ASSIGNMENT

Submitted by
Anjali.E
1
MEANING, NATURE AND
SCOPE OF POLITICAL
SCIENCE

2
 CONTEXT
Introduction 4
Difference between
political science and 5-6
politics

Meaning of political 7-8

science

Nature of political 9-10

science

Scope of political 11-14

science

Conclusion 15
Reference 16
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 POLITICAL SCIENCE

Political Science is the branch of knowledge that deals with systematic

study of the structure and behaviour of the state and poltical
institutions through scientific analysis. It is an academic discipline
concerned with man’s official institutions and activities, such as the
state, government, citizenship, public affairs etc. In other words, it is a
social science concerned with the theory, description, analysis, and
prediction of political behaviour, political activities and political system
as a whole.
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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND POLITICS

1. Political science is a subset of social science that studies politics and

government and is also concerned with description and analysis of political
behaviour, issues, system and activities. Politics is the study of governmental
structures, organizations, operations and activities and identifies the
possibilities to use or achieve power.
2. Political science talks about the state, it’s working, functions and distribution
of power and resources. On the other hand, politics is a social activity, as it
involves dialogue between political parties due to their disagreement
regarding different matters.
3. Political science is concerned with factual statements and also determines, 5
Difference Between Political Science And Politics (cont)

the existing political parties and organizations and concentrates on the way to
improve their living standards.
4. The main actors in case of political science are political scientist, scholars and
academics. In contrast politicians, lobbyists, and administrators, are the
actors in case of politics.
5. The basic objective of political science is to know various political patterns
and to provide a substructure which expresses reality. As against, politics aims
at initiating public welfare and raising the standards of living for the citizens
by implementing constructive policies.

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 Meaning Of Political Science
Political Science comprises of two words ‘Political’ and ‘Science’. The term ‘politics’ is derived from
the greek word ‘Polis’ which means the ‘city/state’ (a generalise form of political organizations
existing in ancient Greece). Science is the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the
physical and natural world through observation, evidence and experiment. So political science is the
branch of knowledge that deals with systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the state and
political institutions through scientific analysis.
The great Greek philosopher Aristotle was the first to use the
term ‘Politics’ and therefore he is regarded as the ‘Father of Political Science’. In his famous book
‘Politics’. Aristotle has asserted that “Man is by nature a political and he, who by nature and not by
mere accident is without state is either above humanity or below it”. To the Greeks, politics is
everything that touches the life of the state. Thus Aristotle called Politics as the ‘Master science’.
For the Greek, ‘political’ then pretains to whatever that is done within or by the state.
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 MEANING OF POLITICAL SCIENCE (cont)
Rajeev Bhargava points out that the word ‘political’ refers to decision making within and
about the community. However, virtually every known community comprises of individuals
and groups with different and conflicting interests and values. The political is the arena of
fundamental conflict over which group and the conception of ‘god’ would prevail in the
community. In this fundamental struggle, some groups will discover something common with
one and another and differences with other groups. Friends and enemies are found and forged
in this struggle. This is why politics frequently involves, as Carl Schmitt famously pointed out
friends and enemies. In politics no one can escape taking sides.

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 NATURE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
Political science deals with the phenomena of politics. The concept of politics is highly complex and
encompasses the entire political activities of human beings. According to aristotle man is both social
and political because he cannot live without state or society. Political science as a huge deep
foundation having its roots into human nature. There are different opinion among political scientist
regarding the nature of political science.

One school of thought led by Blurtschli and garner believe

that political science deals with the theory of state alone. The other school of thought led by
Stephen Leacock, Seeley and others believe that since government is the means to achieve the ends
of the state, the study of state is infact the study of government.

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 NATURE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE (cont)
Political science is a part of social sciences and therefore is different from other physical sciences
like physics and chemistry. Political science is still growing and developing subject . So there is no
uniformity among political thinkers regarding the nature of political science, whether it should be
treated as a social science or not. The reality is that, a social science is different from natural
science or physical science. In social sciences we cannot expect so much accuracy and precision as
we see in science subjects. Hundred percentage prediction is not possible in social sciences because
it deals with the behaviour of man and his political institutions. There is only a remote for
verification and prediction in this subjects. While in the study of political phenomena we can apply
scientific method and tools.

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 Scope Of Political Science
The term scope means boundaries of a particular branch of knowledge. Political science is the
science of the state and government. According to Aristotle “The state is originated in the
bare needs of life and it continued in existence for the sake of good life. Political science is a
discipline which deals with various aspects like;
1. Political science is the study of state and government.
2. Study of associations and institutions.
3. Study of national and international problems.
4. Study of political behaviour of man.
5. Study of past, present and future development.
6. Study the concepts of power, authority and influence.

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 Scope Of Political Science (cont)

1. Study of state and government

It deals with the nature and formation of the state and tries to understand various forms
and functions of the government.

2. Study of associations and institutions

In organized way the fundamental problems of political science, first include an

investigation of the origin and the nature of the state, second an inquiry into the nature,
history and forms of political institutions and third, deduction. Therefore, so far, as
possible laws of political growth and development.

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 Scope Of Political Science (cont)
3. Study of national and international problems
Modern demands of defense of territory, representative government and national unity
have made political science not only the science of political independence but that of state
sovereignty also.
4. Study of political behavior of man
It may be said that the character of political science in all its parts is determined by its
basic presupposition regarding man.
5. Study of the past, present and future of development
Political science attempts to explain the meaning and the essential nature of the state
and deals with the laws of its progress and development within itself and in relation to
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 Scope Of Political Science (cont)
international organizations and other states.

6. Study of the concepts of power, authority & influence

With the behavioural revolution the central topic for study has become the study of
power. Consequently the scope has widened to include new aspects like political
socialization, political culture, political development and informal structures like
interest and pressure group.

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 Conclusion
In the contemporary time, the meaning of political science has become more and more inclusive. Earlier
political science had been defined by many scholars from the point of view of the state and government.
But now the term political system brings the study of political science closer to other systems such as
the economic system, the cultural system, the legal system and other social systems all of which operate
within the larger social environment.
Regarding the nature of political science there are different opinion among
scholars whether political science is a science or an art. Political scientists have put forward some
arguments in favour of the notion that political science is a science, such as – political theory has
developed based on facts and verifiable data, like, voting behaviour and theories of election; in political
science there is much scope for experiments, for example the government itself is a continuous process
of experiment; broad conclusions can be drawn in political science; empirical studies are based on
careful observation and classification. Political scientists today employ survey methods, graphs, charts
and other scientific tools to arrive at their research conclusions. At the same time another section of
political scientists opine that political science is an art and they put forward some argument in favour of
this notion, such as–lack of precise and standard definitions of terms and concepts. 15
 REFERENCE
1. Rajeev Bhargava and Ashok Acharya: Political Theory, An Introduction,
Pearsons Education, 2008.
2. O P Gauba, An Introduction to Political Theory, Macmillan, 1981.
3. Andrew Heywood, Political Theory, (3rd Ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, 2005 etc.

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