Unit-1 Introduction to

Political Science
 What is ‘Politics’ and its significance
• Politics from polis-city, Sovereign, State
• Science from scire-to know, study
• Political Science is the study of state and government
• It is the understanding of the state, i.e. principles and ideals underlaying its
organization and activities.
• It is the study of a body politic, the association of people into a political community
• It studies the relations of men and groups, men and groups to the state, and state to
other states.
 What is Political
• When an organization is designed to regulate the whole community, it takes
the character of polity. Polity therefore denotes an organization where rules
are made and decisions are taken for the whole community, and authority is
exercised over each member of the community.
• The term political refers to something related to a polity, that is public, as
distinguished from private or something applicable to a limited number of
persons.
 Political Science…..
• Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the
state, government and politics.
• Aristotle defines it as the study of state
• It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis
of political systems and political Behaviour.
• Political Science is the social science concerned chiefly with the description
and analysis of political and governmental institutions and processes.
 Study of….
• Political Science is the study of politics
• How do we study political science?
• Studying political behaviour (Behaviouralist Approach)
• Studying political structure and functions
• Studying political phenomenon
• Studying political ideals
• Studying Political Development
• Studying political futures
 Politics and Power
• Political Science is the study of “the shaping and sharing of power”.
• Power is the ability to have others do something, whether they like it or not.
It often connotes sanctions for those who will not abide.
• Name people who are powerful?
• Political Science is the study of how power is achieved (or gained), shared
and used in the realm of state (or local) governance and global relations.
 Concept of state and Government
• State- a community of persons more or less numerous permanently
occupying a definite portion of territory, having body of inhabitants renders
obedience, and enjoying freedom from external control.
• Elements of the state
• 1. People 2. Territory 3. Government 4. Sovereignty