September 13, 2015Introduction to Political Science1 Introduction: Politics and Political Science Frank H. Brooks

April 19, 2023 Introduction to Political Science 1

Introduction: Politics and Political Science

Frank H. Brooks


What Is Politics?• Assumption I: Politics is necessary because of human

selfishness, bias, and conflict– Madison (Federalist #51): “If men were angels, no government

would be necessary.”– Human nature makes politics a challenge– Is this cynical? Realistic? Pragmatic?

• Assumption II: Politics can be civilizing– Aristotle (Politics, Book III): “a state exists for the sake of a

good life and not for the sake of life only; if life only were the object, slaves and brute animals might form a state”

– Is this idealistic? A critique of existing states and politics?• Middle ground?

– Otto von Bismarck: politics is “the art of the possible”


What Is Politics Really?• Etienne de la Boetie (The Discourse of Voluntary

Servitude):– “Plays, farces, spectacles, gladiators, strange beasts, medals,

picture, and other such opiates”– Distractions to dominate

• Ambrose Bierce (The Devil’s Dictionary)– Politics is “a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of

principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage”– Hypocrisy and corruption

• Saddam Hussein– “Politics is when you say you are going to do one thing while

intending to do another. Then you do neither what you said or what you intended.”

– deviousness


What Is Political Science?• Scientific method applied to study of politics

– Is this possible? Ethical?– How does political science differ from physical sciences?– Can politics be studied objectively? Should it be?

• A set of related disciplines attempting to better understand politics

– What is the subject matter (scope)?– Consider anatomy of discipline

• Structure of departments, requirements for majors, prominent journals• Fields and subfields

– Little consensus on scope or methods, especially now• Debates on conceptual and analytical framework• Convergence of formerly distinct fields

• Political science and comparative politics– Most basic strategy of political science is comparison– Explanatory models evaluated by focused comparison of cases

• Obviously central to field of comparative politics• Done also in studies of public policy, international relations, even

political theory


Course Goals• Why study politics by comparing?

– Curiosity– Analysis– Critique/reform

• Describe– Appreciate similarities and differences between governments and

politics in different countries• Systematize

– Identify and categorize major political phenomena, institutions, policies, performance, and change

• Analyze and explain– Examine how comparativists try to understand and explain these

elements of government and politics• Apply to politics

– How can we better understand (and fix?) contemporary political phenomena and changes


Scope of Comparative Politics• What is to be studied?• States

– aka “government”– Political scientists distinguish between state, governments, regimes– Analytical concepts: institutions, processes, conflicts

• Society– That which is governed– “object” of state’s actions; “subject” which directs state– Analytical concepts: class, religion, nationality, ethnicity, identity

• Global Context– Not “International relations” per se, but relations between/among

states and societies– Concepts: globalization, world systems, colonialism

• Performance– What is actually done and accomplished– Concepts: policies, political economy


Scope II• Political Systems v. Political Change

– Which is more essential: what persists or what changes/develops?

– “metaphysics” of politics• Systems

– “static” explanation – order, organic– Concepts and approaches: “behavioralism” and

functions• Change

– Cycles, decline and progress– Examples: Modernization theory, explanations

of revolution, theories of democratization


Methods of Comparison• Description v. Comparison• Large “N” v. Small “N”• Can Comparative Politics be a Science?• Major methods

– Case studies– Statistical analysis– Structured, focused comparison– Regional studies


Key Concepts

• Quick review of major definitions

• Politics

• State, Regime and Government

• Power v. Authority


Politics• “the struggle in any group for power that will give one

or more persons the ability to make decisions for the larger group” (O’Neil, p. 3)– Binding on group members– Size and nature of groups varies– Could be seen as “process,” but more realistically as

“struggle”

• Narrower: “the struggle for the authority to make decisions that will affect the public as a whole”– Binding on “public as a whole”– Authority and power are key concepts


State• Max Weber: “a human community that (successfully)

claims a monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory”

• “the authoritative decision-making institutions for an entire society, to which all other groups, institutions and persons are legally subject”

• Definitions of “state” beg definition of constituent concepts:– Territory (society) – where/over what does state

rule?– Techniques – force, decisions– Sovereignty (degree, internal v. external)– Authority and legitimacy


Regime v. Government• Regime

– Often connotes illegitimate system of governing– More neutrally, the “fundamental rules and norms of politics” (O’Neil, p.

22)• Government

– Broad definition: “A regular and settled pattern of decision-making”• Orderly and patterned, not spontaneous• Can apply to many organizations, e.g. universities, clubs, churches,

unions– Narrow definition: “the leadership or elite in charge of running the state”

(O’Neil, p. 23)• Relationship of state, regime and government

– State is administration, sovereignty (basic structural unit) – the “what”– Regime is processes for running the state – the “how”– Government is the particular personnel and policies at a given time – the

“who”


Power

• Not equivalent to force

• Power to v. power over

• Three forms of power (Boulding)– The stick – “use force”– The deal – “make deals”– The kiss – “create commitments”

• “Invisible” power (Lukes)


Authority

• Distinct from power

• Machiavelli – creating obedience

• Right to rule

• Weber’s bases of authority– Traditional– Charismatic– Legal-rational

Documents

September 13, 2015Introduction to Political Science1 Introduction: Politics and Political Science Frank H. Brooks