Polity and Society,New1

8/8/2019 Polity and Society,New1

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6/21/2013 Amity School of Business,AUUP 1

Polity and Society

Module 1


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NATURE

Aristotle:

Man is by nature a political animal and he who by

nature and not by mere accident is without a state iseither above humanity or below it.

In other words he says, He who is unable to live in asociety or who has no need because he sufficient for

himself, must be either a beast or a God.


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Introduction

The term Politics was first used by Aristotle as master

science". It is derived from the Greek word polis",

meaning city.

To the Greeks the city was the State and the subject

that dealt with the CityState and its problems was

designated Politics.

Politics is the process by which groups of people makedecisions


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Political Science ( definitions )

Political science is an academic and research

discipline that deals with the theory and practice of

politics and the description and analysis ofpolitical

system and political behavior.

Political systems are developed simply because

human beings are social and as they cannot live

without entering into the relationships of influence,

consequently, whenever these relationships becomestable and repetitive, political systems exist.


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Robert Dahl thus defines a political system," as any

persistent pattern of human relationship that involves,

to a significant extent, power, rule or authority

Political behavior concentrates on the study of the

behavior of the individuals and groups within

political institutions.


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Political science is the study of political behavior and

examines the acquisition and application of power.

It is the scientific study of the Stateits nature,conditions, origin and developmentsand

government, their functions and purposes and the

institutions they foster in order to make the task of

good life possible.


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Political Science

Paul Janet, Political science is the part of social

science which treats the foundations of the State and

the principles of the Government.

Garris , famous German author is of the opinion thatPolitical Science deals with the origin, development,

purpose, and all political problems of the state.

Lord Acon, Political science is concerned with the

State and with conditions essential for its

development.


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Aims and scope

a. Study of State and GovernmentPolitical science

is the science which is concerned with the State,

endeavors to understand and comprehend the State

and the Government.We come to know that despite the

differences found between the State and the

Government, the scope of one another cannot be

separated from the other. It is to be noted that the

State is an agency under which the Government

functions.


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b. The study of associations and institutionsin the

organized way the fundamental problems of Politicalscience include, first, an investigation of the originand the nature of the State, second, an inquiry intonature, history and forms of political institutions and

third, deduction there from so far as possible, of lawsof political growth and development.

There are many types of institutions(religious, social, cultural, economic, educational,

political) in a country or in a society and, the State,an institution that stands supremecontrols all ofthem.


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c. Study of National and International Problems andthe Political Study of ManThough the termPolitical science is related to the English wordPolitics which itself has been derived from theGreek word Polis". It stands for city State.

However the study of political science is not limitedto cityStates only but it also deals with thenational and international problems.

It will be not wrong to say that

the scope of Political science also includes the studyof man, otherwise the study of Political sciencewould remain incomplete.


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d. Study of the Past, Present and the Future

Development of StateGettell writes : In itshistorical aspects, Political Science deals with the

origin of the State and the development of political

theories in the pastIn dealing with the present, it

attempts to describe and classify existing political

institutions and ideas. It also looks to the future, to

improving politics, organizations and activities in the

light of the changing conditions and ethicalstandards.


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Politics and legitimate power

Legitimate power comes from the authority and

position in the chain of command. It comes from the

ability to influence because of position. People at

higher position have power over the people below.Legitimate power increases with

added responsibilities and it can be decreased if one

fails to meet all the responsibilities.


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According to Robert Dahl, legitimacy is considered a

basic condition for rule: without at least a minimal

amount of legitimacy, a government will lead to

frequent deadlocks or collapse in the long run.


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SOURCES OF LEGITIMACY

Charismatic authority : Legitimacy based on thecharisma of the leader, often partly based on the

perception that this leader has certain extra orsupernatural attributes. Example: a religious leader.

Traditional authority : Legitimacy based ontradition; e.g., people accept the government for thesimple fact that it has been around for so long and is

based on popular customs and usages. Example:monarchy.


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Rational/legal authority : Legitimacy based on theperception that a government's powers are derivedfrom set procedures, principles, and laws which areoften complex and are written down as part of theconstitution. Example: democracy


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Relationship between Politics, Society and Law


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Relationship between Politics, society and law

the State which is the central theme of political science,operates through law. Hence, jurisprudence, the science

of law is closely related to politics.

Laws tend to be a reflex of a particular social pattern.

The legal system has to keep pace with the changing

pattern of a community.

Law seeks to regulate social relations, when these

relations change the code of social regulations, knownas law, also, undergoes necessary modifications.


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A social ideal primarily deduced from a prevalent

social relation is sought to be embodied in the legal

code of the society.

Political science and jurisprudence, differ in theirapproaches. Jurisprudence , deals with persons and

situations in general. It follows a normative approach,

while political science is also interested in descriptive

analysis as it is closely related to the living politicalrealities


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Law serves as an exercise in logic rather than in life,

politics bridge the gulf between abstract legalism and

the concrete realities of life.


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Indian School of Thought

- Ancient India, the antecedents of politics can be

traced back to theRig Veda, Samhitas,Brahmanas,

andBuddhist Pali Canon.- Chanakya (350-275 B.C) was a professor of political

science at Takshashila University, and later the

Prime Minister of Mauryan emperor Chandragupta

Maurya.- Chanakya is regarded as one of the earliest political

thinkers and is also known as the Indian Machiavelli.


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- Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra, which was one of theearliest treatise on political thought, economics andsocial order.

- It discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare,international relations, and war strategies in detail,among other topics on political science.


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- The ancient Tamil literary work Thirukural written

2000 years back has extensively dealt with political

science.

- Thirukural includes the art of public administration,

warfare, political diplomacy, civil society, espionage,

qualifications for public office, public revenue and

financial administration and local administration


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THE GANDHIAN WAY As a leader of a massive movement Gandhi had to

deal with new ,emergent problem situations and in his

attempt to solve those problems he applied some

ideas, only truth and non violence were in hisopinion, eternal values.

Gandhi believed that by taking an immoral path of

falsehood and violence it is not possible to reach the

temple of truth and justice.


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Gandhi was an advocate of a Non violent revolution.

The aim of this type of revolution was not to seizeand possess the summit of power but transference of

power from a close corporation to the peoplesrepresentatives.

He suggested dispersal of power over wide area.Decentralization of power is the core Gandhian

polity. Self governing village Panchayats constituted the

most important units ofGandhis envisioned polity.


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Satyagraha as a technique of change Gandhi laid emphasis on Satyagraha for resisting the

evil forces of injustice and tyranny.

Satyagraha is the technique of resisting all that is evil,

unjust, impure and untrue and resolving allmaladjustments in human relation by love, voluntary

suffering and self purification by an appeal to the

divine spark in the opponents soul.


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In the words of Gandhi Satyagraha is a

vindication of truth by bearing witness to itthrough self suffering in other words love.


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The technique of Satyagraha may take the following

forms:

1.Non cooperation Gandhi believed that a government

could perpetuate injustice only when the governedcooperate with it.

Thus withdrawal of cooperation from unrighteous rule

would result in paralysis of the government


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2. Civil Disobedience It is the last stage and the mostdrastic form of non-cooperation.

According to Gandhi civil disobedience is the breach

of immoral statutory enactments. People disobey theunjust laws of the tyrannical government in a

civilized manner.


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Non cooperation ultimately develops into civil

disobedience .

People disobey the unjust laws of the tyrannical

government in a civilized manner. Civil disobedience is the combination of revolution

with an abiding sympathy. Disobedience to be civil

he said must be sincere, respectful and restrained. It

must have no ill will and hatred behind it.


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3. Fasting The most potent form of Satyagraha isfasting. Fasting according to Gandhi presupposes thatthe person who launches on a fast possess spiritualfitness and a clear vision. Non violent pressure

exerted through self suffering by fasting touches andstrengthens the moral fiber of against whom it isdirected.

4. Strike - strike is the weapon of the labor for theredressal of their grievances. The strike must be nonviolent in spirit as well in method. The demands must

be clear and feasible.


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Gandhis theory of State

Gandhi conceived the withering away of the State -

the final stage ofmans journey towards perfection.

He paints a State of enlightened anarchy where

everyone is his own ruler. In the final State, therefore

there is no political power because there is no State.


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Gandhi has been described as a philosophicanarchist . He rejected the State in any form.The state commands, and whatever iscommanded cannot carry with it the moral values

of the individuals action. He wanted a society based on cooperation. when

the people cooperate voluntarily ,there is noneed of political power and the emerging result is

a stateless society. In the final State therefore there is no political

power because there is no state.


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Western school of thought

Politics has been understood differently by differentthinkers and within different traditions.

the term politics was used by Aristotle and Plato.

Platos work Republic has a great effect on modernpolitical thought. Its basic tenor is idealist as Plato

speculated with logical consistency on the construction

of an ideal political community.


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Aristotles work politics is amalgam of ethicalobservations, insightful comments and empiricism.

It contains classificatory scheme of governmentstructures, ideas about government change and ethical

concerns in politics. Jean Bodins work Republic in 1576 introduced the

concept of sovereignty which has become a coreconcept of political science.

Jean Jaques Rousseaus Social contract. Jean Jacques Rousseau in 1762 published his work

Social Contract". He discussed the contractual natureof civil society.


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Rousseaus theory is analysis of human nature.

Man in his opinion is essentially good, simple and

sympathetic. The state of nature was a condition of

perfect liberty and equality for mana stage of idyllichappiness.

To Rousseau, natural state is greatly preferable to civil

society and hence nature must be the rule for man in

the society.


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The growing economic advancement gave rise to the

system of property. The sense of property emerged

and man began to think in terms of mine and thine.


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Hostility and conflict appeared in the state of nature

and in consequence the sense of security was lost. The

need for self preservation impelled men to form a civil

society through contract.

By contract each man puts his person and all his power

in common under the supreme direction of general will.


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According to Rousseau, there was only one contract whichwas social and political at the same time. The individual

surrendered himself completely and unconditionally to

contract of which he became the member. The contract so

entered was moral and collective. Rousseau called this contractas the General Will. The salient feature of the General Will is

that it attached no importance to the private ends and willed

the General Good.

The General Will is all powerful as it stands for the social

good ,which itself is the standard of all righteousness.


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ARISTOTLES IDEAL STATE

It is a government by men of high and enlightened

virtue, in which no one is admitted to citizenship who

is not qualified and in which all citizens rule and are

ruled in turn.


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FEATURES

Ideal State is always a small cityState.

In Aristotles Ideal State Law is supreme.

The main function of Ideal State is ethical. It aims at

making man moral.

Aristotle regards State as educational State.

In Aristotles Ideal State property is to be owned

privately but is to be used in common.


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Size of Aristotles state should neither be too small or

too large.

The state should have ample access to sea for import.

The Ideal State is selfsufficient and neveraggressive.

The climate of the Ideal State should be moderate as

it is good for both mental and physical activity.

Character of the citizens should be combination of

courage and intelligence.


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Division of labor prevails in Ideal State as Aristotle

justifies slavery ,slavery is natural :

a. Men are by nature unequal with respect to their

capacities and virtue.b. Nature says that superior should rule over inferior

c. As everything in the world has its own specific

function similarly slave is fit for manual labor.

d. Slavery is useful for the master as well as the slave.


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Population of the state should be divided intomany classes :

i. Husbandry (agriculturists).ii. Artisans.

iii. A war like class.iv. Well to do leisured class.v. Priests.vi. Administrators.

Out of the six classes first two are non

citizens, they are the necessity of the State.Last four are the citizens (part of the State)

The Ideal State should have internalarrangements for water supply, streets.


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JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU


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Jean Jacques Rousseau, the great French writer of the

eighteenth century, elaborated his theory in his book

The Social Contractin 1762 . In Rousseaus State

of nature, all men were equal and living peacefully

and having joint ownership over all property. People

were living a very simple and natural life.


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THEORY OF GENERAL WILL

According to Rousseau there is only one contractwhich is social as well as political. The individualsurrendered himself completely andunconditionally to the will of the body of which he

became a member. The collective body so formedwas called by Rousseau as GENERAL WILL

Divided the individual will in two parts :

Real Will.

Actual Will.


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ATTRIBUTES OF GENERAL WILL

Indivisible.

Unrepresentable.

Unlimited, absolute and supreme. Inallienable.

Infallible.


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CRITICISM

A. All the powers attributed to General Will may make

it a dictatorship of one or a few.

B. Rousseau has no clear conception of General will.

C. In practice it is difficult to distinguish the Generalwill from the Will of All.

D. It separates the interest of the individual from that of

the State.


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E. The applicability of General Will in a large state is

not possible.

F. Rousseau does not tell us how to put the GeneralWill in practice.

G. The theory of General will emphasizes the notion of

general good rather than the good of the individual.

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Polity and Society,New1