Introduction to Politics

What is the study of politics about first of all, what is politics? Politics, in its broadest sense, is the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live (Heywood, Politics, p.4) Heywood identifies 4 key ways to think about politics

Politics as government politics means the study of government Government refers to institutions and structures constructing the state politics takes place within polity – very narrow conception polity - a society organized through the exercise of political authority disadvantage of this way – many people, groups and institutions can be considered to be outside the politics

Politics as public affairs much broader category public versus private sphere, here lies the distinction between political and non- political What constitutes division between public and private? civil society vs. state political vs. personal

politics as public activity is good for society (Aristotle,Hannah Arendt, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill) liberals – politics as public activity is viewed as unwanted interference in individual life Liberals preffer civil society over state

Politics as conflict resolution process to resolve conflicts compromise and negotiation instead of force Problem: overtly optimistic view, this form of politics occurs in Western democracies Requires procedural and substantive consensus normative goal

Politics as power Politics is about power relations on power basis are everywhere – politics takes place at every level of social interaction includes social and economic interactions Who got power and why and how do they use it?

Faces of power power as decision-making power as agenda setting conscious action influencing the content of decision Robert Dahl – Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City power as agenda setting ability to prevent decisions being made necessity to set or control the agenda power as thought control ability to influence thinking

Max Weber Politics as Vocation he distinguishes power and domination power can possess everybody with ability to force somebody to do something against the will domination – people obey somebody due to authority authority is perceived as legitimate

Types of domination distinguished on the basis of legitimacy traditional domination charismatic domination legal domination

Primacy of politics (Raymond Aron) modern societies shared many same features; they can be distinguished by organization of power life is shaped by relationships among people – political aspect of this relationship is the most important Politics is the part of social life where orders are issued and taken

Government this course – Politics as government Government as the executive (Government vs. government) Government as executive, legislature and judiciary (power vs. powers) Government as the state (includes army, police etc.) Governance and governmental process

Political Science Politics used to be part of philosophy, law amd history from late 19th century – turn of politics into a scientific discipline UNESCO congress (Paris 1948) – political science formally established

Scope of political science according to UNESCO congress Political theory – history of theories, political though Political institutions Political parties and groups, public opinion (includes political participation) International relations

3 approaches to Politics 1. Normative approach stems from political philosophy questions what should, ought or must be, rather than what is study of ideas, doctrines and morality terms like freedom, justice, civil rights It cannot be objective Voegelin, Arendt, Schmit

Empirical approach based on real experience emphasis on objectivity and neutrality to values Aristotle, Machiavelli – first proponents follows thinking of positivism (Auguste Comte) social sciences should adopt methods of natural sciences

Dialectic oriented on looking for historicallly conditioned truth refers to Hegel‘s conception of history (dialectic) and Marx‘s societal theory

Reading Heywood, Andrew. 2007. Politics. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, chapter 1.