Introduction, what is politics ? Flashcards
What is political science ?
The rational and systematic study of political activities and institutions. Politics affects people live, sometimes in ways we aren’t aware of -> Try to have a thorough understanding of it
Which new channel is the most accurate and impartial in its political coverage ?
CNN,BBC, Al Jazeera, RT, etc.
Two main aspects of politics
- The making of common decisions for a group of people
- The exercise of power by some people over others
Groups ?
Groups make decisions about what to do and what rules its member must follow. The structure and processes of decision-making is part of politics
Ex: workplaces, corporations, universities, families, clubs churches, etc.
Politics refer to the decision-making in one particular group:
the unit of nation state
What is nation state ?
A large group of people in some territory subject too the rule of an organised government
Why does political science focus on this particular group ?
What is power ?
The ability of one person cause another to do what the first wishes, by whatever means
or
the ability to bring about a state of affairs (where a state of affairs is any arrangement for how things are in the world”
Example of power
- A parliament passing law
- A dictator deciding to invade another country
Types of power (4 types)
- Forces
- Coercion
- Manipulation
- Persuasion
- Forces (types of power)
directly causing a state of affairs through physical action
- Coercion (types of power)
using threat of punishment to bring about behaviour
- Manipulation (types of power)
interfering with the way a person makes decisions
- Persuasion (types of power)
changing beliefs through rational process
Three faces of power
Controlling ideas and opinions in a way that determines what people will decide.
For example: if people vote for X but their decision was caused by A getting them to want X, then A has power over them.
(who has power?)
- Who makes the decisions that determine what happens?
- Who decides what things are decided? Who sets the agenda from which matters are considered and decisions are made?
- Who influences (or controls) the decision-making of those in 1 and 2?
- The power to decide between A and B.
- The power to determine that the choice is
between only A and B (and not C).
-The power to determine how whoever makes the
choice between A and B, makes it.
Government claims a special types of power
authority
What is authority ?
The legitimate exercise of power - the use of power as it should be used
Governments claim authority over their people as a whole, they have (or claim they have) the right to exercise power in different ways
what authority does ?
what laws and policies government applies to people
who exercise authority ?
the various parts of the state, such as legislature, executive and judiciary
how it does it ?
the processes of making decisions
what makes the state’s authority legitimate ? (several sources of legitimacy according to Shively)
- By results
- By habit
- By identity
- By procedures
Legitimate by results
government provides peaces and security, protection against external threats, a well-ordered society, etc.
Legitimate by habit
government is in power long enough, over many generations
Legitimate by identity
government leaders share the religious or cultural characteristic of the people. This especially occurs with new rimes after revolution or secession
Legitimate by procedures
following fair procedures such as democratic elections
