POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE:

KEY CONCEPTS
DEFINING POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE – FORMING A GOVERNMENT – FORMS OF
GOVERNMENT – POLITICAL SCIENCE IN REAL WORLD
DEFINING POLITICS AND
GOVERNANCE
POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE: KEY CONCEPTS
“ POLITICS ARE A MATTER TOO SERIOUS TO BE LEFT TO
POLITICIANS

Charles de Gaulle
”
Politics, in its broadest sense, is the activity through which people make, preserve
and amend the general rules under which they live. Although politics is also an
academic subject, it is then clearly the study of this activity. Politics is thus
inextricably linked to the phenomena of conflict and cooperation.
POLITICS DEFINED ?
• The mass of associations that the word has when used in
everyday language; in other words, politics is a ‘loaded’
term.
• Politics is defined in such different ways: as the exercise of
power, the science of government, the making of
collective decisions, the allocation of scarce resources, the
practice of deception and manipulation, and so on.
POLITICS DEFINED ?
CONFLICT: Competition between opposing forces, reflecting a
diversity of opinions, preferences, needs or interests

COOPERATION: Working together; achieving goals through

collective action.
POLITICS AS ART OF GOVERNANCE

• Politics is what takes place within a polity, a system of

social organization centered on the machinery of
government.
• This means that most people, most institutions and
most social activities can be regarded as being
‘outside’ politics.
POLITICS AS ART OF GOVERNANCE

• POLITY: A society organized through the exercise of

political authority; for Aristotle, rule by the many in the
interests of all.
• ANTI-POLITICS: Disillusionment with formal or
established political processes, reflected in non-
participation, support for anti-system parties, or the use
of direct action.
POLITICS AS PUBLIC AFFAIRS

• Politics moves it beyond the narrow realm of

government to what is thought of as ‘public
life’ or ‘public affairs’.
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.

• CONSENSUS: means agreement, but it refers to an

agreement of a particular kind
POLITICS AS POWER

• Rather than confining politics to a particular

sphere, this view sees politics at work in all social
activities and in every corner of human existence.
• POWER: the ability to achieve a desired
outcome, sometimes seen as the ‘power to’ do
something.
 GOVERNANCE

It refers to all actions and

activities related to governing.
Although lacking a settled or
agreed definition, it refers, in its
widest sense, to the various
ways through which social life is
coordinated.
INDICATORS OF GOVERNANCE

⮚ Sound process by which government is selected, monitored,

and replace
⮚ The capacity of the government to formulate and
implement sound policies
⮚ Respect to citizens and institutions that govern economic
and social interactions between them
Defining Government
GOVERNMENT
Government can be
seen as one of the
institutions involved
in governance
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS

• Organized way in which power is distributed and

decisions are made within a society (Santarita and
Madrid, 2016)
• Entity that is participating in a political process
(Alejandria-Gonzales, 2016)
• Created to maintain social order
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS
ELEMENTS OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS

• POWER: Likelihood of achieving desired ends in spite of resistance

from others (Santarita and Madrid, 2016) Can be: Physical,
Psychological
• AUTHORITY: Power to make binding decisions and issues commands.
Necessary condition for a leader
• LEGITIMACY: Moral and ethical concept that bestows one who
possesses power the right to exercise such since it is perceived to be
justified and proper
FORMING A GOVERNMENT:
CONSTITUTION
CONSTITUTION: a set of
primary principles and laws
that defines what
government the people
intends to establish.
TYPES OF CONSTITUTION

• WRITTEN CONSTITUTION: constitution written in the

form of a book or a series of documents combined in the
form of a book.
• UNWRITTEN CONSITUTION: neither drafted nor
enacted by a Constituent Assembly and nor even written
in the form of a book. It is found in several historical
charters, laws and conventions.
TYPES OF CONSTITUTION

• FLEXIBLE CONSTITUTION: one which can be

easily amended.
• RIGID CONSTITUTION: one which cannot be
easily amended. Its method of amendment is
difficult.
TYPES OF CONSTITUTION

• EVOLVED CONSTITUTION: one which is not made at

any time by any assembly of persons or an institution. It
is the result of slow and gradual process of evolution.
• ENACTED CONSTITUTION: man-made constitution. It
is made, enacted and adopted by an assembly or council
called a Constituent Assembly or Constitutional Council.
THE BRANCHES OF
GOVERNMENT
POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE: KEY CONCEPTS
THREE BRANCHES OF THE GOVERNMENT

There are three main branches of government that most modern states adopt, though these can be fused
depending on which form of government society find likable their taste. This separation was taken from
Montesquieu who was less concerned with who took the reins of government; of more importance to him was
the existence of a constitution that would protect against despotism which could be achieved, he argued, by a
separation of the powers of government.

Executive Legislative Judicial

 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
The lawmaking institution of
the government, also known
as the legislature.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The branch is the one who

implements the law created
by legislative and creating
policies.
 JUDICIAL BRANCH

Composed of the courts that

interpret and adjudicate the
laws of the state.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE: KEY CONCEPTS
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT: NUMBER OF PEOPLE

MONARCHY ARISTOCRACY
• political power is in the hands of a • political power is exercised by a few
single person without regard to privileged class
the source of his election or the
nature or duration of his tenure.
• ABSOLUTE MONARCHY
• LIMITED MONARCHY
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT: FORM OF RULE
TOTALITARIAN
• State’s power is unlimited and is
used to control virtually all
aspects of public and private
life.
AUTHORITRIAN
• Characterized by a strong
central government that allows
the people a limited degree of
political freedom.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT: GENERAL AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE
DEMOCRACY
• Power is exercised through the
people
• Political power is exercised by a
majority of the people.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF
DEMOCRACY
• DIRECT OR PURE – will of the state
is formulated and expressed directly
• INDIRECT OR REPRESENTATIVE
(REPUBLIC)– will of the state is run
small and select body of persons
chosen by the people as their
representatives
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT: RELATIONS OF EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE
PARLIAMENTARY
• fusion of powers between the
executive and legislative
where the former is
responsible to the legislature
and the head of state acts in a
ceremonial function
PRESIDENTIAL
• separation of powers between
the executive and the legislative
branches of the government,
with the executive acting as the
head of state and of the
government, independent of
the legislature
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT: RELATIONS OF EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE

SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL
• system of government in which a president exists
alongside a prime minister and a cabinet, with the latter
being responsible to the legislature of a state.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT: RELATIONS OF NATIONAL AND
LOCAL

UNITARY
• control of national and local
affairs is exercised by the
central or national
government
FEDERAL
• powers of the government are
divided between two sets of
organs, one for national and
the other for local, each organ
being supreme within its own
sphere
Workplan
• Routines
• Check-Up Quiz
• Hook Question
• Interactive Discussion
• Screen Break (10 minutes)
• Interaction Discussion
• Wrap - Up
 Pop-Quiz
There are two form of government based on the
relationship of national and local government.
Which form of government under this category
illustrate a two-level relationship between national
and local government?
 Pop-Quiz
If presidential government illustrate a clear
separation of powers between the branches of
government - legislative, executive and judiciary,
in parliamentary government ___________
 Pop-Quiz
Which type of democracy is where people elect
officials to represent their interest and decisions?
 Pop-Quiz
If the executive is the branch of government that
implements laws, policies and decisions, legislative
is _______________
 Pop-Quiz
Which type of government is referred to if the
power is centered to few people - often the elites?
POLITICAL SCIENCE IN REAL
WORLD
Guide Questions:
1. Why do you think many
Filipinos supported
Bongbong Marcos over
Leni Robredo?
POLITICAL SCIENCE

The study of politics.

The science which
concerns the
institutionalization of
human politics.
 Political science is the study of politics
and power from domestic, international,
and comparative perspectives. It entails
understanding political ideas, ideologies,
institutions, policies, processes, and
behavior, as well as groups, classes,
government, diplomacy, law, strategy, and
war.
 Political Science is also the study of the
nature, causes, and consequences of
collective decisions and actions taken by
groups of people embedded in cultures and
institutions that structure power and
authority.
BRANCHES OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Comparative Politics Political Theory

Political Communication Political Psychology

International Relation Political Economy

Political Research Methods Public Policy

ANALYZING AND UNDERSTANDING POLITICS AND
GOVERNANCE
Political scientists endeavor to use the
concepts, theories, and ideals related to
politics and governance in analyzing and
understanding society. They use various
theories and perspectives to look into political
events and government activities. They also
look into how political institutions relate to
one another. Of primary importance for
political scientists is the use of theories and
views in addressing political issues and
improving governance.
APPLYING TO “REAL
POLITICS”
• Studying politics help us
understand why and how
government and individual
politicians make decisions that
do not necessarily conform to
what we consider ideal
behavior.
APPLYING TO “REAL
POLITICS”
• It help us explore the many
factors that influence our
decisions and behavior in our
political community.
• It make us think what are the
things that we need to
consider in making decisions.
APPLYING TO REAL WORLD

• REALPOLITIK: the friction between the ideal and the real

world. An understanding that politics as primarily driven by the
current needs, circumstances, or prevailing reality in the state,
instead of political ideals and moral and ethical standards.
• POLITICAL REALISM: believes that politics is defined by
conflicting interests among individuals and groups as they
compete for power in government and society.
REFERENCES

• (n.a.) Constitution: Meaning, Types and Importance of

Constitution. Retrieved from:
http://www.preservearticles.com/political-science/con
stitution-meaning-types-and-importance-of-constitut
ion/30488
. Retrieved date: 6/25/2019
• Atienza, Maria Ela (2013) Introduction to Philippine
Politics. Quezon City: University of the Philippines
Press
• Atkinson, S., & Thorpe, C. (2015). The Politics book.
London: Dorling Kindersley.
• Heywood, A. (2013) Politics. 4th Edition. London:
Palgrave Macmillan
• Joven, Arnel E., (2017) Philippine Politics and
Governance for Senior High School. Quezon City: C and
E Publishing, Inc.