Lesson 1-10 (PDF)

**LESSON 1** \- politics is the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live. (Heywood 2007)\ -**[Politics is exercise of power]**, making of political decisions, exercise of authority, allocation of limited resources.\ -activity or process through...

**LESSON 1** \- politics is the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live. (Heywood 2007)\ -**[Politics is exercise of power]**, making of political decisions, exercise of authority, allocation of limited resources.\ -activity or process through which groups reach and enforce binding decisions. (Hague & Harrop 2013)\ -activity by which different interests are conciliated by giving them a share in power in proportion to their importance to the welfare and the survival of the whole community. (Crick 2005) **Who gets what, when and how** -- HAROLD LASWELL Studying politics the different views **Politics as the art of government** - Politics is viewed as an art or practical application of knowledge for attaining a particular objective. **Politics as public affairs** - This second view looks at politics as what happens in the public sphere of life. It is important that you remember the distinction between 'the political' and 'the nonpolitical'. It coincides with the division between what is public and what is private. If it happens in the public sphere, it is political. **Politics as compromise and consensus** - The third view about politics focuses on the way how decisions are made. Politics is seen as a particular means of resolving conflict: that is, by compromise, conciliation and negotiation, rather than through the use of force and naked power. **Politics as power** - The fourth view sees politics as something that is present in all social activities, at every level of social interaction; it can be found within our families and amongst our small groups of friends just as much as amongst nations and on the international or global stage.\ (**Remember, politics may be defined as: the art of government, public affairs, compromise and consensus, and power.)** **LESSON 2** **LESSON 3** **Meaning of Ideology** Ideology according to Heywood (2007) refers to a system of beliefs about how society should function, behave, and operate. He further explains that from a social-scientific viewpoint, an ideology is a more or less coherent set of ideas that provides a basis for organized political action, whether this is intended to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power relationships. **Functions of Political Ideology** Political ideologies are very important in a society. Heywood (2007) also described the following functions of political ideology: (1) It offers an account of the existing order by examining what works and what does not work, as well as other various issues and problems that the state and the broader society are confronted with. (2) It provides a model of a desired social order, a vision of the Good Society. (3) It outlines how political change or the desired social order can be achieved. Major Political Ideologies There are many political ideologies. On this module we will concentrate more on these three major political ideologies. These are the **Liberalism**, Conservatism, and Socialism. Heywood (2007) explained the key ideas under these ideologies. Read his explanations below: Liberalism pertains to a set of political beliefs emphasizing individual rights and liberties. Its key ideas are the following: Key Ideas of Liberalism 1\. Individualism: It is the core principle of liberal ideology. Individualism is further explained as: ❖belief in the supreme importance of the human ❖ human beings are seen with equal moral worth; they possess separate and unique identities ❖ the liberal goal is to construct a society within which individuals can flourish and develop 2\. Freedom: Individual freedom or liberty is the core value of liberalism. Under freedom are the following features: ❖ desire to ensure that each person can act as he or she pleases or chooses ❖ advocate 'freedom under the law', as they recognize that one person's liberty may be a threat to the liberty of others 3\. Reason: Liberals believe that the world has a rational structure, and that this can be uncovered through the exercise of human reason and by critical enquiry. Furthermore, the key idea of reason favors the following: ❖ faith in the ability of individuals to make wise judgments. ❖ individuals as the best judges of their own interests. ❖ belief in progress and the capacity of human beings to resolve their differences through debate and argument, rather than bloodshed and war. 4\. Equality: This refers to the belief that individuals are 'born equal', at least in terms of moral worth. Liberalism has strong commitment to equal rights namely: ❖ legal equality ('equality before the law'). ❖ political equality ('one person, one vote; one vote, one value'). 5\. Toleration: It means willingness to allow others to think, speak and act in ways which they disapprove of. This promotes debate and intellectual progress. 6\. Consent: It will advocate that authority and social relationships should always be based on consent or willing agreement. Under this idea, the government must therefore be based on the 'consent of the governed'. Authority is always grounded in legitimacy. **Conservatism** refers to a set of political beliefs based on preservation of customs and traditions that define the character of a society. Here are the key ideas of conservatism: Key Ideas of Conservatism 1\. Tradition: It is the central theme of conservative thought or 'the desire to conserve'. It respects established customs and institutions that have endured through time. Tradition reflects the accumulated wisdom of the past, and institutions and practices that have been 'tested by time', and it should be preserved for the benefit of the living and for generations yet to come. 2\. Pragmatism: It is the belief that action should be shaped by practical circumstances and practical goals, that is, by 'what works'. 3\. Human imperfection: In this view, human beings are limited, dependent, and security-seeking creatures, drawn to the familiar and the tried and tested. Human beings are needing to live in stable and orderly communities. The maintenance of order requires a strong state, the enforcement of strict laws, and stiff penalties. 4\. Authority: Conservatives hold that, to some degree, authority is always exercised 'from above', providing leadership, guidance and support for those who lack the knowledge, experience or education to act wisely in their own interests. Authority and leadership are seen as resulting from experience and training. 5\. Property: Conservatives see property ownership as being vital because it gives people security and a measure of independence from government, and it encourages them to respect the law and the property of others. **Socialism** Socialism is defined as set of political beliefs emphasizing community and social equality that adheres to the following ideas: Key Ideas of Socialism 1\. Community: The core of socialism is the vision of human beings as social creatures linked by the existence of a common humanity. It highlights the importance of community, and the degree to which individual identity is fashioned by social interaction and membership of social groups and collective bodies. Socialists are inclined to emphasize nurture over nature, and to explain individual behavior mainly in terms of social factors, rather than innate qualities. 2\. Fraternity: It is sharing a common humanity. Humans are bound together by a sense of comradeship or fraternity (literally meaning 'brotherhood', but broadened in this context to embrace all humans). Socialism prefers cooperation over competition and favors collectivism over individualism. Cooperation enables people to harness their collective energies/strengthens the bonds of community. 3\. Social equality is the central value of socialism: It emphasizes equality of outcome as opposed to equality of opportunity. The measure of social equality is looked upon as guarantee of social stability and cohesion. 4\. Need is of primary importance in Socialism: It is the belief that material benefits should be distributed on the basis of need, rather than simply on the basis of merit or work: 'From each according to his ability, to each according to his need'. The satisfaction of basic needs (hunger, thirst, shelter, health, personal security and so on) is a prerequisite for a worthwhile human existence and participation in social life. 5\. Social class: Socialism has traditionally been associated with the interests of an oppressed and exploited working class - regarded the working class as an agent of social change. The socialist goal is the eradication of economic and social inequalities, or their substantial reduction. 6\. Common ownership: The socialist case for common ownership is that it is a means of harnessing material resources to the common good, with private property being seen to promote selfishness, acquisitiveness and social division. A white text on a black background Description automatically generated **LESSON 4**  A text on a page Description automatically generated   A page of a document Description automatically generated  **The Third to Fifth Republic of the Philippines**  A close up of a document Description automatically generated  A text on a white background Description automatically generated  A close up of a text Description automatically generated  A questionnaire with black text Description automatically generated **The Executive Branch of Government-The Role of the Philippine President**  **Powers of the President As of July 15, 2020,** according to the webpage of The Official Gazette of the Philippine Government and Garcia (2015), the following are the powers of the President of the Philippines: Executive Power. The power to enforce and administer laws. Power of Appointment. The president has the power to appoint government officials in the following posts: **Power of Control.** As head of the government, the president is the chief executive who has the responsibility to carry out government decisions. The President has control over all executive departments, bureaus, and offices. **Military Power**. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), one of the military powers of the President is that he can order the AFP to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion exercised through the Department of National Defense. **Diplomatic or Foreign Relations Power**. As head of the State, the President is the chief diplomatic officer of the country.  **The Legislative Branch of Government-**The Philippine Senate and The House of Representatives Essential Features of the Legislative Branch of Philippine Government As of July 15, 2020, the webpage of The Official Gazette of the Philippine Government mentioned the following essential features of the Legislative Branch or Philippine Congress as indicated in Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution: \- **Legislative** power shall be vested in Philippine Congress. \- It is a bicameral legislature consisting of two chambers or houses -the Upper House known as the Senate and the Lower House which is also called the House of Representatives. \- By a vote of two-thirds of both Houses in joint session assembled, voting separately, Philippine Congress shall have the sole power to declare the existence of a state of war. \- The Senate shall elect its President and the House of Representatives its Speaker, by a majority vote of all its respective Members. \- The Senate and the House of Representatives shall each have an Electoral Tribunal which shall be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of their respective Members. \- The Senate or the House of Representatives or any of its respective committees may conduct inquiries in aid of legislation in accordance with its duly published rules of procedure. \- Philippine Congress confirms or rejects Presidential appointments. **Composition of the Philippine Senate As of July 15, 2020**, according to the webpage of The Official Gazette of the Philippine Government, the following pertain to the composition of the Philippine Senate as indicated in Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution: - Lawmakers in the Senate are called Senators. \- The Senate shall be composed of twenty -four (24) Senators who shall be elected at large or nationwide through popular election by the qualified voters of the Philippines, as may be provided by law. \- Through synchronized elections, 12 senators are elected every three (3) years. **Terms of Office of Philippine Senators** \- The term of office of the Senators shall be six years and shall commence, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election. \- No Senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. \- The regular election of the Senators shall be held on the second Monday of May. \- In case of vacancy in the Senate, a special election may be called to fill such vacancy in the manner prescribed by law, but the Senator thus elected shall serve only for the unexpired term. **Qualifications of Senator** 1\. a natural-born citizen of the Philippines; 2. at least thirty-five years old; 3. is able to read and write 4. a registered voter; and 5. a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years before election day. **Composition of the House of Representatives** **Terms of Office of Members of House of Representatives** \- A Representative can serve for not more than three consecutive terms. \- The Members of the House of Representatives shall be elected for a term of three years which shall begin, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election. \- No Member of the House of Representatives shall serve for more than three consecutive terms. \- The regular election of the Members of the House of Representatives shall be held on the second Monday of May. \- In case of vacancy in the House of Representatives, a special election may be called to fill such vacancy in the manner prescribed by law, but the Member of the House of Representatives thus elected shall serve only for the unexpired term. **Qualifications of Member of the House of Representatives** 1\. a natural-born citizen of the Philippines; 2. at least twenty-five years old; 3\. is able to read and write; and 4. except the party-list representatives, a registered voter and a resident for at least one year in the district where s/he shall be elected. **Legislative Process** According to The Official Gazette of the Philippine Government as of July 15, 2020, the Philippine Congress is responsible for making enabling laws. This role is important to ensure that the spirit of the constitution is upheld in the country and laws are essential in regulating the interactions of people among themselves and with the government. The legislative body comes out with two main documents in order to craft laws: bills and resolutions. \- **Joint Resolutions** --- require the approval of both chambers of Congress and the signature of the President, and have the force and effect of a law if approved. \- **Concurrent Resolutions** --- used for matters affecting the operations of both chambers of Congress and must be approved in the same form by both houses, but are not transmitted to the President for his signature and therefore have no force and effect of a law. \- Simple Resolutions --- deal with matters entirely within the prerogative of one chamber of Congress, are not referred to the President for his signature, and therefore have no force and effect of a law. **Exclusive Role of Philippine Congress** The Philippine Congress has an exclusive and a very important role concerning the accountability of public officers as indicated in Article XI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which can be found at the webpage of The Official Gazette of the Philippine Government. Specifically, the role pertains to the process of removing the President, the Vice-President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman in their respective positions. This process is called impeachment and shall be grounded on the culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust by the above-mentioned public officials. All cases of impeachment shall be initiated at the House of Representatives. The Senate tries and shall decide on all cases and if the President of the Philippines is facing the impeachment case, the Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court will preside but shall not vote. If the case involves the Vice-President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman, the Senate President shall preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate. A document with text and circles Description automatically generated with medium confidence