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Political Science
What is Political Science? institutions, combating corruption, and improving
governance.
Political Science is the systematic study of politics,
Maitland: “When I look at the question paper titled
government systems, and political behavior.
political science, I am troubled with the title rather than
It aims to understand how power and resources are
question asked.”
distributed and exercised within societies, and how
Andrew Hecker – he calls
decisions are made and implemented by political entities.
political science as most
democratic subject of the
Importance of Political Science:
world
Understanding Governance: Provides insights
Why?
into the workings of government awnd political
Disagreement lies at
institutions, helping citizens make informed
the heart of the
decisions and participate effectively in democracy.
subject.
Analyzing Political Behavior: Helps understand
Almost all concepts in
why people vote, how political opinions are formed,
political science are
and what influences political participation.
‘essentially contested concepts’
Policy Development: Contributes to the
Contest is not just on concept but even on the
development and evaluation of public policies
nomenclature of the subject
addressing social issues, economic challenges, and
1. in Britain it is called ‘study of Government.’
international relations.
2. in continental Europe it is called ‘political
Promoting Accountability: Encourages
philosophy’
transparency and accountability in public
3. in USA it is called as ‘political science’
Aspect Political Theory Political Philosophy Political Science
Basics Theory is a structured Philosophy is a rational and Science is a systematic, empirical
framework of ideas that normative inquiry into the approach focused on observation
explains what is and fundamental nature of and verification to ensure
sometimes suggests what knowledge, existence, and objectivity and predictive accuracy,
ought to be, making it values, emphasizing what ought aiming for evidence-based and
both analytical and to be and focusing on ideals generalizable conclusions.
explanatory in nature. rather than empirical facts.
Definition Systematic explanation of Normative and abstract Empirical and analytical study of
political ideas, reasoning about ideal political political behavior, institutions, and
institutions, and processes values and systems. systems
Focus Norms + empirical Justice, liberty, equality, rights, Facts, data, institutions, voting
understanding authority behavior, policy outcomes
Nature Bridge between science Normative and speculative Scientific and empirical
and philosophy
Key Questions How do political systems What is a just state? What is the What are voting patterns, behavior,
operate and how should best form of government? party systems?
they operate?
Methodology Conceptual analysis, Philosophical logic, deductive Quantitative methods, statistical
normative reasoning, reasoning, dialectics analysis, case studies
historical inquiry"The
Communist Manifesto."
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Arvind Singh Rajpurohit +91 99608 61079
Examples Concepts like liberty, Plato’s Republic, Rousseau’s Voter turnout data, party systems,
democracy, Social Contract, Locke’s Two surveys on public opinion; ex:
representation; ex: Treatises "Election studies"
"Rawls' Theory of
Justice"
Associated Isaiah Berlin, Hannah Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, David Easton, Almond & Verba,
Thinkers Arendt, Rajeev Bhargava Gandhi Yogendra Yadav
Topic: Equality Classifies equality into Asks: Is equality always Studies how different countries
political, social, and desirable? Can inequality be implement reservation or quotas;
economic; evaluates need justified? (e.g., Rawls' voter behavior in marginalized
for affirmative action "Difference Principle") groups
Sparta: Renowned for its military prowess and
Evolution of Political science as a discipline
austere social system.
Political science is one of the oldest discipline. Mesopotamia:
It has its origin in ancient Greece. Uruk and Babylon: Early city-states that played
The term political comes from the word “polis” crucial roles in the development of civilization in the
which means city state. region, with sophisticated administrative and legal
Political science dealt with all such activities which systems.
came under city-states. Medieval and Renaissance Europe:
Hence, from the very beginning the scope has been Venice: A major maritime power with extensive
very vast and interdisciplinary. trade networks.
Aristotle who is known as ‘father of political Florence: A center of banking, commerce, and art
science’ called Political science as ‘Master during the Renaissance.
Science’. Modern Examples:
Why? Singapore: A highly developed and prosperous
1. It is a master science because it is required by the city-state with a significant global economic
masters who are running the state. presence.
2. It is also a master science because of its Monaco: Known for its tourism, banking, and
interdisciplinary nature. luxury services.
3. e.g. ethics, history, economics, sociology everything
is studied under it.
First Phase: Ancient Times
City State
Political Science originates as a part of ‘Political
A city-state is a political system where an independent Philosophy’.
sovereign city serves as the center of political, economic Throughout ancient time, it remained a sub-
and cultural life over its contiguous territories. discipline of Philosophy.
Examples: Greek thinkers did not differentiate between Ethics,
philosophy and Politics.
According to Plato the ‘question of good life and
good political life are inseparable’.
Ancient Greece:
Athens: Known for its early form of democracy and
cultural achievements.
@iarvindrajpurohit @Arvind_Unacademy
Arvind Singh Rajpurohit +91 99608 61079
During this phase scope of Political Science was Fourth Phase: After Second world war
very vast as everything came under its political
Till Second World War Political Science was
science
defined as study of institution and Government.
Second Phase: Medieval Time
After second world war there was emergence of
During this phase church was the most dominant
‘Behavioral approach.’
institution.
Political scientists under’ Behavioral Approach’
shifted focus from study of Government, state and
Institution to ‘Politics as process.’
Behavioral political scientist wanted to make
Political Science as a pure science.
Behavioralism shifted the focus from institutions to
individual behavior, public opinion, and voting
patterns, employing statistical and quantitative
methods.
Scholars like David Easton and Gabriel Almond
were instrumental in this movement.
Political science became sub- discipline of religion.
Fifth Phase: From 1960s onwards
St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas integrated
religious perspectives with classical ideas, In this phase Post-
emphasizing the moral and ethical dimensions of Behavirourlism
politics. emerged and it held
It was studied as part of religious studies. that political science
(Scholastics) cannot be a pure
science.
Third Phase: Modern Times
At the most it can be
It was Machiavelli an applied science
separated Politics and as policy science.
from Ethics and Since1960s there is
religion. use of other philosophical like ‘critical school’,
‘post-modernism’ and ‘post-colonialism’, “Feminist
He was the first theory”
person who
established
Political Science as Arts or Science debate !
autonomy of politics
as a discipline. Political Science as an Art:
As Machiavelli It deals with human values, ethics, and ideologies,
focused on statecraft (to govern state artistically) the which are difficult to quantify.
core area of the state became study of political No fixed laws like in physics or chemistry; political
science. behavior is context-specific and shaped by culture,
The Enlightenment saw the rise of social contract history, and individual will.
theories by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, who Interpretive and normative elements remain
explored the origins and legitimacy of political central — questions like What is justice? or What is
authority and individual rights. a good government? cannot be answered by data
Gradually Political Science started to study alone.
governmental institutions. Policy-making and diplomacy often depend on
Hence Legal- Constitutional approach became the judgement, creativity, and negotiation — qualities
dominant approach. linked to the "art" of politics.
Example: Political philosophy by Plato, Gandhi, or
Ambedkar is deeply rooted in moral reasoning,
which cannot be studied scientifically.
@iarvindrajpurohit @Arvind_Unacademy
Arvind Singh Rajpurohit +91 99608 61079
Political Science as a Science: The discipline came to be known as Political
Science due to a combination of academic,
Political Science qualifies as a science to the extent that historical, and practical reasons.
it uses systematic methods, relies on empirical data, First, for academic legitimacy, aligning the
and aims to explain and predict political behavior study of politics with the methods of natural
and outcomes. The scientific features include:
sciences brought greater recognition, funding,
and standardization to the field.
1. Observation and Classification: Political
scientists study institutions, voting behavior, The behavioral revolution of the 1950s further
and governance models based on observable reinforced this shift by emphasizing the need for
patterns. the discipline to be empirical and quantifiable,
2. Hypothesis Testing: Just like natural sciences, much like physics or economics.
political science tests theories (e.g., about voter Additionally, the dominance of American
behavior, party dominance, or policy impact)
universities in shaping global academic
using data.
3. Quantitative Methods: Surveys, regression disciplines played a crucial role; they
analysis, public opinion polling (e.g., CSDS institutionalized Political Science as a separate
election surveys in India). and rigorous field of study.
4. Predictive Capacity: Political science often Finally, policy relevance became a key
attempts to predict election outcomes, policy factor—Political Science proved useful in
success, or regime stability. formulating, evaluating, and guiding public
5. Causality and Correlation: For example,
studying the relationship between education policies, making it not just a theoretical but also
and political participation. a practical and decision-oriented discipline.
These reasons collectively established
Why we call the discipline as Political Science ? “Political Science” as the accepted
nomenclature.
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