Lesson 1 Understanding Politics and Political Science
Learning Objectives:
When you finish this lesson, you will be able to do the following:
1. Define Political Science and Politics as well as its key concepts.
2. Internalize the importance in the study of Political .
3. Discuss the approaches and fields in the study of Political Science
Keywords and Phrases
Introduction
Politics (from Greek politikos "of, for, or relating to citizens") as a term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the corporate, academic, and religious segments of society. It consists of "social relations involving authority or power" and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.
Modern political discourse focuses on democracy and the relationship between people and politics. It is thought of as the way we "choose government officials and make decisions about public policy". [2]
Basic Concept s
Politics defined
Aristotle’s philosophy immensely influenced classical and contemporary definition of politics. He once said, “men by nature are political animals.” In The Politics, he defined politics as the study of the affairs of the city-state (polis). Aristotle puts upon men the task of acquiring and exercising power and influence with the purest of motives and with respect for responsibility since men inevitably and naturally possess them.
Bernard Crick, in his In Defense of Politics, defines politics as a struggle for power among groups whose aim is to control the state. He explained that politics is simply the activity by which differing interests within a given unit of rule are conciliated by giving them a share in power in proportion to their importance to the welfare and survival of the community
Politics as conflict resolution
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