Understanding Politics and Governing Concepts

Understanding Politics and Governing

• Distinction between "governing" (broader concept) and "government" (formal institutions).
• Government comprises institutions, people, and organizations enforcing political decisions.
• Governing encompasses other institutions beyond government, such as unions, corporations, and social organizations involved in rule-setting.

Governance

• Governance is the overarching concept that includes both public and private sectors in managing social, economic, and political life.
• Characterized by formal and informal institutions, rules, and norms that govern societal behavior.
• Informal institutions include customs, unwritten norms, and cultural conventions shaping social interaction.

Political Ideologies

• Political ideologies lack a universally accepted definition; often conflated with political culture, but ideologies are more structured.
• Ideologies represent coherent sets of ideas guiding organized political action aimed at preserving, modifying, or overthrowing power structures.
• Ideologies synthesize thought and action, bridging descriptive and normative concepts.

Divisions of Political Ideology

• Political ideologies are broadly divided into left and right ideologies.

The Left

• Emphasizes liberty, fostering freedom of speech and dissent.
• Advocates for equality, aiming for a classless society with wealth redistribution via welfare systems.
• Promotes fraternity, fostering communal brotherhood and collective living.

The Right

• Values authority, prioritizing social order through established hierarchies.
• Supports maintaining existing social structures.
• Advocates for property rights, emphasizing private ownership.

Historical Timeline of Political Organization

• Neolithic Period: Rising population necessitates social organization among families and tribes.
• Early societies led by selected leaders based on strength and battle prowess, leading to social stratification.

The Middle Ages (5th-15th Century)

• Marked by the fall of Rome and the rise of Germanic tribes.
• Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire during a period of intense religious influence and conflict.

Age of Faith

• Emergence of Christianity and foundational texts like the Bible.
• Development of Canon law governing church conduct and the institution of the Crusades, highlighting religious zeal.
• The Inquisition institutionalized church authority and control.

Feudalism and Manorialism

• Feudalism structured society around land ownership and service relationships from the 9th to 15th centuries.
• Manorialism dictated land distribution and economic structures, with lords profiting from land under certain conditions.
• The economy was predominantly agricultural.

Emergence of Towns and Cities (1100-1300 CE)

• Agricultural advancements contributed to population growth and the emergence of trade.
• Introduction of currency facilitated trade and the establishment of guilds for skilled trades.

Development of Nation and State

• Rise of the bourgeoisie marked the emergence of the middle class, exemplified by the Medici family.
• Mercantilism emerged, promoting state control over economic activity.
• The concept of national monarchy evolved, leading to the establishment of nation-states with centralized authority.

Explore the key distinctions between governing and government, as well as the role of governance in managing social and political life. This quiz will delve into political ideologies and their impact on organized political action. Test your understanding of these essential concepts in political science.