Lesson 4: The Political Science Perspectives PDF

Lesson 4: The Political Science Perspectives Liberalism Based on the fundamental belief in What is Political Science? individual freedom....

Lesson 4: The Political Science Perspectives Liberalism Based on the fundamental belief in What is Political Science? individual freedom. High regard for pluralism and diversity. Part of the social sciences that deals with the study of politics, power, and government. Socialism Rooted in the belief that man is conditioned In turn, politics refers to the “process of by social forces. making collective decisions in a community, Maintains that the natural relationship society, or group through the application of between people is cooperation. influence and power” (Ethridge & Places high regard for social equality. Handelman, 2010). Figures behind Political Science Political Science studies how even the most private and personal decisions of Aristotle Stagiritis individuals are influenced by collective Father of Political Science decisions of a community. He elaborated on the topics and thinking of Divorce the Ideal State, slavery, revolution, “The personal is political” education, citizenship, forms of government, the theory of golden mean, Historical Background of PolScie theory of constitution etc. Political Science has a complex history. “Everyman is a social and political animal” Its earlier form can be traced back to the ancient Greek political philosophy of Niccolo Machiavelli Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. “The Prince” – sought to abolish religious or Later it developed into a religious-oriented other emotional factors from political tradition beginning with Augustine, and later practices. secularized by Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, As a diplomat, he believes that politics and Rousseau. should be argued from a strictly political Social Contract Theory – foundation of viewpoint, eliminating theological and moral modern democratic ideas. arguments. Some scholars argue that political science is He greatly opposed to the church, believing a unique American invention. that it causes men to be humble, and thus 19th century – concept of the state. weakening their ability to lead. 20th century – from state-centered to pluralism. Thomas Hobbes Today – composed of diverse paradigms Leviathan (1651) – in which he expounds an and interpretations. influential formulation of social contract theory. Key Political Concepts Social Contract – people create a contract by coming together in peace, agreeing to a Power set of laws, and creating a “sovereign”. The is the ability of one actor (A) to make contract is made among the people to protect another (B) do something. themselves from one another. Manifest Implicit John Locke Tabula Rasa – blank slate Government Two Treatises of Government (1689) The process of governing (1) critiques the divine right of kings The condition of ordered rule and; The people who govern (2) proposes a social contract where The mode of governance he asserts that people have the right to overthrow a government that fails Democracy to protect these rights, significantly Democracy is often said to mean 'rule by the influencing democratic principles. people'. An example of this is any system of government in which people vote their Walter Lippmann elected representatives into parliament. Was a newspaper commentator and respected world news columnist. Ideology The Phantom Public (1925) – is a book in Value or belief system accepted as fact or which he expresses his lack of faith in the truth by some (large) group. democratic system by arguing that the public -isms exists merely as an illusion, myth, and inevitably a phantom. Examples of Ideology Conservatism Strong emphasis on the preservation of traditions and institutions. Page 1 of 1