INTRODUCTION

TO POLITICAL
SCIENCE
The Study of
Political Science
“Man by nature is a
zoon politikon”
- Aristotle
 01
The Birth and
Development of Political
Science
Political Science began as early as the 14th century
BC when Aristotle wrote “The Politics”

● This book gained him the title “Father of

Political Science”
● Since then, the major developed as a
specialized discipline under the umbrella of
social sciences together with ethics,
philosophy, anthropology, sociology,
psychology, and economics.
Before, scholars did not recognize political science as a
“science” because of the following reasons:

● Political science has no standard criteria or natural laws to

observe and evaluate its findings;
● The raw materials of political science (as in other social
sciences) are human beings and their activities. Because
human beings are unpredictable, there can be no scientific
accuracy in politics;
● And finally, there is no consensus of opinion among
political scientists about their methods and conclusions
However, there are two reasons why political science
finally won its spurs as a science, namely:

● It has become a systematic field of study, with its theories,

principles, and laws.

● Modern political scientists, like their counterparts in the

other sciences, use empirical methods, mathematics and
statistics, and logic for their research and analyses
 Scope of Political Science
1. History of Political Ideas
2. Political Theory and POLITICAL 1. The Constitution
Methodology THEORY 2.National Government
2.1 Executive
2.2 Legislative
Political 2.3 Judiciary
Institutions 3. Local Government
4. Public Administration
Parties, Groups and 5.Comparative Political
1. Political Parties and Public Opinion Institutions
Elections
2. Pressure Groups and
Associations
1. International Politics
3. Public Opinion International 2. International Organizations
Relations 3. International Law
WHY STUDY
POLITICAL
SCIENCE???
 This century is regarded as the age
of politics in which government has
become the business of everybody.
Whether we like it or not, we are
First part of the government from the
moment we are born to the day we
die.
The study of political
Third science broadens man’s
cultural background
The study of political science enables us
to know more about our rights and
duties as citizens, the structure and
Second functions of the different branches of
government, and our relations with
other countries.
Political science provides the needed
Finally background for those who intend to enter
professions of Law, Foreign Service,
Public Administration, Business,
Education, and Journalism.
DEFINITION
S
 Traditionally, political science is defined
as the study of the state and government.

The word political comes from the Greek

word “polis”, which means a “city state”,
the only form of government known to the
ancient Greeks.
 The word ciencia, meanwhile,
means “knowledge” or “study”

From the word polis comes other

derivatives, such as “polites” (citizen)
and “politicos” (government official).
Thus, in Filipino, the word politiko has
come to mean a “politician”, or
someone involved in government and
politics.
Oxford University (2020) define
political science as a social science
which deals with the systems of
governance, the analysis of political
activities, political thoughts,
associated constitutions, and political
behaviour.

It comprises numerous subfields,

including :
 Comparative Politics
 Political Economy
 International Relations
 Political Theory
 Public Administration
 Public Policy
 and Political Methodology.
Thus, political science has a
specific emphasis in studying
the State and government.
THE STATE, NATION, AND COUNTRY
 THE STATE
1.) The state alone has the
it is defined as “a group of right to use force
people living on a specific
territory with its own government
free from any external control
2.) It is inclusive, for all
departments of life within its
area are under its control
It is usually the central focus in the
study of politics since it is unique of
all human institutions due to the 3.) Entry into it is
following reasons: compulsory for everybody
4.) It has complete
independence and
sovereignty over its area
 NATION
is a collective body of people
bound together by common
beliefs, culture, norms,
language, or practices

a group of people without a territory,

a government, or independence can
still be considered a nation as long
as this group of people has certain
commonalities and they are unified
by these
 COUNTRY

a country is a colloquial
term for the word “state”

ordinary people preferred to use the

word country instead of state but in
reality, the terms country and state
are synonymous in nature even in
political science
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE

PEOPLE SOVEREIGNT
Y

TERRITOR GOVERNME
Y NT
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
PEOPLE TERRITORY
- It is regarded as the first and - It refers to the portion of land and
most essential element of the bodies of water used by the
state. inhabitants for living.

- Mencius, a famous Chinese - Every state must have a territory

philosopher, once said, “The over which it exercises full control.
people is the most important The territory may vary from a mere
element in a state; the spirit of dot on the map to a greater part of
the land and grain are next; the continent, portions of two
sovereign (ruler) is the least continents, or an archipelago.
important”
- Ex. Australia is an example of a
state that is also a continent.

- Turkey is an example of a state that

straddles in two continents – Asia
Minor and Europe

- Indonesia is an example of a state

that is an archipelago.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
TERRITORY
- can be a continent, a sub-
continent, an inland, or an
archipelago and demarcated by
three territorial domains:
The only requirement needed for a
- (a) Terrestrial Domain – refers to territory to be a valid element of the
the different land forms part of state is the fact that it could sustain
the territory of a particular state life. This means that a state composed
of vanishing islands (with due respect
- (b) Fluvial Domain – refers to to the tides) as its territory can never
the different bodies of water part be considered a state according to
of the territory of a particular International Law.
state; and

- (c) Aerial Domain – refers to the

airspace part of the territory of a
particular state.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
SOVEREIGNT To be effective, sovereignty must have
three characteristics:
- It refers to the authority ofY
the
state to have dominion or control 1. Permanence: sovereignty must be
over its people and territory. permanent in that it must last
- despite changing governments.
For a state to have sovereignty
means that it needs to have the 2. Exclusiveness: sovereignty must
following aspects of authority: be exclusive because there could be
- one and only one final and supreme
(1) internal sovereignty which
authority in the state.
means complete authority to rule
over the people inside the state; 3. Comprehensiveness: the
and comprehensive of state authority
- embraces all persons and objects
(2) external sovereignty which
within its territory.
is independence from foreign
control. Principle of Extraterritoriality,
defined as the state of being exempted
from the jurisdiction of local law,
usually as the result of diplomatic
negotiations.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
GOVERNMEN Classifications of Government
- It is defined as a tool or
T
mechanism used by the state to
– focuses on where the power is
located.
maintain social order and
promote the general welfare 1. Government by One – the power is
located to a single individual.

2. Government by the Few – the

power is located to a number of
individuals.

3. Government by the Many – the

power is located to a multiple number
of individuals.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
TYPES OF GOVERNMENT
– according to Aristotle and Plato,
these types are divided into the good
and bad types. It is believed that all
types of government started as a good
one but because of the natural inertia
(attitude and behaviour of a leader), a
good type of government may
transform into its bad counterpart
1.) Monarchy is a type of
government administered by a
monarch. A monarch is a ruler,
usually coming from a royal family,
usually appointed via birth right. The
monarch is the equivalent of a
dictator in dictatorship. Monarchy
has two forms:
(a) Absolute – a form of monarchy in
which the monarch has limitless
powers. This means that the
monarch can intervene even the
personal affairs of its people; and
(b)Representative/constitutional/
limited – a form of monarchy in
whichthe monarch is only limited to
focus on the affairs of the
government and prohibited to mingle
with the personal affairs of its people.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
Monarchy (good type), may
transform into tyranny (rule of a
tyrant or an abusive leader), a
bad type of government.
2.) Aristocracy came from the Greek
words “aristo” which means
“best/elite” and “kratos” which
means “rule”. Ergo, it is a type of
government ruled by the elite/best in
the society.
• Aristocracy (good type) may transform
into oligarchy (rule of the oligarchs or
wealthy few individuals), a bad type of
government.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
3.) Democracy came from the Greek
words “demos” which means
“people” and “kratos” which means
“rule”. Ergo, it is a type of
government ruled by the people.

Democracy has two forms:

(a.) Direct – a form of Democracy in Democracy (good type) may

which the overall decision making of transform into mobocracy (rule of
the government is always reliant to the mob or ignorant).
the decision of people or vested to
the people.

(b.) Indirect (Republic) – a form of

Democracy in which the people elect
their government officials who will
represent them and whom they will
surrender their rights and decision
making.