Introduction

Political science and governance is a discipline which has been struggling to establish itself for

many decades and had taken root during the World War II revolutions. The social philosophers

who were responsible for addressing political maters did not address the major issues. This lead

to accumulation of topical issues which making up the political science subjects issues to be

addressed. This growth and development of political science has lead to the concept being

considered as an independent academic discipline which was incorporated in the academic

curriculum. Political science has been defined as a part of social science that entails the

governance system and analysis activities of politics, political behavior and thoughts. Political

science deals with the practice and theories of politics which is the determining factor in the

resources and power distribution. Specialist in this field tend to reveal the relationship between

political conditions and events, thus constructing principals in which governs world of politics

(Political science 1999). The key concepts in political science includes nation state and power.

Criteria of Political Science

There are two criteria sets that are used to differentiate political life from other society aspects

and political science subject matters. One criteria define political life on the basis of the

expressed institution. The second criteria set is based on the behaviors or activities of a particular

historical institution. The second criteria set describe political science as the study of power,

decision making and power of decision making. The first criteria set, political science has been

described as the study of the state, governmental institutions or political institutions.

Institutional criteria
Governmental institution; the study of political or governmental institution is the most popular

and frequent way of describing political science field (Truman1951; Bentley 1908). This leaves

the sorting of political institution entirely to intuition from all other kind. The field basic

conceptualization does not help us differentiate political or governmental institution from

different forms. All the duties of political science evaluation at the discipline theoretical level are

abdicated from the way of virtually orienting one to political research. Each political scientist

generation consensus which is undefined or emergence.

State; this is the ultimate rule enforcing and setting federal, unitary or nonfederal. The belief by

citizens is sovereignty which is the state legitimacy belief. State is the political science subject

matter conceptualization that has the longest history. The first user of the term is Machiavelli,

although the there is dispute in his invention of term. During this period the term was used as a

substitute for significant political entities such as empire, land, dominion, kingdom, republic,

commonwealth and principality (Ma-culver 1926).

The central political concept of the long tradition of the state emphasizes more on the application

of interest in a more practical in setting perspectives of research rather than understanding

political life utility idea. Theoretical purposes shortcomings is mostly accepted and recognized.

The professional use of World War II has dwindled to the previous version small fraction

(Easton 1953). For analytical and research purposes, scholars have reduced most of the

implications of the term; it has been degraded to an empty and neutral concept for identification

of international sphere actors. This is covered by the concept of political system which is

burdened with some over-stones of practical political activities ().

Functional Criteria
Due to the inherent theoretical limitation in the institutional concept to develop alternative major

political science variables. This discontentment has given rise to interpretation varieties which

have a common quality: all identify political science subject matter as a form of behavior,

activity and function. Some of these definitions had been discovered around the nineteenth

century but were not accepted till at the mid of twentieth century when it was deemed to be a

superior approach than the institutional ones.

Power; this is the ability to influence people actions in persuasion which is the use of non-

physical means through the use of incentives and agents. Order to get the desired outcome.

Power can be divided into force through tough physical means and political science

conceptualization reached its zenith during the nineteenth century in the state theory (Staatslehre)

in the German speaking states of the school of politics influence people enquiry. It was

characterized by reduction of political inquiry into a body norm of the formal constitution in the

state. Some of the school opponents did not consider the state to be a body of legal norms, but as

social group set with everlasting struggle for power over its instrumentalities. For instance, the

early political sociologist like Oppenheimer (1907), Ratzenhoofer (1893) and Gumplowics

(1885) together with Treitschke, Marx (1897-1898) noted that the use of power and force in

conflict and struggle between classes or groups as an inherent political aspect connection. This

took longer to be accepted in the USA. At around 1930sMerriam and Catlin were in

disagreement on the issue of politics as an interpretation of power struggle. This attracted

attention of many others (Key 1942; Kaplan 1950; Lasswell 1936).

Nation; this is a word coined from the word “Natio” nationality and state. Nation is defined to be

organized politically. The size of the population differentiate between a state and a nation

(Gumplowiz & Burges).

Theoretical approaches to political science

The most common theoretical methodologies and approaches to political science and

governance includes institutional approaches, comparative approaches, normative theory,

rationale choice theory, Marxist theory, feminist theory, political economy, discourse theory and

structural and agency debates.

Normative theory; this theory tends to outline how things should be in terms of the properties

and type. For example, normative activities covers theoretical analysis modes that can be used to

conceptualize the working of a democracy.in the south, research on governance includes

assumptions which are normative about the liberal democracy in the western which is irrelevant

and tested a structure of politics if it has good qualities like multiparty election and independent

judiciary. The significance of the normative approach is that a particular social relation, political

system and institution can be evaluated against an ideal type acting as a clarification of

weakness.

Institutional approaches; a good example is the institutional appraisal which test the system of

governance efficiencies. Richards (1996) in his study stated that “fundamental power

relationships can be obscured in states which have been 'hollowed out' (Holloway), or where an

institutional Façade, hides other, often patrimonial types of resource allocation”

Feminist perspectives; this has the significance of showing the weakness of assuming material

concern and self-interest as a motivation of individuals. This perspective has also depicted that

qualitative research which are household based are not accurate due to the difference in the intra-

household comparison in consumption and income among the different genders.

Disclosure theory; the theory has demonstrated that identity of people are critical to their way of

participation and behavior in growth and development. Power holders construct identity in

recruiting support politically through collectively appealing to a historical identity, ethnicity or

region. The research subject idea of empowerment, participation and ownership are partly

discourse theorist writing responses.

Political economy; this is a significant theoretical tool since it reveals the relationship among

political and economic factors in development and change process. From an international

perspective, political and economic determinants defines what is possible and feasible in poverty

reduction context.

Marxist theory; this theory emphasizes the role of classes, where the accumulation of capitalist

leads to interest contradiction held by society different groups. Analysis of stockholders is used

to depict the interest difference of groups and unless the differences are analyzed and negotiated

in details and each group is satisfied, then there can be an obstacle in poverty reduction for a

poverty research.