Definition of Politics and Basic features of Indian constitution

1/7/2008

FYBA

The study of politics:

Definitions and nature

What is politics?

• process of decision making
  
• limited means and unlimited wants
  
• conflict is inevitable
  
• Violence is the only option
  
• Civilised societies – man is a social animal
  
• Groups – tribes – families – marriage – social – economic- political institutions- democratic politics-monarchies-dictators-military rule etc.
  
• Study of state
  

What is a state?

• Four essential elements – Territory, Population, Government, Sovereignty
  
• State has the ultimate powers – State is most powerful
  

What is a government?

• Government – to govern – three organs – legislature executive judiciary
  
• Functional division – to make, implement and interprete law
  
• Different types and forms of government
  

The input-output-feedback model

 

Scope

All inclusive

1. State
   
2. Political parties
   
3. Government
   
4. Pressure groups
   
5. Institutions
   
6. International relations
   
7. Political thought
   
8. Theory
   
9. Comparative governments
   
10. Political economy
    
11. Political Sociology
    
12. Political Geography
    

Approaches – Normative and Empirical

What is a social science?

• Study of society – human beings and their interrelationship – History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology etc.
  

What is a society?

• A web of relationship between individuals, groups, institutions
  

Normative approach

• Before 1950
  
• Eurocentric
  
• Influenced by Philosophy, History
  
• Influenced by values, ideals
  
• Formal
  

Empirical approach

1. After 1950 – dominated by US political scientists – behavioural - वर्तनवाद
   
2. World wide studies – particularly third world studies
   
3. Interdisciplinary approach – Statistics (psephology), Economics, Sociology
   
4. Emphasis on research methodology, data collection
   
5. Value free
   
6. Informal – emphasis on process rather than structure
   

SYBA

INDIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM

Indian Constitution

Basic features

1. Longest written constitution in the world
   
2. Borrowed constitution
   
3. Parliamentary system
   
4. Federalism – quasi federal system
   
5. Secularism
   
6. Independent judiciary
   
7. Fundamental rights and duties
   
8. Directive principles
   
9. Amendment procedure
   
10. Preamble
    

 

    
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major issues in contemporary politics – first lecture

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Historical Background

1. The Nation state system
   
   1. The cold war
      
      1. The Afghan conflict – Invasion of USSR – Rise of Taliban – Withdrawal of USSR- End of cold war and the end of Soviet regime. War against USA – The Taliban regime – The Afghan war
         
      2. Defence goods produced in private sector in USA
         
   2. Bipolar-Unipolar and Multipolar world
      
      1. The Communist Vs the Capitalist World
         
      2. The strength of USA – What's USA
         
      3. Multipolar world – Rising powers – India, China, Brazil, European Union, Russia
         
   3. Meaning of nation and state
      
2. Greek city state
   
3. Roman empire
   
4. Feudal state
   
5. The role of the Church
   
6. Renaissance
   
7. National Monarchies
   
8. Liberal Democratic state
   

Chile

South American country

Andes to the east

Pacific to the west

Capital – Santiago

Currency – Peso

Official language – Spanish

Independence – 1810 from Spain

Now a democratic republic

Atacama desert in the northern region

Fertile region in the middle

Volcanoes and lakes in the South

Peru to north, Argentina to west

One of the two countries in south America which do not have a border with Brazil.

Population centered in middle part of the country

World Political Science Congress

Next Congress will be held in Santiago, Chile in July 2009