Political Science Definitions

• Exam questions with answers from pages 7-47 of the PDF in original order.

Definition of Science

• It involves concepts, laws, and categories derived from experimentation and observation.
• Aims to form a coherent and universal system.

Essential Characteristics of Political Science

• Method and object are key
• Verifiable and empirical knowledge is needed
• Must have systematic and objective knowledge
• General and universal knowledge is a pillar

Etymological Origin of "Politics"

• Stems from the Greek "polis," signifying city.

Larousse's Definition of "Politics"

• It is the art of governing a state and handling matters of interest to the state.
• The manner of directing a state.

Topics Encompassed by Political Science

• Political theory, state theory, and history of ideas
• Studies political institutions, public administration, and economic/social functions of government
• Covers parties, public opinion, and international relations.

Definition of Power

• The capacity to influence, modify, or halt the course of events.

Essential Elements of Power

• Real energies produce modifications.
• Willingness to mobilize such forces.
• Commitment from those wielding power.

Classification of Power

• Formal power bases on established norms.
• Hidden power exercised without formal legitimacy.

Dimensions of Power

• Include base, scope, potential, weight, reach, and domain.

Motivations for Exercising Power

• Animus dominandi, personal benefits, psychological factors, and pursuit of common good are drivers.

How Power is Justified

• Through requirements for exercise, legitimacy, guarantees for the governed, and societal support.

Perpetuation of Power

• Elections, heredity, force, law enforcement, tradition, or custom.

How Power is Controlled in Democratic Regimes

• Through constitutions, separation of powers, accountability, and citizen participation.

Article 152 of Guatemala's Constitution on Power

• Regulates the distribution and limitations of power within the State.

Competencies Expected to Develop in Political Science

• Analysis of the discipline, identification of historical stages, construction of definitions, and comprehension of elements.

Definition of a Political System

• It encompasses diverse political functions within a society.

García Ménez's Definition of the State

• The juridical organization of society under a power of domination in a territory.

Elements of the State

• Population, territory, political authority, and social purpose.

Almond's Definition of a Political System

• A system of interaction performs integration and adaptation functions in a society.

Functions of the Political System

• Interest articulation, communication, interest specification, and response.

Five Capacities of the Political System

• Extractive, regulatory, distributive, symbolic, and responsive.

Almond's Classification of Political Systems

• Traditional, authoritarian, democratic, immobile, and conservative.

Characteristics of Traditional Political Systems

• Rudimentary political structures, lacking continuity or structural differentiation.

What is Political Ideology

• A set of beliefs that guide the perception of the world and political action.

Elements of an Ideology

• System of attitudes and system of ideas.

Components of Ideology

• Analysis of the present, future objectives, and methodology.

Ethics of Ideologies

• Ideologies can impact society and be favorable or detrimental to social actors.

Characteristics of Primitive Communities

• Societies based on hunting, gathering, communal relations without state structures.

Principles that Inspired Feudalism

• Private ownership of land and means of production, manorial relations.

What is Conservatism

• A political stance advocating for maintaining traditions and existing structures.

Postulates of Anarchism

• Abolition of the State, spontaneous federalism, free association of individuals.

Mechanisms that Protect Liberalism

• Constitution, balance of powers, representative government, public opinion, and system of resources.

Implications of Liberalism in Society

• Limitations on state power and recognition of individual rights predating the State.

Definition of Fascism

• An absolute state centered around itself: "Everything within the State, nothing outside it."

Characteristics of Fascism

• Exaltation of the State, single party, totalitarianism, and control of society.

What Fascism Symbolized in Spain

• Francoism, utilizing religious aspects for social cohesion.

National Socialism

• A system based on racial supremacy and the absolute leadership of the Führer.

Role of the Führer in National Socialism

• Represented the purity of the race and the people's ideals, exercising absolute power.

Elements of Socialist Doctrine

• Worker-peasant state, planned economy, and abolition of private ownership of means of production.

Laws of Dialectics

• Unity and struggle of opposites, quantitative changes to qualitative, and negation of negation.

Forms of Government According to Aristotle

• Monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy.

Forms of Government According to Plato

• Timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny.

Characteristics of Democracy

• Direct or representative, consolidated or defective, majoritarian or consensus-based.

Modalities of Political Participation

• Vote, referendum, plebiscite, popular initiative, and recall.

Components of Liberal Democracy

• Liberal component and democratic component.

Meaning of Politiké

• Political Art

Plato's Work

• The Republic

Aristotle's Work

• Politics

Polybius' Work

• The History of Rome

John Stuart Mill's Work

• The Science of Logic

Saint Augustine's Work

• The City of God

Work of Saint Thomas Aquinas

• Logical Sum

Rotterdam's Work

• Querella Pacis

Machiavelli's Work

• The Prince

Thomas More's Work

• Utopia

Vladimir Llich's Work

• State and Revolution

Martin Luther's Work

• The Freedom of a Christian Man

Adolf Hitler's Work

• My Struggle

Jean Bodin's Work

• Les six livres de la République

Hugo Grotius' Work

• On the Law of War and Peace

Francisco Bacon's Work

• New Atlantis

Tomas Campanella's Work

• The City of the Sun

Thomas Hobbes' Work

• The Leviathan

Juan Jacobo Rousseau's Work

• The Social Contract

Benito Mussolini's Work

• Fascism

Montesquieu's Work

• The Spirit of the Laws

Federico Hegel's Work

• The Science of Logic

Federico Engels' Work

• The Communist Manifesto

Definition of Power

• The capacity to set in motion the reality that an idea cannot.

Definition of State

• The juridical organization of society under a power of domination.

Elements of the State

• Population, territory, political organization, and social purpose.

Difference Between State and Government

• State: A permanent political and juridical organization covering a territory which does not change with governments.
• Government: The authority administrating and directing the state during a determined period.

Difference Between Nation and Homeland

• Nation: A political and cultural concept.
• Homeland: A sentimental concept of identity.

Elements of Power

• Legitimacy, authority, influence, resources, and coercion.

Means of Achieving Obedience to Power

• Coercion.

Classifications of Power

• Full exercise, origin, flexibility, and form of exercise.

Effects Produced by Power

• Obedience, fulfillment of objectives, and fear of sanction.