LESSON 1 CHARACTERISTICS OF POLITICS

POLITICS AND ➤ According to Shievely (2013), Politics

always involves the making of collective
GOVERNANCE decisions for a group of people; Those
decisions are made by some members
of the group exercising power over
CONCEPT OF POLITICS other members of the group.

➤ The term Politics is derived from the SCIENCE OF POLITICS

Greek word “Polis” which means the City
State.
➤ It is the basic knowledge and
understanding of the state and
➤ According to Greek Philosophers,
principles and ideals which underlie its
Politics was a subject which dealt with
organization and activities.
all activities and affairs of the city
state.
➤ It is primarily concerned with the
association of human beings into body
➤ Ancient Greeks never differentiated
politic or in a political community.
between personal life and social life.
Hence according to them, Politics was a
➤ It deals with those relations among
total study of man, society, state,
men and groups which are subject to
morality and so on.
control by the state with the relations of
men and groups to the state itself and
MEANING OF POLITICS the relations of the state to another
state.
➤ Politics is the exercise of power, the
science of government, the making of MEANING OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
collective decisions and the allocations
of scarce resources and the practice of
➤ A study of the state in the past,
deception and manipulation.
present and future of political
organization, political processes and
NATURE OF POLITICS political functions; of political
institutions and political theories.
➤ Politics is not only a mere institution
of governance but also a mechanism
for achieving societal goals
 Metaphysical Stage ➤ the state was
considered as a human institution, and it
SUBFIELDS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
is therefore, absolute or cannot be
changed
Political science has several subfields,
Including: Modern Stage ➤ the state was
➤ Political Theory deemed capable of being improved by
➤ Public Policy rulers and subjects according to certain
➤ National Politics principles and law.
➤ International Relations
➤ Human Rights
➤ Environment Politics
➤ Comparative Politics

MEANING OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

➤ Political science is the discipline that

seeks to understand the relationship
between individual and political
institutions.

NATURE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

➤ Political science is a social science

concerned with the theory and practice
of politics and the description and
analysis of political systems and
political behavior.

STAGES IN THE STUDY OF

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Religious Stage ➤ the government, its

leaders and laws, was considered as
divine or divinely inspired.
 CONCEPT OF GOVERNANCE
➤ A decision making mechanism and
the system by which actions are or not
followed.
According to UNESCO, Governance can
be viewed in the following contexts:
Corporate Governance ➤ in the
business context refers to the systems
of rules, practices, and processes by
which companies are governed. In this
way, the corporate governance model
followed by a specific company is the
distribution of rights and responsibilities
by all participants in the organization
International Governance ➤ Global
governance puts various entities
together to organize concerted action
at the planetary level. Global
governance, loosely defined, has the
purpose of delivering global public
goods, in particular peace and stability,
dispute justice and mediation processes,
working economies and unified trade
and business standards.
Ex. United Nations (UN), International
Criminal Court (ICC)
National Governance ➤ Political
control, that oversees a nation. A
national government needs at least a
national army, ample jurisdiction over
its states or provinces to create and
sustain foreign policy, and the power to
levy taxes.
Local Governance ➤ remains the most
transparent degree of interaction with
public bodies and state agencies in
every region, irrespective of its political
situation. It is the nearest tool and
platform for people to access basic
resources and opportunities to better
their life, to partake in democratic
institutions where actions are taken that
impact their lives, and to exercise their
rights and responsibilities.
WHAT MAKES UP A GOOD
GOVERNMENT?
➤ Assures that corruption is minimized
➤ Views of minorities is taken into
account
➤ Voices of the most vulnerable in the
society are heard in decision-making
➤ Responsive to the present and future
needs of the society
➤ Focused on Legitimacy,
Accountability, Competence, and
Respect for Human Rights and Law
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD
GOVERNANCE
➤ Participation
➤ Rule of Law
➤ Transparency
➤ Responsiveness
➤ Consensus-oriented
➤ Effectiveness and Efficiency
➤ Accountability
➤ Equity and Inclusiveness

POLITICS GOVERNANCE

Art or Science of A system that

Government governs

Participation does Able to make and

not supply official interpret laws
governance then implement
them
capabilities

Symbolic or Over a group of

Representative individual or
country

May or may not Organized and

be orderly Systematic