POLITICAL INSTITUTION

• 3 Branches of Government
 Legislative (makes the law)
 congress
 senate
 house of representatives

 Executive (carries out the law)

 president
 vice president
 cabinet

 Judicial (evaluates the law)

 supreme court
 other courts
• Notion of Political Institutions
 organizations in the government that create, enforce and apply laws
• Structure of Political Institutions
 Formal
 power and authorities are fixed

 Informal
 no fixed written rulers powers and authorities
• Characteristics of Political Institutions
 Bureaucracy
 a system of government on which most of the important decisions are made by the
state officials rather than by elected representatives.

 Social Order
 the totality of structured human interrelationships in a society or a part of it.

 Political Party
 a group of persons organized to acquire and exercise political power

 Public Poll
 opinion/survey

 Political Power
 is the ability to control the behavior of the people through the passage, approval, and
implementation of laws and regulations.

 Welfare of the People (Salus popluli suprema lex esto)

• Political System
 consists of both politics and government and involves the law, economy, culture and
other social concepts.

• 3 Function of Political System by Almond and Smoot

 to maintain the integration of society by determining norms >to adopt and change the
elements of social, economic and religious systems necessary for achieving
collective (political) goals >to protect the integrity of political system from outside
threats

• Types of Political System

 Democracy
 a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a
state, typically through elected representatives.

 Republic
 a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected
representatives and that has an elected or nominated president rather than a
monarch.

 Monarchy
 a form of government in which one person reigns, typically a king or a queen. -the
authority is also known as a crown, typically is inherited.

 Communism
 a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy.

 Dictatorship
 a form of government where one person makes the main rules and decisions with
absolute power, disregarding input from others.

• Types of Political System

 Single Party System
- ex. North Korea, Cuba, China
 Two Party System
- ex. U.S., Nepal
 Democratic Multi-Party System
- ex. Pakistan, India, South Africa, France and Germany
• Political Organization
 Entity involved in political process such as political parties.

it includes:
- Bill of Rights (fundamental human rights and individual liberties in different social situation)
- Constitution (fundamental written documents which form a set of principles) -Roles (acts
each person must play to create collectively.)

• Functions of Political Systems

> to regulate relationship
> for the welfare (education, health, transportation, and communication)
> protects against internal/foreign aggression
> social control (having laws and punish the violators)
> provision of recreation
> decision of conflicts (courts, jail, etc.) >collects revenue (tax)
> controls over resources.

•Aspects of Politics
 Power
 Ability to impose ones will over others despite resistance

 Authority
- legitimated power
Types:
1. Traditional (according to tradition like Monarchy)
2. Charismatic (by captivation of followers through charisma like John F. Kennedy
3. Rational-Legal (by qualifying for an established position, ex. A leader elected as a mayor)
 Legitimacy
 right of political leaders to govern, to hold, use and allocate powers based on values
a certain society holds
• Gladiatorial Activities
> contributing time in a political campaign
> becoming an active political party member
> attending a caucus or strategy meeting
> soliciting political funds
> being a candidate or holding office

• Traditional Activities
> contacting a public official or a political leader
> attending a political meeting or rally
> making monetary contribution

•Spectator Activities
> exposing oneself to political stimuli
> initiating a political discussion
> attempting to convince others
> wearing a button or putting a sticker on a car

• Political Participation
 acts of individual/groups seeking to influence the political decision
Example:
 Voting
- official choice that people make in an election
 Lobbying
- acts of influencing the government officials to make decision for / against something
 Campaign/Advocacy
- series of activities designed to bring certain result