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HANDOUTS # 1
CONCEPTS OF STATE, POLITICS, GOVERNMENT,
GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
PREPARED BY: PORTIA ELAINE V. BISMONTE
I. What is Political Science?
A. Its etymological meaning
POLITICS
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The word Politics comes from the Greek word polis meaning
city-state, and was defined by Aristotle in his book The
Politics as in every city state there is a kind of association and
that man by nature is a political animal.
Politics is also the means of organizing collective human
activity.
The essence of social existence is Politics and that 2 or more
men interacting with one another are invariably involved in a
political relationship.
According to Dahl, Politics arises when people living together
in associations and which involve conflicts, and subject to
some kind of power, ruler-ship and/or authority.
According to Froman, It is the distribution of advantages and
disadvantages among people through interaction with each
other to satisfy their different wants and needs.
SCIENCE
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B. POLITICAL SCIENCE
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INPUTS demands/supports
expressed via individuals,
organizations or political/
even interest parties
FEEDBACK
FEEDBACK
A. What is a State?
The STATE is a community of persons more or less numerous,
permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent of
internal and external control and possessing an organized
government to which the great body of inhabitants render habitual
obedience. Garner
B. The Four Elements of the State
Characteristics of Sovereignty
1. Permanence its exists as long as the state
exists
2. Perpetuity lives within the state
3. Continuity
4. Exclusiveness only the state exercises this
element
5. Absoluteness generally unlimited unless the
state consents to such limitations
6. All-Comprehensiveness it covers all persons
and things within its territory subject to
exceptions which the state has voluntarily
yielded.
7. Unity it is indivisible there cant be 2 or more
equal sovereigns in the same state.
8. Inalienability remains within the state cannot
be bartered, transferred, delegated to anyone
w/o putting an end to it however its exercise
of sovereignty itself may be delegated.
Clan
Tribe
Nation
State
NATION
Racial and ethnic in
concept, nearly akin to
people
May have these elements
and may also lack them
Nations may embrace
states or no states at all
A nation exists doesnt
mean a state exists
Sources:
Kay Lawson Human Polity
Hector S. De Leons Constitution and Government
Agnes Riveras Constitution and Government
Florentino Aysons Fundamentals of Political Science