Political science state centered and power centered free essay sample

Man in nature is a social being. He cannot exist alone and can certainly not be self-sufficient. He is born and dwells in society where he associates with fellow humans. Man’s interaction with others in society eventually manifests his selfishness and quarrelsome nature. The human being is complex. Therefore as men live and interact in society, there arises the need for rules and accepted form of behavior. The regulation and execution of these rules are what bring about order in society. The regulators and enforcers of these rules and laws are what constitute what is called government. According to Heywood (2007) the government is created by individuals and for individuals (population), it exists to serve their needs and interests. This government hence is involved in a relationship with the rest of society. People have needs within the environment where there are resources and as such they make demands to the system (government) where processes take place and decisions and policies are passed back into the environment responding to the demands previously made. The discipline that deals with man in relation to his government is what is referred to as political science. However, there is no single or generally accepted view of political science as many thinkers have given many and different explanations of politics. The aim of this essay is to discuss political science as political science state-centered and political science power-centered and to highlight the differences and similarities between the two. Political scientists study matters concerning the allocation and transfer of power in decision making, the roles and systems of governance including governments and international organizations, political behavior and public policies. They measure the success of governance and specific policies by examining many factors, including stability, justice, material wealth, and peace. (Http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Political_scienceoldid=572424779). As the term is political science, it is a branch of social sciences among others like economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology etc. The term science according to JR Bond (n. d) cited in Beck et. al (1986) â€Å"implies the use of scientific methods. Science has had different meanings in different times in history. In the archaic science knowledge was mainly gained by just studying. In the modern usage, science is a method of learning based on systematic observation using the scientific method. † Politics as a science refers to the course of action through which political science as an academic specialty has come to use the scientific method for the production and distribution of knowledge about politics. Beck et. al states that â€Å"the study of politics involves conflict resolution hence politics defined by Harold Lasswell as the resolution of conflict over who gets what, when and how. The what is the particular product given out to the people for instance in education. The when is the timing and the how is the method used for distribution. In politics, the term science is regarded as precise and factual data supported by quantified and empirical evidence. Some political scientists now regard politics as a science since they collect quantified data and manipulate it statistically to support a hypothesis. The data is constantly gathered until it supports or generalizes human behavior and this forms generalizations called theories. Some theories are so firm that they are called laws. In this way, political study accumulates knowledge which is the original meaning of the term science. Therefore, politics as a science relates to knowledge acquired through systematic protocols that is used to explain human behavior in a society. It is knowledge that is based on empirical data or evidence or proof hence it is objective. † The subject of political science has had different views and therefore different theories, ideas and concepts have arisen out thereof: those such as political science state-centered and political science power-centered. According to Aristotle political science is a study a man in the governing of himself. In other words it is a study of state affairs. A state is a compulsory political organization with a centralized government that maintains a monopoly of the legitimate use of force within a certain geographical territory. Other traditional thinkers such as Paul Janet and Jelineck also defined political science is a study of state affairs only. This means that man, the government and their relationship are studied. This is political science state centered. The authority and influence over society is held in the state alone as an independent entity. The focus of study is on the state and the state or state affairs only. State-centered stresses the role of the government on society. Its focus is that the state itself can maintain political life to some extent independently of the way power is allocated between society classes. It should also be made clear that the government is their or exists in order to organize society thereby satisfying the needs of man or society or the population.. This is because the societies or man’s wants and needs are unlimited. Therefore a government has to exist to satisfy them. Some of the duties that government performs in order to satisfy the needs of society are: To provide law and order. It is the duty of the state to make that the society is ruled under law and that order is maintained. Rules and laws are what promote order even in society where the desires and aspirations of the people are not the same. For Ulimwengu (n. d) the state also provides education for the society. It is part of people’s desire to be literate and educated. Under state centered the government The state government promotes the state economy and to take operational control over most government programs for individuals, such as social programs and risk management. Because revenues would be redistributed according to this redistribution of legislative responsibilities, the states would have the resources to fund the activities acquired from federal control. (Norman, 12 August, 2008). In relation to the state’s role in the economy, Heywood (2007) states that the defects of the capitalist system can be rectified by the state through a process of economic and social engineering; the state is the custodian of public or common interest. The state provides security within the borders of the state. This is security from both outside the state and within the state (Norman, 12 August, 2008). According to Ulimwengu (n. d) the state provides and safeguards a range of goods, both tangible and intangible, that assure its people of a secure public space wherein they can live and love, produce and reproduce, and pursue the enjoyment of the fruits of their labour and love. Heywood mentions that the legitimate role of government is limited to the protection of ‘life, liberty and property’. Therefore the functions of governments should not extend beyond the ‘minimal’ functions of preserving public order and protecting property, providing defense against external attack and ensuring that contracts are enforced. Political science power-centered draws its meaning from the power theorists who considered political science not to be a study of the state business only but can be expanded to other institutions like trade unions, business associations, churches, non-governmental organizations, Academia, Student and Youth Organizations, Professional Bodies, Cultural Associations and Kinship Networks, international organizations inclusive and other institutions which play important roles in the struggle for power, morally, economically and politically on society. Unlike political science state centered, here the state and these non-state actors share power. Power may be defined according to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary as the capacity to influence the behavior of others, the emotions or the course of events. It can also be defined as the ability of a person or a group to influence the beliefs and actions of other people. It is the ability to influence events. Power can be personal power (http//en,Wikipedia. org/wiki/political_science. power_versus_authority). This would therefore mean that not only the state has an influence on society but the non-state actors as well. Political science power-centered is mainly about power or power politics. Under this can view politics as who gets what, when and how (Lasswell cited in Beck, et. al, 1986). All this is in relation to the influence and authority that is expressed on society and its organization. According to Ulimwengu (n. d) ‘it is generally recognized that the process of building a capable state requires the participation of all the vital forces of a nation. A capable state is one that has all the attributes of a modern, strong, responsible and responsive state, a state capable of effectively discharging its duties of delivering security, peace, prosperity and other pubic goods to its people. Although the state has traditionally been considered as the focal point of this process, other sectors, including non-state ones, have an important role to play, and the importance of this role has grown significantly over the past couple of decades as the limitations of the post-colonial state in providing for the needs of its people have been made all too clear. It is thus important to identify these other actors and recognize those areas wherein they can contribute, and have indeed contributed, to the process, as well as to appreciate better their nature, their mode of intervention, the constraints hampering their action as well as to explore ways in which their participation can be rendered more fruitful. ’ An example of the role that non-state actors may play as a result of power sharing is that of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). These are mostly single issue organizations, engaged either in development activities or in advocacy work. In development work they tend to be restricted in scope, operating in small geographical areas, covering small groups of people. In single issue