“PSIR Optional Scoop”

Topic : Decline of Political Theory

Historicismand Decline of Political Theory:

According to David Easton the ever-increasing role of historicism is a

major cause of the decline of political theory. In his words: “Political theory

has been devoted to a form of historical researches that has robbed it of its

earlier, constructive role”.

What is historicism? It is defined as a belief that history is governed by

inexorable laws of change and that human actions are guided by

permanent ultimate purposes.

For long period political theory was in one way or other dominated by

history and this led political theory to insignificance. Easton has cited the

example of Dunning’s work. Dunning believed that political theory was

nothing but a historical account of condition and consequences of political

ideas. Traditional political, scientists generally built up the principles of

political science on the basis of historical facts which they collected from

past history.

Ques : Discuss the impact of historicism on decline of political theory ?