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Module 1

Political science deals with both theoretical and practical aspects of politics. Theoretically, it is concerned with questions about the nature, origin, and purpose of the state. Practically, it examines the structure, function, and forms of political institutions. Political science has aspects of both an art and a science, as it studies human behaviors which can vary, but also employs scientific techniques like research and statistics. The scope of political science includes understanding the social and economic characteristics of societies and their influence on political systems and power structures. It also examines the purpose and role of government. Political science is closely related to law, as laws and legal systems are necessary for the functioning of states and societies.

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Abhimanyu Singh
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110 views

Module 1

Political science deals with both theoretical and practical aspects of politics. Theoretically, it is concerned with questions about the nature, origin, and purpose of the state. Practically, it examines the structure, function, and forms of political institutions. Political science has aspects of both an art and a science, as it studies human behaviors which can vary, but also employs scientific techniques like research and statistics. The scope of political science includes understanding the social and economic characteristics of societies and their influence on political systems and power structures. It also examines the purpose and role of government. Political science is closely related to law, as laws and legal systems are necessary for the functioning of states and societies.

Uploaded by

Abhimanyu Singh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Semester-1 (module-1)

Political Theory: The word politics is derived from the Greek words Polis or city state
and politeia. In the Greek view politics embraces everything that touches the life of the
state. In modern view term politics is in its wide sense to cover a study of the
phenomena relating to the state and government. Ordinarily politics refers to:
1. To practical politics, as meaning ‘the art of controlling a party and securing the
nomination and election or appointment of particular person to office, or
2. To the art of government, the art of directing or guiding the policy of the
government towards a particular goal.
Sir Frederick Pollock, using the term politics divided the term politics into theoretical
and practical or applied politics. Under the first head he included the followings:
(a) The theory of state
(b) The theory of government
(c) The theory of legislature
(d) The theory of state as artificial person
Under the second division he included:
(a) The state (actual form of government)
(b) The government (the working of government, administration, etc.)
(c) Law and legislation(procedure, court, etc.) and
(d) The state personified (diplomacy, peace, war and international dealings).
So, with the above it can be sensed that the theoretical politics deals with the basics
problems of the state without taking into considering itself with the activities of any
particular government or the means by which the ends of any particular state are
attained. Practical politics on the hand deals with the actual way in which government
work out the various institutions comprising political life. So we may surmise the above
mention sense on the subject like this: Political Science connotes the whole range of
knowledge regarding the state and embraces the theory of state. It includes both
theoretical and practical or applied politics. On the theoretical side it is concerned with
questions like the nature, origin, purpose and justification of state and is known as the
theory of the state or practical philosophy.
On practical side it is concerned with structure, function, and forms of political
institutions, and is known as comparative politic or constitution government.
Definition: Paul Janet, a French writer, defines political science as: “Political Science is
that part of social science which treats of the foundation of the state and the principles
of government.”
Seely, defines it as, “Political Science investigates the phenomenon of government as
political economy deals with wealth, biology with life, algebra with numbers and
geometry with space and magnitude.”
In the words of Bluntschi, “Political Science is a science which is connected with the
state, which endeavors to understand and comprehend the state in its fundamental
conditions, in its essential nature, its various forms of manifestations, and its
development.”
Nature of Political science (Political Theory)
The nature of political has always been the subject of difference of opinion among the
various political thinkers, scholars and intelligentsias. Their views on the nature of
political science have been different. Some of them think that political science is art,
some feel it is science and other follows the middle path that it is science as well as art.
Scholars those feel that the political science is an inexact science, justify their views that
it is not like mathematics, physics or chemistry. Two plus two makes four everywhere in
the word except in a lunatic asylum. Two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen
produce water whenever they chemically combine. They are universal and unvarying
laws. But one does not find such laws in political science/ social sciences it due to
variability of human behavior. It is indeed not only difficult but almost impossible to draw
precise conclusions from political phenomena or to make exact forecst about the future.
However, Lassewell is of the opine that in case we can make the study of political
science value free then we can give political science, the status of a science. Lord
Bryce considered politics to be a science in the same meteorology is considered as
science. Sir Frederik Pollock maintained that “there is political science in the same
sense that there is a science of Morales”.
Political science deals with a lot of research and problems finding activities wherein
various techniques of mathematics, live sciences and statistics are being applied on the
regular basis which takes it (political science) further closer to the live sciences and
thereby it substantiate views of those scholars who advocate political as science.
With the above mentioned views and discussion on the nature of political science one
can draw inferences that political science is neither pure art nor pure science but both
science and art.
Scope of Political Science:
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines scope as “the range of things that a
subject, an organist ion, an activity, etc., deals with”. The historical view is also called
the traditional about the nature and scope of political science. It has been propounded
and propagated by Sabine. According to him the writings of various political
thinkers/philosophers include what is desirable for the state to struggle and achieve,
what is liberty and equality and that what is their mutual relationship? How far is political
liberty dependent on economic equality? What is the sphere of state activity? How far
state should perform welfare activities and so on.
1. A theory of a state is also theory of a society and of the distribution of power in
that society. Political science should start its analysis by identifying the types of
social orders namely-feudal, capitalist and socialists- which are characterized by
most of the medieval and modern history of human race.
2. In order to understand a political system it is necessary to learn about the major
economic and social characteristics of the society in which that political system
operates. This will enable us to appreciate the pattern of economic and political
power, which is to be found in that society.
3. On the basis of that political scientists can proceed towards the description of the
main institutions of the political systems and the social composition of the ruling
class or the governing elite in the political system.
4. This can lead to the clarification and discussion of the purpose and the role of the
government in the contest of the prevailing ideology of the ruling class, and
5. Political theory makes an attempt to predict some of the directions in which the
political system of today- pre-industrial, advance capitalistic or planned
socialistic- are moving.

Relationship between Political Science and Law


Political Science and law are inextricably intermingled. Since political science deals with
state and government directly, no state can ever function smoothly without following
certain rules and regulations necessary for its day to day running the affairs. In ancient
time when monarchy system was prevailing in which whatever the king had directed
that used to be the final word and it was mainly due to the fact that the king used to be
almighty; nobody ever dared to challenge his authority and style of functioning. But then
also he had to follow certain rules which were traditionally used by his ancestors. So
rules or jurisprudence have been always basic necessity of the society. The emergence
of jurisprudence was on the grounds that no society can ever survive until unless some
laid down procedures have backing of laws.
In a democratic state the government is a representative of people these
leaders/representatives are chosen through a system of voting in an election. Since
government and citizens have to work as per procedures of the constitution as a
guideline to them necessary to achieve them targets. So law and political science go
hand to hand in running state’s affairs. There are the following in order to justify the
above mentioned view on relation of Political Science with Jurisprudence these are as
follows:-
(1) Jurisprudence primarily deals with law and political science with the state.
(2) No state can exist without laws. The state bound to give laws to people, it is
to maintain its existence and to continue to remain in the family of nations.
(3) In case there is no law and there is lawlessness, it will be going back to the
state of nature as it used to be before the formation of social/welfare state.
(4) The character of the people in a state is reflected by the law which it gives to
the society.
(5) The close relationship between two subjects is so fully well established that
for quite some time no distinction was maintained between political science
and jurisprudence.
(6) It is hardly necessary to dwell on (to think or talk a lot about sth it would better
to forget) on the subject that there is close relationship between the state and
the subject which deals with which deals with study of law.
(7) So state is both a social phenomenon and legal institution and any attempt to
explain the state in its entirety must include both these points of view:-
(a) From legal stand point, the state is a person in the sense that it is subject
of rights and duties. It can sue and be sued in law of court.
(b) It is a corporation composed of man domiciled upon a particular territory
and endowed original ruling power.
(8) As you know jurisprudence may be defined as science of law, it is owing to
the vastness of its scope and its technical nature, study as separate branch of
study.
(9) As you know that constitutional law defines the organ of the state, their
relation to one another (state and organs of the government) and the relations
of the state to the individual. International law regulates relations to one
another.
(10) Stoicism (the fact of not complaining or showing what are feeling when you
suffering) and Roman jurisprudence have made much contribution to the
development of western law. Hallowell observes that the universal brother
hood of man and universal law of the reason of the principal contribution of
stoicism to western civilization.
(11) The lawyer in India has great contribution to the development of political
institutions and freedom movement in India.
(12) A study of law in some of its phases is indispensable to student of constitution
and public Administration.
(13) The function of the Legislatures is one of law making; and demands more
than nodding acquaintances with the intricacies of law.
(14) The concept of fundamental rights, directive principles of state policy impinge
as much on law as on ethics and politics.
With the above mentioned it can be stated that political science and jurisprudence
have strong binding together. But there are some differences as well between them.
These are as follows:
(1) Political science has wide application than that of Jurisprudence.
(2) Political science deals with political systems, institutional problems and
process.

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