What is Politics?

 
“Man by nature is a political
animal.”
- Aristotle
Politics is the “master science”: that is
nothing less than the activity through
which human beings attempt to improve
their lives and create the “Good
Society”
People disagree about both what it is that makes
social interaction “political”, and how political
activity can best be analyzed and explained.
Defining Politics

…is the activity through which people make,

preserve the general rule under which they
live.
…a phenomena of conflict and cooperation
CONFLICT

The existence of rival

opinions, different wants,
competing needs and
opposing interests
guarantees disagreement
about the rules under
which people live
COOPERATION

People recognize that, in

order to influence these
rules or ensure that they
are upheld, they must
work with others
“heart of politics is often portrayed
as a process of conflict resolution”
Inescapable presence of Scarcity
diversity
There is never enough to
We are not all alike. go around
 POLITICS
EVERYDAY
LANGUAGE “DIRTY” WORD
Economics  Images of troubles
Geography  Disruption
 Violence
History
 Deceit
Biology
 Manipulation
Politics is defined (in such different ways):
exercise of power
the exercise of authority
the making of collective decisions
the practice of deception and manipulation

the making, preserving and amending of general social rules

POLITICS as the ART OF
GOVERNMENT
 
“Politics is not
a science…
but an art.”

Chancellor
Birsmarck
The exercise of control within society through the
making and enforcement of collective decision
POLITICS = G. “polis”
POLITY, a system of social organization
centered upon the machinery
of the government
Politics is therefore
practiced in cabinet rooms,
legislative chamber,
government departments and the like
There is a evident tendency to
treat politics as the equivalent
of party politics.

EG.
PHILIPPINE POLITICAL
PARTIES
 Politicians are often seen as power-
seeking hypocrites who conceal
personal ambition behind the rhetoric
of public service and ideological
conviction
 The rejection of the personnel and
machinery of conventional political life is
rooted in a view of politics as self-
serving, two-faced and unprincipled
activity, clearly evident in the use of
derogatory phrases such as ‘office
politics’ and ‘politicking’

ANTI-POLITICS
Is it possible to have
governance without
government?
The principal modes
of governance are
markets, hierarchies
and networks.
POLITICS as PUBLIC
AFFAIRS
 
The distinction between the
“political” and the “non-
political” coincides with the
division between an
essentially public sphere of
life and what can be thought
of as a private sphere.
“WHERE SHOULD THE
LINE BETWEEN
“PUBLIC” AND
“PRIVATE LIFE BE
DRAWN?
The traditional distinction between the public
realm and the private realm conforms to the
division between the state and civil society.
 PUBLIC PRIVATE
The state: Civil society:

Autonomous bodies:
apparatus of government businesses, trade unions,
clubs, families, and so on
 PUBLIC PRIVATE
Public realm: Personal realm:

Politics, commerce, work, Family and domestic life

art, culture, and so on
POLITICS as COMPROMISE
AND CONSENSUS
 
Politics is seen as a particular means of
resolving conflict: that is, by compromise,
conciliation and negotiation, rather than
through force and naked power.
POLITICAL SOLUTION
vs.
MILITARY SOLUTION
“Politics is the activity by which differing
interests within a given unit of rule are
conciliated by giving them a share in
power in proportion to their importance
to the welfare and survival of
community.”
Crick (1962)
CONSENSUS
■ means agreement, but usually refers to an
agreement of a particular kind
■ A broad agreement, the terms of which are
accepted by a wide range of individuals or
group
■ Agreement about fundamental or underlying
principles as opposed to a precise or exact
agreement
TWO SENSES OF CONSENSUS
■ PROCEDURAL CONSENSUS is a
willingness to make decisions through
consultation and bargaining , either political
parties or between government and major
interests.
■ SUBSTANTIVE CONSENSUS is an overlap
of the ideological positions of two or more
political parties
POLITICS as POWER
 
Politics is at the heart of all collective social
activity, formal and informal, public and
private, in all human groups, institutions and
societies.
Politics is, quite simply, about
oppression and subjugation
define as the pattern of individual attitudes
and orientation toward politics among
members of a political system
Functions of Political Culture
1. It narrows the alternatives that will earnestly
consider in the resolution of issues.
2. It contributes to the process which political
issues are formed.
Types of Political Culture
Parochial Political Culture
- citizens are aware of the existence of
national government but they have no
concern in political issues and decisions
Subject Political Culture
- citizens are aware of the existence of
national government, and recognized the
authority of the government and abide by its
decisions with minimal disapproval.
Participant Political Culture
- citizens are fully aware of the existence of
national government and are involved in
political decisions.
 Characteristics of
Philippine Political
Culture
1. Dominance of family ties or
kinship system
• Big clans are dominating the
political arena
• Dynasties usually control the
government
• Relationship by consanguinity is
given more importance, it does not
matter even if the political candidate
is inefficient, immoral, or corrupt
2. Euphemism
• Officials and
employees of
lower positions
are not frank in
criticizing official
of higher rank
3. Utang na loob / Debt of
Gratitude
• Filipinos have this feeling of obligation to repay
immediately to repay in the future any favor that
they received from another person.
 4. Overdependent on
government
• Constituent relies too much on the government
and sometimes they blame it for the things that
they failed to achieve or acquire.
• They look at government as provider of all things
that they need.
5. Belief that majority of
politicians are corrupt
• The term “buwaya” has been used to describe corrupt
politicians
• Many people believed that politicians are corrupt and they
are in
the government service
to promote their vested
interest and not the
public interest.
6. Lack of Political Maturity

• People usually elect officials based on popularity

and personality and not about their performance
and platform for the government.