• What do you know about Politics?

• Why are you interested?/disinterested/uninterested?

• Do you think without caring, you are not involved?

What is Political Science?

• Etymology

“Polis” - city; sovereign state“scire”- to know; study

• As a Science- object: understanding of the state, its principles and ideals

• Body Politic- involvement of people into the political community

• Relations – of men and groups, mean and groups to the state, and state to other states

What is its scope?

• Political Theory- entire body of doctrines relating to origin, form, behavior, and purposes of a state

• Public Law- covers constitutional law, administrative law, and international law

• Public Administration- methods and techniques used in actual management of state affairs by the 3 branches of government

Functions and Importance…

• Discover principles for public affairs; study the operations of government

( for criticisms )

• Findings and conclusions for practical use

• Study deals with the concerns of public officials and citizens

Goals in the Study of Political Science

• Education for citizenship

• Essential parts of liberal education

• Knowledge and understanding of government

Concepts of State and Government

What is a State?

• People

• Territory

• Government

• Sovereignty- internal and external

Origin of States• Divine right theory – state is a divine creation and the

ruler is ordained by God to govern the people

• Necessity or force theory- state must have been created through force, by some warriors who imposed their will upon the weak

• Paternalistic theory- state originated from the enlargement of the family….

• Social contract theory- state must have been formed by deliberate and voluntary compact among the people to form a society and organize government for their common good

State vs. Nation

• State is a political concept, Nation is an ethnic concept

• State is free from external control, a Nation may not

• A single State may consist of one or more Nations, and vice-versa

State vs. Government

• State is the Principal, Gov. an agent

• Government may change; state remains

• State cannot exist without a government but government can exist without a state

Do we need a Government?

• Advancement of Public

Forms of Government

• As to Number of persons exercising sovereign powers:

1. Monarchy- absolute and limited

2. Aristocracy

3. Democracy- direct and indirect

• As to extent of powers exercised by central government:

1. Unitary

2. Federal

• As to the relationship of executive and legislative:

1. Parliamentary

2. Presidential

What therefore is the form of government of the Philippines?

If you could change the form of government of the Philippines,

would you?

We temporarily stop here!