PPGC 111 Politics and Governance 2nd Sem

OLFU MEDTECH Philippine Politics, Government and Citizenship WEEK 1 Finals

NATURE AND DEFINITION OF POLITICS THE STUDY OF POLITICS: POLITICAL SCIENCE

❖ “Politics exists because people disagree about the aims and ❖ Political science is a classical discipline that deals with the
objects of human endeavor and, probably even more so, about study of political phenomena. Its goal is to deepen human
the methods to be used in achieving them” (S. G. Richards, understanding of the forms and nature of political action and
1978). In his book, The Nature of Politics and Government. to develop theoretical tools for interpreting politically
meaningful phenomena.
❖ These differences produce different attitudes to public issues
and lead to the activity of politics. Politics therefore involves ❖ Political science focuses on the theory and practice of
conflict. This can result in violence, as in many of the government and politics at the local, state, national, and
developing countries, but in the Western democracies the international levels.
differences are usually resolved peacefully.
❖ Political Science deals with the systematic study of political
❖ “A disagreement in which incompatible policies are advocated structures, political processes and political behavior
can only be resolved ultimately by one side obtaining the
power to make its viewpoint prevail over the other. APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL
STRUCTURES AND INSTITUTIONS
❖ The acquisition of power therefore is a prerequisite of
achieving political objectives.” ❖ THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH
➢ Traditional approach to the study of political science is a
❖ Thus, is the nature of politics. combination of views on and orientations to politics in
philosophical, ethical and institutional terms. Since the
DEFINITIONS OF POLITICS
time of Plato and Aristotle, the great issues of politics have
❖ The term “politics” is generally applied to behavior within civil revolved around the organization and functioning of the
governments, but politics has been observed in all human state- the political institution par excellence.
group interactions.
➢ Traditional approaches exhibit certain well-defined
❖ It consists of social relations involving authority or power, the features, such as:
regulation of political units, and the methods used to a. are largely normative and stresses on the values of
formulate and apply social policy. politics,
b. emphasize on the study of different political
❖ Politics is the way in which we understand and order our social structures and institutions
affairs, and acquire greater control over the situation.
– B. Pomton and P. Gill ➢ Various forms of the traditional approach:
• Philosophical
❖ Politics is the strategy for maintaining cooperation among o This approach firmly believes that values cannot
people with different needs and ideals in life, or for resolving be separated from the study of politics and
the conflict within the group, whether this is a family, a tribe, political system. Therefore, its main concern is to
a village or a nation-state. judge what is good or bad in any political society.
– Tuibeo, A.
• Historical
❖ Political Scientist Harold Lasswell, (1936) o As the name of this approach is related to
− author of a major study of the distributive consequences history, it emphasizes on the study of history of
of political activity, every political reality to analyze any situation.
− gave his book the title, Politics--Who Gets What, When,
and How. Lasswell, in effect, defined "politics" as • Institutional
involving questions as to "who gets what, when, and o This approach is concerned with the study of
how." formal structures and institutions like legislature,
executive, judiciary, political parties, etc.
❖ Politics, according to Lasswell, is concerned with
determination, by official governmental decision making and • Legal
action, of: o This approach is concerned with the legal
process, legal bodies or institutions, justice and
1. Who in political society receives what benefits, rewards, independence of judiciary.
and advantages and how much of them they receive,
2. when they receive the benefits, rewards, and advantages,
and
3. the methods by which they receive them
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[PPGC111] 2.01 Politics and Governance │ Prof. Mariela Clarisse Abinsay

❖ THE BEHAVIORAL APPROACH Why Are Politics Important in This Society?

➢ The behavioral approach to political science mainly
emphasizes on scientific, objective and value free study of ❖ Because politics affects our daily life more than we know.
political phenomenon. Politics is the science of optimum allocation of resources for
the betterment of everyone. It requires great understanding
➢ This approach stresses upon the use of empirical as well and skills.
as scientific methods of study political behavior.
❖ Common man too needs to have a basic grasp of politics
➢ This approach shifts its emphasis from the study of the specially in a democracy - which is essentially a system of
state and government to the day-today problems, check and balances. A democracy is not run by the government
activities and behavior of individuals and groups. alone but by both the citizens and the government.

➢ Characteristics of Behavioral Approach: “The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear,
• Regularities doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn’t
o believes that there are certain uniformities in know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour,
political behavior which can be expressed in of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on
generalizations or theories in order to explain political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is
and predict political phenomena. proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The
imbecile doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the
• Verification prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the
o emphasizes testing and verifying everything. bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and
According to the behaviorists, what cannot be multinational companies.” – Bertolt Brecht
verified is not scientific.
MEANING OF GOVERNANCE
• Techniques
❖ The World Bank defines governance as “the manner in which
o put emphasis on the use of those research tools
power is exercised in the management of a country's
and methods which generate valid, reliable and
economic and social resources for development…”
comparative data.
❖ Governance has been defined as “the rules of the political
system to solve conflicts between actors and adopt decision
• Quantification
(legality).”
o After collecting data, the researcher should
measure and quantify those data. ETYMOLOGY OF GOVERNANCE

• Values ❖ The word “governance” came from the Latin verb

o believe that to do objective research one has to “gubernare,” or more originally from the Greek word
be value free. “kubernaein,” which means “to steer.”

• Systematization ❖ Basing on its etymology, governance refers to the manner of

o research in Political Science must be systematic. steering or governing, or of directing and controlling, a group
Theory and research should go together. of people or a state.

DEFINITION OF GOVERNANCE
• Pure Science
o believes that the study of Political Science should ❖ Governance is commonly defined as the exercise of power or
be verified by evidence. authority by political leaders for the well-being of their
country’s citizens or subjects.
• Integration
o Political Science should not be separated from ❖ It is the complex process whereby some sectors of the society
various other social sciences like history, wield power, and enact and promulgate public policies which
sociology and economics, etc. directly affect human and institutional interactions, and
economic and social development
IMPORTANCE OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
1. It is very important to care about politics because you should
know what is going on around you. ❖ GOOD GOVERNANCE INDICATORS
2. Another reason you should care about politics is because you ➢ Good governance is understood through its eight
should have a say in what will happen. indicators or characteristics:
3. You should care about politics because the decisions people (1) Participatory;
make will affect many lives. (2) Rule of Law;
(3) Effective and Efficient;
(4) Transparent;
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[PPGC111] 2.01 Politics and Governance │ Prof. Mariela Clarisse Abinsay

(5) Responsive; ➢ It also means that actors and structures of governance

(6) Equitable and Inclusive; easily give genuine expression to the will or desire of the
(7) Consensus-Oriented; and people.
(8) Accountability. ➢ In other words, the interests of all citizens must be well
➢ They are inextricably related to each other. protected in a prompt and appropriate manner so that
each of them can appreciate and take part in the process
1. PARTICIPATION of governance.
➢ Good governance essentially requires participation of
different sectors of the society. Participation means active 6. EQUITY AND INCLUSIVENESS
involvement of all affected and interested parties in the ➢ Equity and inclusiveness mean that all the members of the
decision-making process. society, especially the most vulnerable ones or the
➢ It requires an enabling environment wherein pertinent grassroots level, must be taken into consideration in
information is effectively disseminated and people could policy-making.
respond in an unconstrained and truthful manner. ➢ Everyone has a stake in the society and no one should feel
➢ It also means gender equality, recognizing the vital roles alienated from it.
of both men and women in decision-making. ➢ Particularly, those who belong to the grassroots level
must not only be the subject of legislation but they must
2. RULE OF LAW be given the opportunity to participate in decision or
➢ Democracy is essentially the rule of law. It is through the policy making
law that people express their will and exercise their
sovereignty. That the government is of law and not of men 7. CONSENSUS-ORIENTED
is an underlying democratic principle which puts no one, ➢ Governance is consensus-oriented when decisions are
however rich and powerful, above the law. made after taking into consideration the different
➢ Rule of law demands that the people and the civil society viewpoints of the actors of the society.
render habitual obedience to the law. It also demands ➢ Mechanisms for conflict resolution must be in place
that the government acts within the limits of the powers because inevitably conflict that will arise from competing
and functions prescribed by the law. The absence of rule interests of the actors.
of law is anarchy ➢ To meet the consensus, a strong, impartial, and flexible
mediation structure must be established. Without such,
3. EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY compromises and a broad consensus cannot be reached
➢ Good governance requires that the institutions, that serves that best interest of the whole community.
processes, and actors could deliver and meet the
necessities of the society in a way that available resources 8. ACCOUNTABILITY
are utilized well. ➢ Accountability means answerability or responsibility for
➢ That the different actors meet the needs of the society one’s action.
means that there is effective governance. ➢ It is based on the principle that every person or group is
➢ That the valuable resources are utilized, without wasting responsible for their actions most especially when their
or underutilizing any of them, means that there is efficient acts affect public interest.
governance. ➢ The actors have an obligation to explain and be
➢ Effectiveness (meeting the needs) and efficiency (proper answerable for the consequences of decisions and actions
utilization of resources) must necessarily go together to they have made on behalf of the community it serves.
ensure the best possible results for the community

4. TRANSPARENCY
➢ Transparency, as an indicator of good governance, means
that people are open to information regarding decision-
making process and the implementation of the same.
➢ In legal terms, it means that information on matters of
public concern is made available to the citizens or those
who will be directly affected.
➢ It also means that transactions involving public interests
must be fully disclosed and made accessible to the people.
It is anchored on the democratic right to information and
right to access of the same.

5. RESPONSIVENESS
➢ Responsiveness means that institutions and processes
serve all stakeholders in a timely and appropriate manner.

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