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L2: POLITICAL & LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES

Political Science

  • It is the systematic study of the state and government. The word “political“ is derived from the Greek word polis, meaning a city, or what today would be the equivalent of a sovereign state. The word “science” comes from the Latin word scire, “to know.”
  • Political science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, nation, government, politics, and policies of government.

Political Organization

  • Is any entity that is involved in the political process. The political organization includes political institutions, political parties, and political groups e.g. advocacy groups, interest groups, etc.

4 Main Types of Political Organization

  1. BAND – the basic social unit found in many foraging societies.
  2. TRIBES – comprise several bands or lineage groups. They share a similar language and lifestyle.
  3. CHIEFDOMS – a political unit headed of by a chief, who holds power over more than one community group. With more than one community involved, chiefdoms are usually more densely populated.
  4. STATE – a community of persons more or less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, having a government of their own to which the great body of inhabitants render obedience, and enjoying freedom from external control.

Types of Political Authority

  1. Legal authority – is based on a system of rules that is applied administratively and judicially in accordance with known principles

  2. Traditional authority – is based on a system in which authority is legitimate because it “has always existed”. People in power usually enjoy it because they have inherited it.

  3. Charismatic authority – is based on the charisma of the leader, who shows that he possesses the right to lead by virtue of magical powers, prophecies, heroism, etc.

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