The researchers can simply define political science as the science of the state

since, according to book’s definition it is the study of the state and its whole. It makes a
thorough study of the state in its entirety. So the state is the be-all and end-all of political
science. But as we go further and beyond the definition, many philosophers gave
different explanations to POLITICAL SCIENCE.

To begin with, Paul Janet defined political science as “that part of social science
which treats of the foundations of the state and the principles of government.” Politics
means science and art of running government. Although in olden days the term was
used only for the specific purpose, i.e., for administering a country, the position has
undergone a tremendous metamorphosis. So Gareis is of the view that political science
considers the state as an institution of power in the totality of its relations, its origin, its
setting (land and people), its object, its ethical signification, its economic problems, its
life conditions, its financial side, its end etc.”

But Stephen Butler Leacock and Sir John Seeley hold a contrary opinion.
According to them, the subject-matter of politics is government, not the state as such.
(http://www.politicalsciencenotes.com/)

The researchers were tasked to explain topics of extreme importance. These

topics will explore the need for raising our countrymen’s literacy. This is to further
explain and define some of the most controversial subjects of the current generation
which are the MINIMUM WAGE and USE OF MARIJUANA.

First, the researchers will discuss the definition of the minimum wage. According
to International Labour Organization, minimum wages have been defined as “the
minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for
the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective
agreement or an individual contract”. This definition refers to the binding nature of
minimum wages, regardless of the method of fixing them. Minimum wages can be set
by statute, decision of a competent authority, a wage board, a wage council, or by
industrial or labour courts or tribunals. Minimum wages can also be set by giving the
force of law to provisions of collective agreements.

The purpose of minimum wages is to protect workers against unduly low pay.
They help ensure a just and equitable share of the fruits of progress to all, and a
minimum living wage to all who are employed and in need of such protection. Minimum
wages can also be one element of a policy to overcome poverty and reduce inequality,
including those between men and women, by promoting the right to equal remuneration
for work of equal value.

Minimum wage systems should not be seen or used in isolation, but should be
designed in a way to supplement and reinforce other social and employment policies.
Several types of measures can be used to tackle income and labour market inequality,
including pro-employment policies, social transfers, and creating an enabling
environment for sustainable enterprises.
 Another topic to be elaborated by the researchers is the USE OF MARIJUANA
particularly in the Philippines. There are a lot of discussions about the legalization of
marijuana. Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive
drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. The main
psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, one of the 483 known
compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids.

Globally, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug. Classified as a

Schedule 1 controlled substance, marijuana is a mood-altering drug that affects almost
every organ in the body.

According to an article in medicalnewstoday.com, in 2017, 6 percent or about 1

in 16 high school seniors in the United States reported using marijuana (cannabis)
every day. The number of 12th graders who think marijuana use is risky has halved in
the last 20 years.

According to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.8
million, or 80.6 percent of people who used illicit drugs in the U.S. used marijuana in the
month before being surveyed. People can smoke marijuana, inhale it through vapor,
brew it as a tea, apply it as a balm, or eat it in products, such as brownies or chocolate
bars. Some people use medical marijuana to treat chronic pain, muscle
spasticity, anorexia, nausea, and sleep disturbances.

Medical marijuana refers to either whole marijuana or its ingredients, such as

cannabidiol (CBD), which forms the base of a limited number of approved medications.
Medical marijuana is not subject to governmental standardization, making its ingredients
and potency unknown. It is not legal in all states.

The researchers aspire to help you understand the myths, effects and risks of
using marijuana. Also, they aim to guide you on the understanding deeper the issues
beyond definitions.