Introduction, what is politics ? Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is political science ?
The rational and systematic study of political activities and institutions. Politics affects people live, sometimes in ways we aren’t aware of -> Try to have a thorough understanding of it
Which new channel is the most accurate and impartial in its political coverage ?
CNN,BBC, Al Jazeera, RT, etc.
Two main aspects of politics
- The making of common decisions for a group of people
- The exercise of power by some people over others
Groups ?
Groups make decisions about what to do and what rules its member must follow. The structure and processes of decision-making is part of politics
Ex: workplaces, corporations, universities, families, clubs churches, etc.
Politics refer to the decision-making in one particular group:
the unit of nation state
What is nation state ?
A large group of people in some territory subject too the rule of an organised government
Why does political science focus on this particular group ?
What is power ?
The ability of one person cause another to do what the first wishes, by whatever means
or
the ability to bring about a state of affairs (where a state of affairs is any arrangement for how things are in the world”
Example of power
- A parliament passing law
- A dictator deciding to invade another country
Types of power (4 types)
- Forces
- Coercion
- Manipulation
- Persuasion
- Forces (types of power)
directly causing a state of affairs through physical action
- Coercion (types of power)
using threat of punishment to bring about behaviour
- Manipulation (types of power)
interfering with the way a person makes decisions
- Persuasion (types of power)
changing beliefs through rational process
Three faces of power
Controlling ideas and opinions in a way that determines what people will decide.
For example: if people vote for X but their decision was caused by A getting them to want X, then A has power over them.
(who has power?)
- Who makes the decisions that determine what happens?
- Who decides what things are decided? Who sets the agenda from which matters are considered and decisions are made?
- Who influences (or controls) the decision-making of those in 1 and 2?
- The power to decide between A and B.
- The power to determine that the choice is
between only A and B (and not C).
-The power to determine how whoever makes the
choice between A and B, makes it.
Government claims a special types of power
authority
What is authority ?
The legitimate exercise of power - the use of power as it should be used
Governments claim authority over their people as a whole, they have (or claim they have) the right to exercise power in different ways
what authority does ?
what laws and policies government applies to people
who exercise authority ?
the various parts of the state, such as legislature, executive and judiciary
how it does it ?
the processes of making decisions
what makes the state’s authority legitimate ? (several sources of legitimacy according to Shively)
- By results
- By habit
- By identity
- By procedures
Legitimate by results
government provides peaces and security, protection against external threats, a well-ordered society, etc.
Legitimate by habit
government is in power long enough, over many generations
