Philippine Politics and Governance

Harold Lasswell

According to ____________, Politics determines “who gets what, when, and how”.

David Easton

According to ____________, Politics is a human activity concerned with authoritative decision-making and action by the government which results in an authoritative allocation of values for society.

Power

• A scarce value that needs to be properly allocated

• implies control

• indicates an uneven relationship

Politics

• Human behavior with regard to matters related to government activities

Aristotle

• Father of Political Science

Niccolo Machiavelli

• Father of Modern Political Science

Political Animal (Zoon Politikon)

“ Man is by nature a _____________.”

The Prince

• Political discourse on how to acquire power, create a state, and keep it

• Explains why ends like glory and power justify even brutal means

Government

• system/entity that controls the state; instrument through which the will of the state is made known and implemented

• permanent

Administration

• a batch of people who are entrusted with the management of public affairs at a certain point in time

• temporary

Governance

• Greek word “Kubernaein” - to steer

• The manner of steering, governing, or directing a group of people or state

Constituent

• mandatory function of the government

Ministrant

• proprietary, optional function of the government

Monarchy

Aristotle’s Classification of Govt.:

• One ruler

• True form (“Common interest”)

Tyranny

Aristotle’s Classification of Govt.:

• One ruler

• Defective form (“Ruler’s interest”)

Aristocracy

“Aristotle’s Classification of Govt.:

• A Few rulers

• True form (“Common interest”)

Oligarchy

Aristotle’s Classification of Govt.:

• A Few rulers

• Defective form (“Ruler’s interest”)

Polity

Aristotle’s Classification of Govt.:

• Many rulers

• True form (“Common interest”)

• The best opportunity to lead a good life

Democracy

Aristotle’s Classification of Govt.:

• Many rulers

• Defective form (“Ruler’s interest”)

• The 2nd best as the many prove to be better rulers than the one

Max Weber

According to __________, power is the ability of Person A to make Person B do what Person B would not otherwise do. It is the capacity to direct and influence the decisions of others.

Max Weber

According to __________, politics is the exercise of power within a state.

Steven Lukes

He introduced the three faces of power.

Power as Decision-Making

• decisions are enforced on the members of the organization

• the most powerful actors are those who hold sway in the decision-making arena

Power as Agenda-Setting

• done by limiting the scope of the decision-making process to include only those select issues

• capacity to prevent the making of decisions or “nondecision-making”

SOGIE Equality Bill

• example of nondecision-making

• first filed in the 11th Congress by the late Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales. It was pending for 23 years, and was refiled in the 19th Congress

Power as thought-control

• capacity to shape a person’s thoughts, wants, or needs

• through ideological brainwashing or psychological control

preference-shaping

• example of power as thought-control wherein Person A influences Person B’s preferences

Eric Liu

He introduced the three laws of power.

Power is never static

• It is always either accumulating or decaying… if you are not taking action, you are being acted upon.”

Power is fluid

• “Power is like water. It flows like a current through everyday life. Politics is the work of harnessing that flow in the direction you prefer.”

Policymaking

• A method to freeze or perpetuate a particular flow of power

Power compounds

• “Power begets more power; and so does powerlessness. The only thing that keeps no. 3 from leading to a situation where only one person has all the power is how we apply laws 1 and 2.”

Police Power

• The ability of the state to use the police force to ensure law and order in society

• Inherent, most pervasive, least limitable, and most demanding

Military Power

• Capability of a state to wage war against another state

• Evident in resources such as military troops and weapons

Power of taxation

• Power of the state to assess and collect taxes

Tax

• The “Lifeblood of the Nation”

Progressive tax

• As one goes up in income, the tax rate increases

Suffrage

• The power of citizens that enables us to vote in public elections and run for public office

Economic Power

• Use of economic resources and finances

• Ability of states to influence other nations by denying or giving them access to certain sources

Power exercised by Political Leaders

• Law-making

• Law-execution

• Law-interpretation

Power of Eminent Domain

• Power of the government (legislative) to take private property for public use

Public Use

Twin proscription:

• Public advantage, convenience or benefits which contribute to general welfare and prosperity

Just Compensation

• Full and fair equivalent of the property taken from its owner

• Not the taker’s gain but the owner's loss

Antoine Destutt de Tracy

• 1st conceived ideology in 1796 (French Revolution)

ideologie

• “sciences of ideas”

Ideology

• A set of related ideas or systematic group of concepts and beliefs about culture, society, and human life

Political Ideology

• Coherent set of ideas that provides a basis for organized political action, whether this is intended to preserve, modify, or overthrow the existing system of power

Descriptive

A political ideology is __________. It allows for normative analysis of socio-political conditions.

Prescriptive

A political ideology is __________. It lays down instructions or strategies for achieving the desired political objectives.

Hans Eysenck

• Added authority and liberty to the Two-dimensional political spectrum

Left Wing

• Progressive views

• Higher taxes for wealthy individuals

• Stronger regulations for govt. spending, businesses, and on social infrastructure

Right Wing

• Conservative views

• Reducing taxes, limiting govt. spending, and fewer government-imposed restrictions on businesses

Authoritarian

• “State is more important than the individual”

• Places power in the hands of a few elites

Libertarian

• Freedom of the individual >

• Govt. authority and control over their citizens should be displaced

• Equality is of utmost importance