Name: Souer Sokrit ID: 0119687

Chapter: 1 Politics and Political Science

Politics is the ongoing competition between people, usually in groups, to shape policy in their
favor. To do so, they may seek to guide policy indirectly by shaping the beliefs and values of members of
their society.

Political power seems to be build into the human condition. There is no definitive explanation of
political power. Biological, psychological, cultural, rational and irrational explanations have been put
forward.

Political science is a method of how to study politics. Political science ain’t politics. It’s not
necessarily training to become a practicing politician. Political science is training in the calm, objective
analysis of politics, which may or may not aid working politicians.

 Study politics as a scientist studies nature, trying to understand reality without getting
angry at it.
 Political science combines many disciplines buy focuses on power. Who hold it and how
they use it.
 Politics can be studied objectively, politics claims are supported by empirical evidence
and structured by theory.