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An Introduction to Politics and Governance

This module discusses the introductory concepts essential in understanding

the course. Specifically, learners are expected to:
1. Articulate definition of politics;
2. Differentiate the various views on politics;
3. Explore the connection between the phenomenon (politics) and the
method of inquiry (Political Science)
4. Recognize the value of politics;
5. Differentiate governance from government.
Have you ever experienced the use of power over another person? Let us first
unlock some basic concepts.

Defining Politics
Politics is the way in which we understand and order our social affairs, and
acquire greater control over the situation.
It is also the strategy for maintaining cooperation among people with
different needs and ideals in life, or for resolving the conflict within the
group, whether this is a family, a tribe, a village or a nation-state.
The study of politics aims to examine how human life in the aggregate is
“ordered”.
Let us look at the idea of community, government, and nation-state:
A. Community- one kind of social order which is an association of
individuals who share a common identity. This identity is usually defined
by geography, sense of common purpose, and a single political allegiance.
It arises to fulfill a wide variety of social functions (such as physical
security, economic prosperity, cultural enrichment) that cannot be met by
individuals acting on their own.

B. Government- a political order that maintains and perpetuates the

community. It is said to possess “sovereignty” if it can successfully assert
its claim to rule. And it is said to “legitimate” if its claim to rule (authority)
is willingly accepted.
Types of Government:
1. Democracy
The word "democracy" literally means "rule by the people." In a
democracy, the people govern.

2. Republic
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 A literal democracy is impossible in a political system containing more
than a few people. All "democracies" are really republics. In a republic,
the people elect representatives to make and enforce laws.

3. Monarchy
A monarchy consists of rule by a king or queen. Sometimes a king is
called an "emperor," especially if there is a large empire, such as China
before 1911. There are no large monarchies today. The United Kingdom,
which has a queen, is really a republic because the queen has virtually no
political power.

4. Aristocracy
An aristocracy is rule by the aristocrats. Aristocrats are typically
wealthy, educated people. Many monarchies have really been ruled by
aristocrats. Today, typically, the term "aristocracy" is used negatively to
accuse a republic of being dominated by rich people, such as saying, "The
United States has become an aristocracy."

5. Dictatorship
A dictatorship consists of rule by one person or a group of people. Very
few dictators admit they are dictators; they almost always claim to be
leaders of democracies. The dictator may be one person, such as Castro in
Cuba or Hitler in Germany, or a group of people, such as the Communist
Party in China.

6. Democratic Republic
Usually, a "democratic republic" is not democratic and is not a republic.
A government that officially calls itself a "democratic republic" is usually
a dictatorship. Communist dictatorships have been especially prone to
use this term. For example, the official name of North Vietnam was "The
Democratic Republic of Vietnam." China uses a variant, "The People's
Republic of China."
(from http://depts.alverno.edu/dgp/GEC/Types%20of%20Government.html)

C. Nation- state- most distinctive and largest self-sufficient political

configuration in the modern world… its actions and reactions affect not
only the welfare and destiny of its own people but, increasingly, the fate
of peoples in other lands

1. Nation is a distinct group of people who share a common background

including any or all of the following: geographic location, history, racial or
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ethnic characteristics, religion, language, culture, and belief in common

political ideas.

2. State denotes the existence of a viable, sovereign government exercising

authority and power in the name of the society. It is often used synonymously
with country and nation, although a nation may be composed of more than one
state, like USA. In more technical and formal terms, state is a community of
persons more or less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portion of
territory, having a government of their own to which the great body of
inhabitants render obedience, and enjoying freedom from external control

The government cannot maintain order without POWER.

“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the
other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective
and permanent then the one derived from fear of punishment. “
- Mahatma Gandhi

Politics and Everyday Life

a. Politics is all about the way human beings are governed, which involves order,
power, and justice.It is not just an abstract study.

b. It involves the government’s day-to-day performance.

c. It does not affect only one individual, but is inextricably bound up with the
perpetual quest for what is fair or just in light of the interest of the entire
community.

d. Issue is more or less political based on the extent that the use of political power
affects the lives and well-being of private citizens.

e. An issue becomes political when the government must render a decision, which
must always be for the common good of the community.

Different Political Views

1. Democratic:

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 Democracy is a political government carried out either directly by the
people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the
people.Democracy has its origins in Ancient Greece.

2. Democratic Socialism:

Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist

movements and organizations, to emphasize the democratic character of
their political orientation. The term is sometimes used synonymously
with ‘social democracy’, but many self-identified democratic socialists
oppose social democracy, seeing it as capitalist

3. Blue Dog Democrat:

The Democratic Blue Dog Coalition is a group of currently 54 conservative

Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives,
first formed in 1995.The Blue Dog Coalition describes itself as a group of
moderate-to-conservative Democrats committed to financial and national
security, favoring compromise and bipartisanship over ideology and party
discipline.

4. Conservative:

Conservatism is the belief that traditional institutions work best and that
society should avoid radical change. Some conservatives seek to preserve
things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose
modernism and seek a return to the way things were.

5. Conservative Libertarian:

Also known as Libertarian conservatism or as fusionism. Conservative

Libertarian includes political ideologies which meld libertarianism and
conservatism.

6. Moderate Conservative:

Moderate Conservatism is usually viewed as someone having a moderate

view on the conservative policies.

7. Very Conservative:

A strong follower of the conservative ideology.

8. Liberal:
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Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equality.Most liberals

support such fundamental ideas as constitutions, liberal democracy, free and
fair elections, human rights, free trade, secularism, and the market economy.

9. Libertarian:

Libertarianism is a political theory that advocates the maximization of

individual liberty in thought and action and the minimization or even
abolition of the state.Libertarians embrace viewpoints across a political
spectrum, ranging from pro-property to anti-property and from minimal
state (or minarchist) to openly anarchist.

10. Moderate Liberal:

Moderate Liberals are those who view moderately on liberal ideology.

11. Very Liberal

Strong follower of Liberal ideology.

12. Republican:

A person who favors a republican form of government.

13. Socialist:

Socialism refers to the various theories of economic organization which

advocate either public or direct worker ownership and administration of the
means of production and allocation of resources.Socialists generally share
the view that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a
small segment of society that controls capital and derives its wealth through
a system of exploitation. This in turn creates an unequal society, tha t fails to
provide equal opportunities for everyone to maximise their potential, and
does not utilise technology and resources to their maximum potential nor in
the interests of the public.

14. Socialist Libertarian:

Also called as Libertarian socialism is a group of political philosophies that

aspire to create a society free of coercive hierarchies.

15. Green Party:

A Green party or ecologist party is a formally organized political party based

on the principles of Green politics. These principles include social justice,
reliance on grassroots democracy, nonviolence, and an emphasis on
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 environmentalism. “Greens” believe that the exercise of these pr inciples
leads to world health.

16. Independent:

An Independent is a politician who is not affiliated with any political party.

Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political
parties, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do not feel
that any major party addresses. Other independent candidates are associated
with a political party and may be former members of it, but choose not to
stand under its label. A third category of independents are those who may
belong to or support a political party but believe they should not formally
represent it and thus be subject to its policies. Finally, some independent
candidates may form a political party for the purposes of running for public
office.

17. Indifferent:

You are indifferent if you do not have an opinion on any of the political views

(from http://sarathc.com/different-kinds-of-political-views.html)

Politics and Political Science

Political science is the systematic study of politics, or the process by which
governmental decisions are made. As a famous definition puts it, politics is
determining who gets what, where, when, and how. The political scientist is an
objective observer who asks questions about and studies the effects and structures
of different systems of governments.

A Brief History of Political Science

Political science originated with the ancient Greeks in the first century BCE. During
this time, the philosopher Plato wrote numerous dialogues about politics, asking
about the nature of justice, what constitutes good government, and what is truly
best for humanity. His student Aristotle worked in a more scientific way, observing
and describing types of governments systematically. At the start of the seventeenth
century, people began to apply the methods of the scientific revolution to politics.
Thomas Hobbes, for example, employed the methods of geometry to break
government down into its most basic parts in order to understand it. In the
nineteenth century, thinkers such as Karl Marx and Max Weber used sociological
methods to analyze politics.

Political Science Today

In the last few decades, political science has become more solidly established.
Political professionals work on campaigns (as well as news shows) at all levels to
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help sway voters, and many elected officials analyze data to help make policy
choices. Today, many political scientists use statistics and other quantitative
methods to study a variety of issues, such as voting, Congress, and the presidency.

Why Study Political Science

A. By studying political science, we become more aware of our dependence on the
political system and better equipped to determine when to favor and when to oppose
change;

B. Everyone has the duty to advise communities on how to become more effective;

C. Students of political science can possess better political opinions and decisions.

D. In this subject, student are expected for moral and intellectual growth.

What’s wrong with politics nowadays?

A. It deviates from the concept of good politics, which ought to be a reflection of the
aspirations to contribute to the happiness of the community and not of the need to deceive
or pillage the community.

B. It is now associated with art of deception, intrigues, demagoguery and ruthless egoism.

Governance and Government

1. Governance is traditionally associated with government. In literatures, they are often used
interchangeably. But in the 1980s, political scientists broadened the meaning of
governance as including, not just government actors, but also civil-society actors. Today,
governance includes three sectors: the public sector (state actors and institutions), the
private sector (households and companies), and the civil society (non-governmental
organizations). These three sectors are said to work hand in hand in the process of
governance. This new use of the term focuses on the role of “networks” in the
achievement of the common good, whether these networks are intergovernmental,
transnational, or international. In other words governance is broader than government in
that other sectors are included in it.
2. Many authors also distinguish the two by associating government with “control and
domination,” and governance with “decentralization and relational management.” On the
one hand, government refers to a central institution which wields power over its subjects.
It is the instrument patterned after the model of “command and control,” the government
being in command over the affairs of the people. On the other hand, governance is
closely associated with the concept of decentralization of power and the need for inter-
sectoral management. Governance is based on the realization that the government cannot
do everything for the people, so that in order to survive the state should not only rely on
government but also on the other sectors of the society.

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 3. Thus, under the current trend, there is a need to move from the “traditional hierarchical
exercise of power by the government” to the new notion of a “dispersed and relational
power in governance” – from government to governance. To govern should now mean to
facilitate or regulate, not to dominate or command.

Activities and Exercises

1. In the Philippine setting, what issues and challenges confront our political
context? Why do these issues occur?
2. How would you describe our present political situation?
3. What can you suggest to improve the performance of our present
government?

Trace the Philippine- US political relationship throughout the history.

Glossary
Governance is traditionally associated with government. In literatures, they are
often used interchangeably. But in the 1980s, political scientists broadened the
meaning of governance as including, not just government actors, but also civil-
society actors.

Government- a political order that maintains and perpetuates the

community.
Nation- state- most distinctive and largest self-sufficient political
configuration in the modern world… its actions and reactions affect not only
the welfare and destiny of its own people but, increasingly, the fate of
peoples in other lands
Political science- is the systematic study of politics, or the process by which
governmental decisions are made.
Politics-is the way in which we understand and order our social affairs, and
acquire greater control over the situation.
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References

B. Ponton& P. Gill. (1982). Politics, Introduction. New York: Basil Blackwell

Tuibeo, A. (1998). Politics and governance: A critical introduction. Makati:
Grandwater Publication.
Magstadt, T. &Schoten, P. (1988). Understanding politics: ideas, institutions,
& issue. New York: St. Martin’s Press
Retrieved from https://tamayaosbc.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/basic-
concepts-in-politics/ September 2, 2016
Retrieved from http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/UNDP4/wp-
content/uploads/2012/12/Philippine-Political-Culture-and-
Governance.pdfSeptember 2, 2016
Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/us-government-and-
politics/political-science/politics-and-political-science/section1.rhtml
September 2, 2016
Retrieved from https://tamayaosbc.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/what-is-
governance/ September 2, 2016

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