INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE

Social science are those sciences, which discuss about

the things connected with the affairs of individuals living in
society, political science, economics, history, geography are
some of the important social sciences.
Political science is immensely benefited from other
social sciences. It is essentially connected and related to other
social sciences. As a matter of fact, all social sciences
are interrelated and interdependent.
Political Science and History:
There is closed and intimate relationship between political
science and history. The relationship between political science
and history is beautifully explained by
John Seeley.
“History without political science has no fruit and
Political science without history has no root”.
To quote the same author again,
“Politics is vulgar when not liberalized by history and
history fades into mere literature when it loses sight of its
relation to politics”.
According to
Freeman,
“History is past politics and politics is present history “.
They are complementary to each other.
Montesquieu and Bryce
made use of historical marterials to study political science.
Lord Bryce
claims that,
political science stands midway between history and
politics, between the past and the present.
It has drawn its materials from the one; it has to apply
them to the other.
History deals with past events, movements revolutions,
national struggles etc. and gives information about the origin
and development of political institutions and thought. When
various issues, concepts and terms, ideologies, are discussed in
political science, their historicaldevelopment is also taken into
consideration.
Political Science and Economics:
Political science and economics are very closely related.
In the past, economics has been regarded as a branch of political
science.
Adam smith
the father of economics in his book “An Enquiry
into the Nature and Courses of Wealth of Nations” also
considered economics as an important branch of political
science. It was called political economy.
Now the two social sciences namely political science and
economics have their individuality and identification.
Economics is a social science dealing with the production,
distribution, exchange and consumption of wealth in the society.
All economic activity is carried on within the state on conditions
and stipulations laid down by the state.
Political science and economics are concerned with such
matters, as formulation of five year plans, the socialistic pattern
of society economic and welfare activities of government.
The political conditions of a country are greatly affected
by its economic conditions. Healthy economy depends on a
strong, effective and efficient administration of a country.
Political Science and Geography:
Political science is also related to geography. Geo means
earth and graphy means description and geography is the
description of the earth. Geography is the study of the earth’s
surface, physical features, natural and political divisions,
climatic conditions, population, etc.
It helps us to understand the impact and influence of
geographical conditions of the political institutions of a country.
Political geography is known as geopolitics, a new branch of study in
modern times.
Montesquieu
stressed the influence of
physical environments on the forms of government and liberty of
the people. As territory is an essential element of a state, geo -
political factors influence political environment. According to
Rousseau
, there is a link between the climatic conditions and
form of government. Warm climates are conducive to despots,
cold climates to barbarism and moderate climate to a good polity.
Political Science and Sociology:
Sociology is the root of all social sciences.
Auguste Comte is the father of sociology. Sociology is the study of
Society. Political science and sociology are inter-related
political scientists and sociologists contribute mutually for the
benefit of whole society.
For example, the institution of marriage and related
problems after that, namely divorce are within the domain of
sociology. How to solve these problems in a harmonious way for
better standard of life is within the competence of political science.
What was once a sub-field of sociology has now takes the
form of “political sociology” which is now a legitimate sub-

field of political science. The utilization of the survey research instrument to politically
analyze the behavioral patterns of the voters and interest groups in certain geographical areas.

This provides psychological analysis to the utilization of political survey to study the political
behavior of the voters; political researches on the satisfaction levels on the government
performance of politicians; the qualitative surveys and mock elections.

2. The collective behavior analysis as to the response in the social evaluation of services
provides by the government and stakeholders.

This includes the political behavior of voters, consumers, professionals, and other sovereign
citizens as to the political issues on graft and corruption; public service, economic and social
services; fiscal management and others.