Module

for
PHILIPPINE POLITICS
&
GOVERNANCE

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

MEANING OF POLITICS AND ITS BEGINNING

(WEEK 1)
I. Overview
“Man by nature, is a political animal.”
- Aristotle

Political Science deals with the study of power in society, politics and government. The dynamic
character of human society and the differences in contexts of different states have resulted in different views,
theories and definitions on the concepts of politics and governance.

Having a basic knowledge on political science can be empowering for every citizen, especially in a
democratic country like the Philippines. There are various theories in political science, but we only have to study
the concepts in the Philippine context.

The study of political science dates back to the time when several thinkers from ancient Greece founded
the concept of “democracy” among the city-states known as “polis”. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher posed that
“man by nature is a political being”. On the other hand, his predecessor, Plato emphasized the 3 important
virtues: mind, heart and stomach which were associated to “leaders, soldiers and workers”. Plato’s book, “The
Republic” is considered as the bible of ideal politics. Aristotle’s work is known as “The Politics” stating that “a
state must survive in moderation”. Aristotle’s theory believes that a leader must be ‘moral’ while Plato poses
that a leader must be ‘wise’.

The Greeks formulated the word politics during the 4 th and 5th century. Politics was inseparable from life
in the polis or state shared by a certain group of people. The concept of politics may be as old as the first
organization created by man. According to Aristotle and Plato, humans are not self-sufficing so they find the
need to come together as a community. From this union comes the need for politics and governance to
maintain order within a society. The word “politics” in Political Science means “struggle for power”. It means
that politics can change the status quo of the state. Therefore, political science can be described as “the branch
of social science which deals with the study of state and government” (Valenzuela, 2016).

While politics deals with power in society in general, governance specifically deals with power in
government and how this institution exerts power for the benefit of society. Today, the discussion of politics
and governance in political science has been divided in different fields of interest ,namely political theory,
political methodology, comparative politics, international relations and law (Roskin et.al. 2007).

1. Political Theory deals with the different perspectives and ideas regarding politics and governance of
different political philosophers from the ancient times like Aristotle to Niccolo Machiavelli, to the
time of Industrial Revolution through Karl Marx and contemporary political philosophers.
2. Political Methodology is more concerned upon application of political concepts into research and
policy making almost similar to the applied nature of public administration (Roskin et. al. 2007).
3. Comparative Politics is about comparing various political systems and different constitutions among
different countries through time. This type of study is not new for it was made by Aristotle and Plato
during the golden age of ancient Greece in their influential works. Aristotle’s Politics and Plato’s The
Republic, when they compared various forms of governments (Roskin et. al, 2007).
4. International Relations bear resemblance to comparative politics; but instead of comparing, it
concentrates on establishing and maintaining relations among countries through time. And by
relations, those who are studying this field attempt on maintaining peaceful and diplomatic relations
among countries (Roskin et. al. 2007).
5. Law is another central concept in politics and governance. It is basically any written statement that
lights or guides the behaviour of certain group. Politics, as the art and science of government,
highlights the role of law in organizing and stabilizing individual interests to prevent the overlapping
individual needs and promote collective gains in society (Roskin et.al. 2007).

Politics as a Science

Political Science is defined as a “systematized body of knowledge based on facts which deals with
experimentation and observation”. Based on the definition, there are elements to become a science – a. body
of knowledge, b. based on facts, c. deals with experiments, and d. observation. Political analysts tend to analyse
merely ”situations” as a part of the factual information. Therefore, the study of political science must be factual
to be a good source of information.

Scientific Method

Political Science as a science is defined as “an academic discipline which deals with the study of the
state” (Valenzuela, 2016). In order to understand the methodologies used in scientific investigations, consider
the following procedures;
 1. Know or identify the problem;
2. Formulate Assumption/Hypothesis;
3. Gather data for the study’
4. Verify the data gathered;
5. Define the research methodology;
6. Present findings based on data;
7. Summarize the findings, conclusion and recommendations.

Political Science and State:

One of the very important terms to understand is the ‘State’. According to Prof. Garner, the State is, “a
community of persons more or less occupying a portion of territory, independent from external control and
possessing a government with the great body of inhabitants render habitual obedience” (as cited in Aruego’s
book –Principles of Political Science). The definition consists of 4 elements of the state: population, territory,
sovereignty and government. On the other hand, modern political science considers the “recognition” as the
fifth element of state.

a. People – is one of the basic elements of the state. A state can have millions and even billions of people. The
Vatican City is the smallest state while China is the biggest state with a 1.3 billion population.
b. Territory – is the scope of land, sea and air areas or boundaries where the people of the state resides. A
territory is divided into 3 domains- terrestrial (land), maritime and fluvial, and aerial domains.
c. Government – is the machinery of the people where their hopes and aspirations are expressed, formulated
and carried-out. It is the basic agency of the state to carry its obligations.
d. Sovereignty – is the supreme power to command and enforce obedience (Aruego).
e. Recognition – is the process where the state is granted international status. It can be implied or expressed.

Study of Politics in the Philippines

There was no politics to speak of during the Spanish period from 1565-1898. It was under the American
Period when politics became one of the popular “magic word” of the politicians that is still true to the present.
The study of politics in the Philippines in the words of Agpalo (1998) state that the study of Political Science was
founded at the University of the Philippines where the Americans were the first Dean of the College. Nowadays,
the study of Political Science is merely part of the General Education courses. Under the K-12 program, the study
of politics is one of the specialized subjects under HUMSS (Humanities and Social Sciences) Track.

The knowledge of politics and governance therefore is a critical attribute of a citizen belonging
to a certain state. In ancient Greece, anyone who was ignorant of the laws and the political processes of the
polis was considered an idiot (Curtis 1981) primarily because of the democratic structure of the polis where
every male was expected to participate in decision-making and politics. Today, the knowledge of politics and
governance not only helps in the state but it also helps in safeguarding an individual against bad government
practices and abuse.

II. Objective: (MELCs)

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
● Explain the concept, relationship and importance of politics, governance and government

III. References:

Module in Philippine Politics and Governance (For Senior High School- HUMSS/GAS Strand) by Prof. Edwin E.
Valenzuela, M.A.

Philippine Politics and Governance by R.A. Pawilen and Reidan M. Pawilen

Prepared by:

FELIX M. PILAR

Name: _________________________________________
Year and Section: ________________________________
IV. Developmental Activity:
Read and react from a newspaper/internet article about Philippine politics and governance.
Kindly include the title, newspaper or magazine and date of publication of the article.
V. Self-Check Test:
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answers.
_________________1. It is derived from the Greek word ‘Polis’ which means city-state.
_________________2. It deals with past events, movements, revolutions, national struggles, etc. and give
information about the origin and development of political institutions and thought.
_________________3. Greek Philosopher who popularized the lines “Man is a political animal.”
_________________4. It is the basic element of the state.
_________________5. It is the machinery of the people where their hopes and aspirations are expressed,
formulated and carried-out. It is the basic agency of the state to carry its obligations.
_________________6. He emphasized the 3 important virtues: mind, heart and stomach which were
associated to “leaders, soldiers and workers”.
_________________7. It is the process where the state is granted international status. It can be implied or
expressed.
_________________8. It is the supreme power to command and enforce obedience.
_________________9. It is another central concept in politics and governance. It is basically any written
statement that liits or guides the behaviour of certain group.
________________10. It is about comparing various political systems and different constitutions among
different countries through time.

B. True or False. Read the following statement and write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if
it is wrong. Write your answer in the space provided.

_________1. In ancient Greece, anyone who was ignorant of the laws and the political processes of the polis
was considered an idiot.
_________2. Political Science was founded at the Silliman University where the Americans were the first
Dean of the College.
_________3. There was politics to speak of during the Spanish period from 1565-1898.
_________4. Under the K-12 program, the study of politics is one of the specialized subjects under HUMSS
(Humanities and Social Sciences) Track.
_________5. The knowledge of politics and governance not only helps in the state but it also helps in
safeguarding an individual against bad government practices and abuse.

IV. Enrichment Activity:

Write five words or phrases on the box that comes into your mind whenever you hear the words politics or
political science.

Politics

Politics Science

Governance
 Module for
PHILIPPINE POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
(WEEK 2 and 3)
POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES
I. Overview
To study various issues in politics and governance, it is important to know the different theories,
frameworks and ideologies involved. Each theory or ideology in the study of politics has an underlying
historical factor that affected its development. In analysing a political issue, we need to use several of the
theories, frameworks and ideologies to achieve a more accurate analysis and explanation of the issue.
According to wiki definition, political ideology “is a certain ethical set of ideals, principles, doctrines,
myths or symbols of a social movement, institution, class and o large group that explains how society should
work and offers some political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order.” Thus, political ideology sets
the norms in dealing with the belief system or political culture of a certain political party and political
system.
The political ideologies are divided into three – Left, Right – Center.

Center (Liberalism and Conservatism)

Left (Communism/Socialism) Right (Fascism and Nazism)

Political Ideologies Spectrum

Ideologies from the Left (Communism and Socialism)

In order to understand the ideologies from the left, the following are identifiers, to wit;
a. Leftist are against the State and Religion. They tend to abolish the state and religion which are the
instruments of the capitalists to gain more profits. The connivance between state and religion
manifests the true intention of the capitalists which support each other in order to oppress the
masses;
b. Leftist ideology tends to abolish the private property by means of all production. The ‘private
property’ which is owned by the capitalists can be abolished in order to avoid the ranking of the
society – which are the “haves” and the “have nots”; and
c. The leftist ideology sometimes believes in “violence” in order to defy the ‘status quo’ of the state.
For example, the principles of “syndicalists” when they tend to resort to violence to attain their
ends is a leftist mindset.
Communism
Communism is an ideology which was founded by Karl Marx (1818)-1883) when he wrote the
Communist Manifesto (published in 1848) and Das Capital (1867) known as the bible of the socialist
ideas. Marx founded the “scientific socialism” known to be the “communism ideology”. He criticized the
capitalists, claiming that the state and religion connive with each other to oppress the masses.
Moreover, he also considered “communism” as the highest stage of society where the “state withers
away” and religion is also abolished as well as family relations.

Karl Marx
Socialism
There are 2 types of socialism – utopian and scientific socialism. According to Marx, utopian
socialism is known as the “idealistic” form of socialism is attainable by means of revolution. The term
was also used by Freidrich Engels, one of Marx’s co-author in the Communist manifesto. The basic
principles of socialism are the following;

a. From each according to his ability and to each according to his needs – were the people are
employees of the state. The people are provided their needs but not their wants. Unlike in
 capitalism, where the person may choose, may buy and may attain his preferences, the socialist
ideology does not provide for these preferences.
b. Revolution does not simply describe the world but changes it;
c. People’s democracy is the rule of the masses not by the capitalists; and
d. Religion is the “opium” of the masses which must be abolished to attain communism.
Ideologies of the Center: Liberalism and Conservatism
Another type of ideology is liberalism and conservatism. They are described as follows;
a. Both ideologies promote freedom of the person with emphasis on the four (4) important freedoms
namely: press, speech, religion and the right to the pursuit of happiness;
b. Both ideologies lean to Classical and Neo (liberalism/conservatism). There may be changes in the
ideology depending on the political culture of a country or by the people itself;
c. Both ideologies are against the imposition of dictatorship as well as abolishing the market system
which is the battlecry of the socialist’s states;
d. Both ideologies are inclined to the economic policies of capitalism – where the business people are
allowed to operate freely by the government provided that they will create jobs and pay their
government taxes as their material contribution to the society.

Libralism
Liberalism is an ideology that promotes the individual’s freedom and the rights of man. John
Locke (1632-1704), a British philosopher wrote Two Treatise in the Civil Government where he proposed
a radical concept of political philosophy deduced from the principle of self-ownership and the corollary
right to own property, which in turn is based on his famous claim that a man earns ownership over a
resource when he mixes his labor with it. Government , he argued, should be limited to securing the life
and property of its citizens, and is only necessary because in an ideal, anarchic state of nature, various
problems arise that would make life more insecure n than under the protection of a minimal state.
Locke is also renowned for his writings on toleration in which he espoused the right to freedom of
conscience and religion (except when religion was deemed intolerant!), and for his cogent criticism of
hereditary monarchy and patriarchalism. After his death, his mature political philosophy lent support to
the British Whig Party and its principles, to the Age of Enlightenment, and to the development of the
separation of the State and Church in the American Constitution as well as to the rise of human rights
theories in the 20th century.”
The theory of liberalism proposes the following:
a. That the 4 basic freedoms are not curtailed by the authorities of the state;
b. Liberalism tends not to intervene with the business sector. The Smithian economics stating the
“laissez faire” is one of very good example of liberalism with the economy of the country.
Furthermore, the open trade is one of the advocacies of “liberal ideas” in political economy.
c. Liberalism espouses open political system which is the “democratic arrangement” of the political
system. On the other hand, conservatism differs in that it justifies the present “status quo” of the
state. It means that it gives more priority to the present conditions of the state.

Conservatism
One of the centrist ideologies is called, conservatism described as nearly right-wing politics.
Conservatism as an ideology is dealing with the status quo of the state; maintaining the wealth of the
individuals for the benefit of the economy (capitalism) and the preservation of the “tradition” of the
state. Moreover, conservatism contradicts liberalism in that it wants to maintain a static and organic
society as compared to the revolutionary changes of the liberalism otherwise called a “game changer”.
The types of conservatism are the following;
a. Cultural Conservatism is a philosophy that support preservation of the heritage of a nation or
culture (or sometimes of language traditions), usually by the adaptation of norms handed down
from the pat. It is associated with preserving the culture such as the “cultural preservation” among
the voodoo tribes as well as wearing “bahag” (Igorot native dress) of the representative coming
from the northern Luzon in the Philippines.
b. Social Conservatism is a subset of Cultural Conservatism where the norms may also be moral (such
as opposition to homosexuality, covering of women’s faces, etc.). In Europe, however, it usually
refers to “Liberal” Conservatives, who support modern European welfare states. Social conservatists
are sometimes connotated with “environmentalists” or even “ecologists” as well a “environmental
activists” where they make changes and policies for the state and retaining the “natural condition”
of the state or locality.

c. Religious Conservatism seeks to preserve the teachings of a particular religious ideology, either by
example or by law. Religious Conservatives may promote broad campaigns for a return to
traditional values, or they may go the radical route, looking to preserve a belief in its original or
pristine form. Religious conservatism is sometimes associated with “fanaticism” or even
“fundamentalism” which can bring chaos to the society.
 d. Fiscal Conservatism is the economic philosophy of prudence in government spending and debt,
arguing that a government does not have the right to run up large debts and then throw the burden
of the taxpayer.
e. Paleo-Conservatism is a moderate to extreme form of conservatism, popular in the Bible Belt states
of the USA, which emphasizes religious heritage, national and Western identity, tradition, civil
society, anti-interventionist policies and classical federalism. It specifically opposes illegal
immigration, communism, authoritarianism, social democracy and entitlement programs.
f. Neo-Conservatism is the “new” conservative movement which emerged in the US in opposition to
the perceived liberalism in the 1960’s. it emphasizes an interventionist foreign policy, free trade and
free market economics and a general disapproval of counterculture.
g. Bio-Conservatism is a stance of hesitancy about technological development, and a scepticism about
medical and other biotechnological transformations of the living world (e.g. cloning, genetic
engineering), especially if it is perceived to threaten a given social order.

Criteria Liberalism Conservatism

Status Quo of the State Free Rigid
Types of Leaders Democratic Authoritarian
Economic Stand Free Enterprise Traditional
Types of Followers Liberated Cloistered
Types of Government Democracy Authoritarian/Totalitarian

Table: Distinction of Liberal and Conservative Ideology

II. Objective:
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
● Differentiate the political ideologies

III. References
Module in Philippine Politics and Governance (For Senior High School- HUMSS/GAS Strand) by Prof. Edwin E.
Valenzuela, M.A.
Philippine Politics and Governance by R.A. Pawilen and Reidan M. Pawilen

Prepared by:

FELIX M. PILAR

Name: _____________________________________ Score: ________

Year and Section: ____________________________

IV. Suggested Activity: (Empower Yourself)

Create an ideology or theory using a simple political statement (around five sentences) based on the
ideologies you have learned to address how governance should be done.

V. Self-Check Test:
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answers.

_________________1. It is a certain ethical set of ideals, principles, doctrines, myths or symbols of a social
movement, institution, class and o large group that explains how society should work and offers some political
and cultural blueprint for a certain social order.
 _________________2. An ideology that tends to abolish the private property by means of all production.
_________________3. An ideology which was founded by Karl Marx (1818)-1883) when he wrote the
Communist Manifesto (published in 1848).
_________________4. It is known as the bible of the socialist ideas.
_________________5. It is known as the “idealistic” form of socialism is attainable by means of revolution.
_________________6. It is an ideology that promotes the individual’s freedom and the rights of man.
_________________7. It is an ideology is dealing with the status quo of the state; maintaining the wealth of the
individuals for the benefit of the economy (capitalism) and the preservation of the “tradition” of the state.
_________________8. It seeks to preserve the teachings of a particular religious ideology, either by example or
by law.
_________________9. A stance of hesitancy about technological development, and a scepticism about medical
and other biotechnological transformations of the living world.
________________10. One of Marx’s co-author in the Communist Manifesto.

B. True or False. Read the following statement and write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if it is
wrong. Write your answer in the space provided.

_________1. Bio-conservatism emphasizes an interventionist foreign policy, free trade and free market
economics and a general disapproval of counterculture.
_________2. Social Conservatism is a philosophy that support preservation of the heritage of a nation or
culture (or sometimes of language traditions), usually by the adaptation of norms handed down from the
pat.
_________3. Liberalism tends not to intervene with the business sector.
_________4. Kark Marx wrote “ Two Treatise in the Civil Government” where he proposed a radical concept
of political philosophy deduced from the principle of self-ownership and the corollary right to own property,
which in turn is based on his famous claim that a man earns ownership over a resource when he mixes his
labor with it.
_________5. In analysing a political issue, theories, frameworks and ideologies are needed to achieve a
more accurate analysis and explanation of the issue.
VI. Enrichment Activity
Make a political slogan in relation to the political ideologies and discuss/present in the class.