Basic Political Concepts

Mindanao State University at Naawan

August 2018
Political Science
 Political Science
• Political Science – systematic study of all political
processes involving human beings as political
animals, state and government.
• Originally comes from the word, ‘polis’ and ‘scire.’
Polis means ‘city-state’ and Scire means ‘to know’ or
science.
 Development of Political Science
• This started in Greece, around 500-300 BC.
• The first efforts to systematically study politics can
be attributed to: Plato and Aristotle.
• Plato is considered as the ‘Father of the Political
Theory.’
• Aristotle is considered as the ‘Father of Political
Science.’
 Development of Political Science
• In the 1st and 2nd decades of the 20th century,
Political Science has developed to be a separate field
apart from history, philosophy, law and economics.
 Why Study Political Science?
• 1. One cannot avoid politics.
• 2. Prepares the individual top think more about oneself
and relationship with others.
• 3. Prepares one to be more careful in one’s judgments
of the unfamiliar.
• 4. To be more tolerant of diverse opinions thrown in
one’s path.
• 5. Educate and develop the citizenry, the values of civic
and political consciousness.
 Politics
• 1. Is associated with the activities related to the
government of the state.
• 2. Karl Marx – politics is the ‘ceaseless struggle for
power.’
• 3. David Easton – politics is the ‘authoritative
allocation of values which are binding in the society.’
• 4. Harold Lasswell – politics is about ‘who gets
what, when and how.’
 Politics
• 5. Denotes a process in the social system in which
the goals of that system are selected are ordered in
terms of priority in the allocation of resources.
• 6. Deals with the concepts of governance, power,
influence, legitimacy, perception, attitude, values,
public-opinion, decision-making and groups.
Governance
 Governance
• Kaufman, et al: This means the traditions and institutions by
which authority in a country is exercised.
• World Bank: This is the way ‘power is exercised through a
country’s economic, political and social institutions.’
• ADB: This is the manner in which power is exercised in the
management of a country’s social and economic resources
for development. Further, governance means the way those
with power use that power.
 Governance
• UN-ESCAP: This is the process of decision-making and the
process by which decisions are implemented or not
implemented.
• UNDP: The exercise of political, economic and
administrative authority to manage a nation’s affairs.
 Governance
• To sum:
– 1. The processes by which governments are chosen,
monitored and changed.
– 2. The system of interaction between the administration, the
legislature, and the judiciary.
– 3. The ability of government to create and to implement
public policy.
– 4. The mechanisms by which citizens and groups define their
interests and interact with institutions of authority and with
each other.
 Types of Governance
• 1. Political Governance
– Refers to the formulation and implementation of
policies by the government.
• 2. Economic Governance
– The process of decision-making that affects domestic
economic activities and the relationship between the
domestic and international markets.
 Types of Governance
• 3. Administrative Governance
– The process of implementing public policies through
an efficient, independent and accountable
bureaucracy.
• 4. Ecological Governance
– The use of science and technology and the
mobilization of all stakeholders in the management
of the environment.
Good Governance
 Good Governance
• UN-ESCAP:
– Good governance is the process of decision-making and
the process by which decisions are implemented with (1)
participatory, (2) consensus oriented, (3) accountable,
(4) transparent, (5) responsive, (6) effective and
efficient, (7) equitable and inclusive, and (8) follows the
rule of law.
 Requirements of Good Governance
• 1. Participatory
• 2. Consensus-oriented
• 3. Accountability
• 4. Transparent
• 5. Responsive
• 6. Effective and Efficient
• 7. Equitable and Inclusive
• 8. Follows the Rule of Law
 Participatory
• Participation refers to the extent that the general
public, marginalized sectors and stakeholders, are
able to participate in and influence the decision-
making process and government operations.
• Can be:
– A. Direct
– B. Legitimate intermediate institutions
– C. Representatives
 Consensus-Oriented
• The reality is there are a multitude of interests and
actors in a given polity.
• Good governance requires a mediation of the different
interests in a society to reach a broader consensus on
what is the best interest of the society and how can this
be achieved.
• Consensus follows from crude understanding of:
– A. Historical
– B. Cultural
– C. Social Contexts of a society
 Accountability
• This is the extent that the government and other
institutions can be held responsible for their
decisions and for the performance of their agencies.
• The institution can be held accountable to those
who can be affected by their actions or decisions.
• Who are accountable:
– A. Governmental institutions
– B. Private Sector
– C. Civil Society Organizations
 Transparent
• This means that the information is freely available
and directly accessible to those who will be affected
by such decisions and their reinforcements.
• Requirements:
– A. Accessible
– B. Timely
– C. Relevant
– D. Accurate
– E. Complete
 Responsive
• Good governance requires that institutions and
processes try to serve all stakeholders within a
reasonable timeframe.
 Effectiveness and Efficiency
• This means that the processes and institutions
produce results that meet the needs of society while
making the best use of the resources at disposal.
• Effectivity – refers to the attaining of goals and
objectives.
• Efficiency – refers to the functions of the
government are performed through established
processes and within reasonable cost.
 Equity and Inclusiveness
• All members of a society must feel they have a stake
in it and do not feel excluded from the main society.
• This requires that all groups, particularly the
vulnerable, must have opportunities to improve or
maintain their well-being.
 Rule of Law
• This requires that good governance must have fair
legal frameworks that are enforced impartially.
• Other requirements:
– A. Protection of human rights
– B. Independent judiciary
– C. Incorruptible police force.
Concepts
 Concepts
• 1. Power • 8. Conflict
• 2. Authority • 9. Decision-making
• 3. Influence • 10. Groups
• 4. Attitudes
• 5. Public Opinion
• 6. Perception
• 7. Values
 Power
• 1. Is an abstract commodity which changes in response
to the dynamic political and social environment.
• 2. Is present wherever there is politics.
• 3. From Latin, ‘potere,’ meaning – ‘to be able.’
• 4. Louis Koenig: The capacity to impose deprivation or
to allot benefits. The capacity of an actor to compel
other actors to alter their behavior or to do what they
would not do otherwise.
• 5. Jackson and Jackson: The ability to cause others to do
what one desires, using influence and coercion.
 Authority
• 1. Is government power to make binding decisions
and issue obligatory commands.
• 2. Robert Dahl: this is power exercised within the
confines of established procedures, traditions and
practices, ideology and laws.
• 3. Policymakers have the authority to formulate
policies if their ascendance into their positions is
through legitimate or acceptable procedures.
• 4. There is a threat of coercion.
 Influence
• This is the ability to persuade or convince others to
accept certain behavior or behave in certain ways.
• This is the capacity to produce an effect without the
threat of coercion.
• Difference with authority:
– A. A superior exercises authority over its subordinates
– B. A subordinate can possibly influence a superior
 Attitudes
• These are tendencies to evaluate an object
favourably or unfavourably.
• Three Components:
– A. Cognitive – beliefs, thoughts, attributes we associate
to an object.
– B. Affective – feelings, emotions linked to an object.
– C. Behavioral – behaviors, experiences or readiness to
act out of the evaluation of the consequences of a
particular behavior.
 Public Opinion
• This is the summation of the expressed or verbalized
attitudes of individuals.
• This is exemplified in: polls, surveys, data.
 Perception
• This is the way how a political actor views one’s
environment and the various stimuli within.
• Albig: It is the expression of all those members of a
group who are giving attention in any way to a given
issue.
• Perception is influenced by:
– A. Interests
– B. Values
 Values
• These are enduring beliefs that a specific end-state of an
existing order or mode of conduct is preferable to an
opposite state.
• Includes goals targeted by a political activity and the
behavior employed in achieving such goals.
• Examples:
– A. Basic needs
– B. Education
– C. Integrity
– D. Democracy
– E. Peace
 Conflict
• This is disharmony arising from stresses and strains
due to some changes in the political environment.
• This is inherent in a political system, due to
continuing competition for scarce resources.
 Decision-making
• This is the process by which authorized individuals or
groups make decisions to allocate resources in the
society.
• In the Philippines, this is shared by the three branches of
the government plus the bureaucracies.
• Decisions or policies can be in the form of:
– A. Ordinances
– B. Laws
– C. Policies
– D. Programs
– E. Decrees
 Groups
• John Calhoun: Interests are destined to be varied
and diverse in the society.
• Individuals tend to associate themselves in order to
pursue their common interests.
• These groups tends to be the vehicle of which these
individuals participate in politics.
• These interests are important in policy making, if an
only if they are integrated into the policy of agenda
of policy makers.
 Groups
• Ways of which groups can participate in politics:
– A. Political Parties
– B. Interest Groups
– C. Non governmental Organizations
– D. Civil Society Organizations
The End