that explores substantive policy areas as well as the
procedures of policy making. Examples of substantive areas include social welfare policy,
communications policy, and morality policy.

The study of public policy is most usually linked to work on American or Comparative Politics
but an increasing number of students who study Public Policy also study International Relations

Political Theory

Political theory is the oldest field in political science. Finding its roots in the ancient theories of
Aristotle and Plato, this field integrates the timeless with timely questions about political
ideology, fairness, justice, and equity.

Political economy is the study of how economics and politics affect each other. Political
scientists in this subfield might look at the impact of economic power on international relations
or how different economies develop within similar political systems.

Political Economy
Political economy is the study of how economics and politics affect each other. Political
scientists in this subfield might look at the impact of economic power on international relations
or how different economies develop within similar political systems.
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Political Philosophy
Some political scientists study the tradition of political philosophies from Plato to the present.
This subfield tries to answer questions and develop theories about such abstract issues as ethics,
authority, the nature of liberty and freedom, the meaning of civil rights and civil liberties, and
how governments should function.

(2019). Retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/us-government-and-politics/political-

science/introduction-to-political-science/section2/

Political Science Subfields. (2019). Retrieved from https://kups.drupal.ku.edu/political-science-

subfields

C. What are the different methods of studying political science?

Methods
There are a number of methods for studying politics.

 Historical Method

 Observational Method

 Experimental Method

 Behavioural Method

 Philosophical Method

 Sociological Method

Historical Method

 Exponents include; Freeman, Aristotle, Leacock, Seely etc

 Seely: “History without Political Science has no fruit and Political Science without
History has no root”

 They are 02 legs of the same body.

 Therefore, History forms the very foundation for the study of Political Science.
GIBAGA, STIFFANY M.
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Observational Method

 First adopted by Plato and Aristotle.

 Plato visited large number of countries, studied their social, economic and political
conditions and then propounded certain principles of political science.

 It gives most realistic conclusions.

Experimental Method

 Gilchrist: “Every change in the government, every change in law, every change in
policies, every war etc are experiments in political science”

 The world itself is the laboratory.

 Example: US Post-independence 13 colonies confederation (loose association) failed but

next experiment with 50 states federation (tight association) still continues as world
Super Power.

Behavioural Method

 In 1950s and 1960s the study of politics assumed a new form called "behaviouralism" or
"behavioural persuasion in politics".

 This doctrine, made the theoretical development of the scientific tradition of the study of
politics.

 It is a protest movement against the traditional methods.

 It studies behaviour of political stakeholders via observation, data collection, interview,

research etc.

 It made Political Science more scientific.

Methods of Studying Political ScienceOscar Education. (2019). Retrieved from

https://oscareducation.blogspot.com/2013/06/methods-of-political-science.html

D. Read and research regarding the political development or how politics develop here in
the Philippines
Politics As previously mentioned, the Philippine political system is very much similar to
the US political system. The development of the executive branch and the powers
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afforded to the president are unique features to Philippine politics. The tendencies and
behaviors by the Philippine government can been characterized as centralism.76
Centralism is when decision making powers are lessened in the local and provincial level
and centralized on the national level. For the Philippines, the decision-making of the
country is concentrated in Manila and is responsible for the oversight of every significant
(and often insignificant) national decision. Centralism, in the Philippine context, has lead
to a political history of corruption and manipulation of legal decision making and control.
Corruption developed in the Philippines has been traced back to the legacies of the
Spanish colonial history as well as imprudent, insufficient, and disparate salaries afforded
to government workers in the decades following independence. According to Wurfel, “In
39 the process of narrowing the salary gap between top and low-level civil servants, the
economic pressures that result as those on top try to maintain their same relative social
position, work against honest administration.”77 Moreover, much political attention
historically has been placed on the image of administrative responsiveness; often times
seeing presidential intervention in the “predilection of the masses.” Wurfel points to the
paradoxical nature of this tendency stating that, “(The president) sometimes denied
himself the hours necessary for wise decisions on top policy questions which could have
had an even greater long-term beneficial effect on mass welfare.” 78 This has led to
points in history where presidential effectiveness, and subsequently governmental
effectiveness, has been hampered by political tradition and norm. Philippine politics has,
at times, sped up or made worse economic crises; while other times it has unknowingly
acted as a buffer. One such example of this was the relatively low impact of the 1997
Asian Economic Crisis. Many of its Asian neighbors were affected by this major financial
crisis while the Philippine economy was relatively unshaken. The effects of this event
were dampened by other factors that were taking place in the Philippines. The crisis was
sparked by a large and sudden financial pullout of liquid portfolio investments in Asia,
mainly from European investors. This all started from the appreciation of the Japanese
Yen in 1984 which lead to large European investment throughout the region. The
Philippines was a relative non-player in this process and was excluded from the economic
boom known as the “Golden Years” of Asian development. 79 In the 1980s, the
Philippine’s average GDP growth was a shockingly low 1.0 percent compared to 7.6
percent growth for Thailand and 6.1 percent for Indonesia. 80 This underperformance
was largely in part due to the political conditions 40 that were present in the Philippines
during this era of European investment. The years leading up to the 1986 People Power
Movement I, which ousted the Ferdinand Marcos regime, were filled with political and
social uncertainty. Political assassinations, violence and kidnappings of Marcos political
rivals, and overall political and economic corruption created an environment that was less
than welcoming to foreign direct investment. Subsequently, when the same investments
were abruptly pulled from Asia in 1997, the Philippines was relatively unscathed.
Regardless of whether the relative economic stability the Philippines experienced during
and after the Asian Financial Crisis was due to prudent economic policy or its being left
out of foreign direct investment because of larger political and economic undesirability,
the end result was a slow moving, moderately insulted Philippine economy. Political
development in the Philippines has disrupted the economic environment making the
Philippine market unattractive to potential investors. The uncertainties of multiple coup
attempts, people power movements, and the impact of changing presidential regimes
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have stood in the way of creating a lasting economic environment conducive to

successful development and has hampered the government’s ability to properly address
Philippine Muslim unrest.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
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