POLIGOV

HANDOUTS # 1
CONCEPTS OF STATE, POLITICS, GOVERNMENT,
GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
PREPARED BY: PORTIA ELAINE V. BISMONTE
I. What is Political Science?
A. Its etymological meaning
POLITICS
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The word Politics comes from the Greek word polis meaning
city-state, and was defined by Aristotle in his book The
Politics as in every city state there is a kind of association and
that man by nature is a political animal.
Politics is also the means of organizing collective human
activity.
The essence of social existence is Politics and that 2 or more
men interacting with one another are invariably involved in a
political relationship.
According to Dahl, Politics arises when people living together
in associations and which involve conflicts, and subject to
some kind of power, ruler-ship and/or authority.
According to Froman, It is the distribution of advantages and
disadvantages among people through interaction with each
other to satisfy their different wants and needs.

SCIENCE
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From the Latin scientia meaning knowledge, it is the

systematic way of gaining knowledge thru scientific methods,
and a body of knowledge gained thru research.

B. POLITICAL SCIENCE
-

The study of the state in all its elements, aspects and

relationships.
A branch of social science which deals with the origin,
organization of the government, the theories and practice of
the state.
According to Robert Dahl, it is a systematic study of politics.
A systematic analysis to discover in confusing detail whatever
principles may exist of wider and more general significance.

do people join political strikes and what behavior is

displayed during these srikes.
2. Studying Political Structure A structural-functional
approach, focuses on important political roles established
in society, there functions that they perform, and how did
these roles and their influences be carried out. Ex: The
legislative branch of the govt formulates and makes the
laws , while the president of the executive branch
expresses and administers these laws.
3. Studying Political Phenomena phenomenological in
approach, focuses on the study of the causes of change
and their corresponding effects in the political system,
phenomenological changes are any event that has an
effect on a political situation, events that change a
political system. Ex: Death of Ninoy Aquino, sparked the
EDSA revolution.
4. Studying Political Ideas uses the Philosophical
approach, focuses on the meaning of political life, deals
with political theory and ideologies. Ex: Liberalism vs
Conservatism, laisses faire vs Dictatorship
5. Studying Political Documents - the art and practice of
reading and deciphering political documents, study of
laws, declarations, or any written document that is a
result of the practice of politics. Ex: the study of the
Philippine Constitution
6. Studying Political Future studies the effects of politics to
the society in general, and the future effects of any
political decision or decree. Ex: what are the positive and
negative effects of the clean air act to the environment,
the society, the culture and even the economy of the
Philippines?
D. The Paradigm of a Political System

C. Six approaches in studying Political science/Political Puzzles (Kay

Lawson)
1. Studying Political Behavior focuses on how individuals
act politically, based on Behavioralist approach. Ex; Why

INPUTS demands/supports
expressed via individuals,
organizations or political/
even interest parties

political which contribute shaping and formation of such

policy. Ex: UN, ASEAN, APEC, VFA, etc.
FEEDBACK

FEEDBACK

Conversion of Inputs by the

authority otherwise known
as the government.

THE MEMBERS OF THE

POLITY
- the political culture and
patterns of political
socialization.

OUTPUTS eg: laws,

policies, decisions,
information, etc.

The none political

environment, these are the
non-political factors that
influence the behavior and
attitudes of the citizens and
the authorities

FEEDBACK

E. Areas of Fields of Political Science

Political Theory/Philosophy is political thought which
explains the political ideas and beliefs of a group of people
and the body of concepts they live by in a certain period. It
expresses the moral/ethical standards the government may
adopt to run public affairs.
Ex: the dictatorship/
authoritarianistic rule of Marcos under the Martial Law
Public Law refers to the constitutional and legal principles
governing and arising from the relations between sovereign
states, between different levels of government and
individuals. Ex: Public Office is Public Trust
International Relations, International Law and International
Organization study of foreign policy of nation-states in their
mutual relationship on the different faces: geographical,
technologically, economic, demographic, psychological and

Government is a distinct branch of study dealing with the

government set upof a state on both national and local
levels. EX: UKs Monarchical Govt.
Comparative Government seeks the similarities and
differences among states regards to their executive,
legislative, judiciary bodies, constitution and laws,
administrative organizations, political parties and interest
groups, policies and processes. Ex: Democratic US vs
Communistic USSR
Public Administration are the techniques, methods of
managing and administering government in the ff. phases:
administration organization, personnel administration,
financial or fiscal administration and management of good
public relations. Ex: Smile Campaign of the Civil service
commission.
Political Dynamics concerned with the interplay of different
societal forces that influence political decision and action ,
forces eg: economic, social, political, moral/religious,
environmental, educational, and cultural
Government and Business modern political economy,
wherein it focuses on the way the government does business
or corporate functions which affect the national economy. Eg:
VAT, Privatization campaign
Legislative and Legislation focuses on the roles and fields
of the legislative process and legislative body itself. And how
to make laws. Eg: How a bill becomes a law?
F. Political Science and Other Social Sciences
History History without Political Science has no fruit and
Political Science without History has no root.
Economics the allocation of scarce resources to attain
optimum satisfaction of societys unlimited wants.
Sociology social problems also are equated to being
political problems.
Psychology politics based on human mind and psyche
Anthropology the state evolved from family or simple to
complex organizations.
Geography foreign relations and policy making due to
boundaries and global resources
Philosophy ideologies and political thoughts and ideas
G. Methods in Studying Political Science

the will of the state is formulated (legislative),

expressed(executive), and carried out/realized (judiciary).

Empirical or Observation Method - wherein by observation, the

scientist see the cause and its effects. Ex: one vote can affect
a particular political system.

- An institution or aggregate of institutions by which an

independent society makes and carries out those rules of
action which are necessary to enable men to live in a
social state which are imposed upon by the people
forming that society by those who possess the power or
authority of prescribing them Supreme Court,
Philippines.

Historical Method knowing he root or the background origins

and the evolution of politics/political question
Comparative contrasting or even comparing the similarities
and differences of each aspect of a political puzzle/question
Analytical Method studying the elements and their
significance, how do they operate, answering the questions of
the Hows and the Whys.

II. The Concept and Definition of the STATE

NOTE: Administration is the body of persons charged with the duty of

governance.
The Distinctions between State and Government:
A. The government is just a part or an element of a state.
B. The state is permanent while the government changes in
form and structure from time to time.
C. No State will exist without a government, but a government
can existence doesnt mean a state exists.
D. State is an ideal person or principle a government is just an
agency of the state.

A. What is a State?
The STATE is a community of persons more or less numerous,
permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent of
internal and external control and possessing an organized
government to which the great body of inhabitants render habitual
obedience. Garner
B. The Four Elements of the State

Sovereignty is the power to command and enforce

obedience, the power to which legally speaking all
interest are practically subject and all will is subordinate.,
supreme, absolute and uncontrollable power of state over
its governed.

People refers to an aggregate of individuals of both

sexes who live together as a community despite racial or
cultural differences.
- They owe allegiance or habitual obedience to a
single government despite of their race, language,
cultural variety, a community forming a body politic
- Population is more or less numerous, hardly a
minimum or maximum number of members, they
should be numerous enough to be self-sufficient
and yet small enough to be effectively governed.
May be called subjects, citizens and etc.

Two Aspects of Sovereignty

Territory includes the land, terra, the water, fluvial, and

air, aerial. This is where the people permanently live a
fixed portion of the of the globe and definite in nature,
should not be floating one so as to establish and identify
the limits within which it may command and enforce its
will and sovereignty, in other words its physical and
political boundaries.

a. Internal Sovereignty- the power of the state to

command over all persons within the limits of its
territory and to regulate and control all things and
properties within its boundaries through laws and
appropriate agencies
b. External Sovereignty freedom of the state from
external or foreign control or even interference, also
called independence.
Note: none absolute (external) for it is subject to limitations imposed
by membership in the family of nations and other limitations imposed
by agreed upon treaties.

Government the governing power of the state, a

collective name for the agency or institution through which

By Source and Intent

Legal Sovereignty the powers to make laws exercised
by legislative body and electorate to a certain degree
under initiative and referendum.

Political Sovereignty the final source of power which

belongs to the people, the power and authority to govern
being derived from them.

of god governing by direct ordination or divine revelation and

that, rulers/kings are given absolute power and that they can do
no wrong, basis of the monarchical government.

Characteristics of Sovereignty
1. Permanence its exists as long as the state
exists
2. Perpetuity lives within the state
3. Continuity
4. Exclusiveness only the state exercises this
element
5. Absoluteness generally unlimited unless the
state consents to such limitations
6. All-Comprehensiveness it covers all persons
and things within its territory subject to
exceptions which the state has voluntarily
yielded.
7. Unity it is indivisible there cant be 2 or more
equal sovereigns in the same state.
8. Inalienability remains within the state cannot
be bartered, transferred, delegated to anyone
w/o putting an end to it however its exercise
of sovereignty itself may be delegated.

Necessity Theory the state was formed by mans desire and

wants and mans inability to produce everything he needed, so
he entered into inter-dependence with other dependents to
supply each other with one had and the other lacked, and vice
versa.
Force Theory states came into being out of conquests and
wars, strong leaders/nations used force, coercion, might by
sword and shield to consolidate there territories and conquest
into one large holding/state.
Social Contract Theory the state began through social
contacts by men who live in a state of nature in order to have
peace and order, men came together to establish peace and
settle conflicts, general will vs. anarchy. Forming a civil society
were all member have a part and duty to perform.

Nation comprises of people bound together by common attraction

and repulsion into a living organism possessed of common impulse,
intelligence and aspiration destined appropriately to have common
history, common fate, A group of men who have become
amalgamated into an essential ethnic unity through long association.

Natural Theory the state was a natural institution, and not an

abstract nor artificial being it unifies citizens/men so they can
survive, and become self-sufficient, an have the capacity to
grow a full and civilized life.

Matriarchal/Patriarchal/Kin Theory The state arose from

process of evolution and it evolved from the smallest unit of
society, the family.
Family

Clan

Tribe

Nation

State

Instinctive Theory the state was created through mens natural

STATE
Political
and legal in
concept
State has 4 elements that it
needs to exists
A single state may hold/
embrace different nations
In a state there are always
a nation

NATION
Racial and ethnic in
concept, nearly akin to
people
May have these elements
and may also lack them
Nations may embrace
states or no states at all
A nation exists doesnt
mean a state exists

C. Theories of the Origin of the State

Divine Right Theory - the state exists as a creation of god,
governed and ruled by him, a ruler is a representative or agent

inclinations towards political associations, man as a social being

associated with other men for protection, companionship, security,
and self-preservation.

Economic Theory the state developed because of mens

economic wants, man in isolation cannot get him all things he
wanted/needed thus by associating himself with others and with
an exchange or barter of goods, commodities and services he
is able to share and exchange his needs/wants with others and
share and exchange resources, to fulfill these needs/wants.
Historical and Evolution Theory the state was not a single
result fact nor a result of the above mentioned theories but was
a product of a long evolutionary process from simple to a more
complex form of political-economic-societal structure.
-tsuzuki-

Sources:
Kay Lawson Human Polity
Hector S. De Leons Constitution and Government
Agnes Riveras Constitution and Government
Florentino Aysons Fundamentals of Political Science