The Nature And Scope of Political Science

Vocabulary flashcards generated from Lesson 1 transcript on The Nature And Scope of Political Science.

Political Science

The systematic study of the state in all its elements, aspects, and relationships, as well as political attitudes, controversial issues, and government functions.

Political Scientists

Students of politics who observe political phenomena, conduct political research, and serve as advisers to political practitioners.

Political Practitioners

Politicians who actively engage in the practice of politics and public administration.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Political philosopher of the Italian Renaissance who served as secretary of the Republic of Florence for 14 years and wrote "The Prince and the Discourses".

Woodrow Wilson

Historian and political scientist who authored "Congressional Government" and "International Ideals" before serving as a U.S. state governor and U.S. President.

Politics

Term derived from the Greek word "polis" (city-state), referring to political relationships among people characterized by rule, authority, or power.

The State

The largest political organization possessive of sovereign power over all other powers, exercised through the government.

Political Parties

Organizations that support candidates during elections to conduct government affairs if victorious, or criticize and fiscalize administration policies if they lose.

Interest Groups

Organizations such as NGOs, labor unions, and POs that pressure and influence the government to pass policies favorable to their members.

Aristotle

Father of Political Science and the scientific method who conducted empirical studies of political phenomena using the city-state as a laboratory.

Newton and Descartes

Physical scientists who contributed to political science by applying mechanical and mathematical principles to governmental structure.

Montesquieu

Political thinker who advocated the Doctrine of Separation of Powers complemented by checks and balances among executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Political Thought

A view of political theory explaining the ideals, beliefs, or foundational concepts of a group of people during a specific era.

Political Philosophy

A branch of political theory expressing the moral or ethical standards that governments may adopt to run public affairs.

Political Ideology

An official doctrine adhered to by the people of a state that encompasses all aspects of human existence.

Public Law

The constitutional and legal principles governing sovereign states, governments, and individuals, encompassing jurisprudence, international law, constitutional law, and administrative law.

Jean Bodin

French political philosopher (1530-1596) who coined the term political science and introduced the Theory of Sovereignty.

Theory of Sovereignty

Theory proposed by Jean Bodin stating that the state must be ruled by a supreme power unrestrained by human law, yet subject to Divine Law and Natural Law.

International Relations

Field of political science inquiring into the mutual foreign policies of nation-states and the underlying forces shaping them.

International Law

Body of generally accepted principles governing and regulating the relationship and conduct between nation-states.

Comparative Government

Study that uses analytical or sociological methods to analyze similarities and differences among state governments, laws, constitutions, and cultures.

Public Administration

Field dealing with techniques and methods of managing government across organization, personnel, fiscal administration, and public relations.

Political Dynamics

The study of how societal forces (economic, social, moral, political) interplay to influence public policy, public opinion, propaganda, and interest group action.

Government and Business

Field giving emphasis to governmental regulatory functions over the economy as well as its corporate or business activities.

Legislation

The intricate process and method of making laws carried out by the legislative body.

The Executive Process

Field examining the Chief Executive and the bureaucratic government machine composed of subordinate officials and departments.

Dr. J. Seeley

Scholar who noted that political science without history is hollow/baseless, history without political science has no fruit, and political science without history has no root.

Jeremy Bentham

Father of Utilitarianism who asserted that "Men act always in pursuit of their self-interest."

Thomas Aquinas & Thomas Hobbes

Philosophers who argued in their theories of morals and politics that man's instinctive desire is to preserve himself.

Geopolitics

A course of study emphasizing that a state's domestic and foreign policies are dependent upon its physical environment and geographic location.

Observational or Empirical Method

Scientific approach of studying political institutions and processes by experimenting on them as active laboratories.

Historical Method

Approach that explains the origin and evolution of the state and its institutions using evidence of past experiences.

Comparative Method

Approach bringing into focus contemporary political systems of various countries to identify structural, legal, and functional similarities and differences.

Analytical Method

Method focused on discovering essential elements of political institutions to examine their values, interrelations, and power dynamics.