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The State |
Its
Characteristics The state is the
most powerful, supreme and the sovereign institution where human beings live
together for any length of time, we find organisation and authority. And
where we find organisation in authority, there we have the nucleus of
'State'. Origin and use
of Word In the hoary
past, the State was called by the name 'polis' and 'civitas' whose literal
meaning is 'City State'. But modern age is period of 'Nation State'. The word
State has been derived from the 'Latin word' Status which means the
social status of an individual, a group or a class. Thus, in its literal
meaning, the status of the 'State' is highest of the other organisations. In the modern
times, Machiavelli, the eminent political scientist of Italy, was the first
to use the word 'State' in his classical work 'The Prince' published in 1523.
Explaining the meaning of 'State', Machiavelli states: "All the powers
which had and have authority ever, men are State and are either monarchies or
republics. Elements of
State Population,
Fixed Territory, Government, Sovereignty Yet, another
classification is: Personal
element 2)Physical Element 3) Political Element 4) Spiritual Element Population:
1st most important one, Size of population: China [High], Vatican city [Very
less] Rousseau: Direct democracy Reasonable
population: to fulfil basic need: 3 types: Subject, Alien citizen. Quality:
~progress: literate/ illiterate. Groups: Old/ Young, Skilled or unskilled Fixed
Territory: assemblage of people at an area. Meaning of territory, Size of
territory, Nautical miles, big/ small San Marino: 61
sq Km, Monaco: 1.49 lakh sq Km, Naroo: 21 sq cm, Vatican 0.49 sq Km Pros of small:
Easy security, handling easy. Cons: Land resources: less or no, area of work Nature of
territory: Soil, vegetation, fertile or not: tropical, temperate, decideous Demographies:
Hills, Plateau, Plains Govt: 3rd most
important one. The state organises its people, expresses the will of the
State and makes people obey its will Parts: LS, RS,
Prez. Types: Prez. Or Parliamentary. Form: Representative, Federal, unitary,
Aristocratic, Monarchy etc 3 organs:
Legislative, Executive, Judicary. Grass Root: Urban areas or Rural Areas Sovereignty:
Most important Internal or
External one Other
Characteristics Unity,
Continuity, International Recognition, Equality, Permanence, All
Comprehensiveness All
Comprehensiveness: all come under one supreme jurisdiction of the State Which is most
important? Sovereignty Emergence how explain Are following
States? Punjab,
Harayana, N. York: Federal Units UN:
International organisation: Association of States: No sovereignty Commonwealth
-do- Bangladesh:
State (1971 Dec), Israel Sikkim: 1975
Federal Unit Delhi: National
Capital Territory: 69th Constitutional Amendment, 1991 |
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Sovereignty Limitation
of sovereignty Natural Rights Natural Laws Religion Constitution Conventions Customs International
Law Conventions Public Opinion Limitation put
by different Associations |
Meaning,
Attributes, types, Monistic and Pluralistic theory Two aspects of
sovereignty: Internal Sovereignty: Residents of the State, External
Sovereignty: Wrt UN, conventions Meaning: Prof
Garner: in sovereignty the distinctive attributes or characteristics are
permanence, exclusiveness, all comprehensiveness, inalienability,
inprescriptability, indivisibility, absoluteness, illimitability. Types, kinds,
forms of sovereignty: 1)Nominal/
Titular Sovereignty 2)Real
Sovereignty Legal
Sovereignty Popular
Sovereignty Political
Sovereignty De Facto De Jure
Nominal or
Titular Sovereignty: Is the person who himself does not exercise the supreme
power but in whose name the power is used. The head of the State in the
'Parliamentary form of Govt' is nominal head. King/Queen: UK, Prez of India,
Gov General (canada) They only give
advice: Yes/ No a/c to sweet will of people. Real
sovereignty: He who himself uses the Supreme power of the State and all the
citizens obey his command. Eg: American Prez, PM Modi + COM: Vested with all
executive powers. Prez nominates one bcuz rather than Prez working all executive
controls given to him De jure and De
facto sovereignty: De Jure: Pres, De Facto: PM Theory of
Limited Sovereignty (Monistic*) Absoluteness
is one of the very important characteristic of sovereignty. But some control
that constitutionally a Sttae may be absolutely powerful but in practice it
cannot act dictatorially. Criticism of
Theory There is
nothing like 'Natural Rights' Natural Rights
do not limit power of State Religion is no
limitation on the 'State' Respect of
customs and conventions depends on the will of the peopl Limitation of
international law, international treaties Association
are not sovereign Constitution
doesn't ban 'State Sovereignty' State doesn't
bother about Public Opinion Conclusion: The
limitation depends on the sweet will of the State. Sovereign limitation is
futile. State is absolute sovereign. Theory/
practical: State is absolutely sovereign but in practie it has to respect
limitations of the State. No one can live in isolation these days. Cannot
ignore international laws and treaties. PLURALISTIC Meaning:
Maitland: Father of the Pluralistic Theory Characteristics Emphasis on
decentralisation Based on
principle of division of labour Recognise the
value of different associations
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Political
SystemAQ |
The Following
are the characteristics of a system: Different
parts of a system are interdependent on each other Various parts
of a system have the ability to influence each other A system has its
own boundaries A system has
sub-systems Every system
has the feature of wholeness Every system
has the ability to work as a unit. David Easton Political
system is a set of interactions It is a part
of the social system It possesses
authority by which it can enforce its will on others JC Plano and
Robert E. Riggs It is
universal in ikts reach extending for all members of the soiety A substantial
probability of compliance It claims,
ultimate control over the use of physical oerion It is right to
make binding decisions is accepted as legitimate Its right to
make binding decisions as legitimate Its decisions
are authoritative bearing, the force of legitimacy Characteristics
of Political System Persistent
pattern of human relations Use of
legitimacte force Universality Comprehensiveness Universality
of political structure Sub systems
and dependence Existence of
boundaries Adaptability Multi-Functionality
of politcal Structure Mixed
character
Robert A.
Dahl "Modern
Political Analysis" Features Uneven control
on political resources Quest for
political Influence Uneven
distribution of political influence Persuit and
resolution of conflicting interests Acquisition of
legitimacy Development of
Ideology Impact of
other political systems Change is
inevitable Main
Structures of Political System Universality
of Political System/ Structures: Such structures include formal and informal
institutions such as legislature, head of State, interest groups and
political parties and sub-systems of political systems etc. Formal: Legislation,
Executive and Judiciary David Easton Political
Community Regime Authorities Political
Community: A group of persons having common pursuits and efforts, try to
resolve their problems and conflicting viewpoints Regime: Resolves
and settle all political debates Authorities: The
ruling groups, which has the legal rights to run state administration. The
responsibility to fulfil the demands of the political community. Environment of
political system: David Easton Intra-Societal
Envt: Religious Groups, Interest groups Extra-Societal
Envt: International Organisations, Int'l law, Constitutional System David Easton:
INPUT= similar to Sugar mill, requires sugarcane, electricity, oil, water,
raw material for its operation Input in the
form of Demands Input in the
form of Support Input in the
form of Demand: Allocation of
goods and Services: Reasonable wages, working hours, educational opportunities,
recreational facilities, promotion of means of transports Regularisation
of Behaviour: Security of public life, marriage/ divorce,
health and sanitation measures Participation
in Political system: Such as right to vote, right to public or govt services,
right to petition, right to form association etc. Communication and Information: Framing of ideologies/ decision making,
seeking information from the elites, display of authority by the political system
at the critical or ceremonial occasions etc. Input in the
form of Support Material
Support: payment of taxes, recruitment opportunities, recruitment in military
services etc. Obedience
Support: obedience of laws framed by political system for the purpose of
regularisation of public life. Participatory
Support: David Easton, includes voting, political debate and discussion and
other similar political activities. Attention and
Respect Support: Respect for public info, public authority, symbols, ceremonies
etc. CONVERSION
PROCESS Every
political system is provided with Input Demands and Input Support as the 'raw
material' which converts into decisions or policies in form of outputs. This
whole process is called 'Conversion Process'. Efficiency and
source of political system. Convert inputs into outputs, that's why all
demands not accepted. OUTPUTS:
Extraction, Regulation of Behaviour, Allocation of Goods and Services,
Symbolic Output Extraction: in
accordance with the demands or not. Not every demand needs to be fulfilled.
Sometimes the demands opposed, decisions just opposite to what people
expected. Pol system supreme to implement decisions. It becomes to accept
them. Inform of tributes, taxes and personal services. Regulation of
Behaviour: Regulate behaviour in an organised society, necessary to accept
rules and regulations, otherwise
might is right: Jungle rule Allocation of
Goods and Service: Food, shelter and clothing, more and more goods and
services. Symbolic
Output: basis, India is one though many religions. ALMOND: Input
functions and Output functions
Input
function: Political socialisation: Forms and expressions, when people
informed about achievements and failure of govt. Input
Articulation: In every political system, the people have some demands,
interests or goals. The process for presenting them to the decisions making
power inter-alia govt is called interest articulation. Means of
interest articulation
finds its outlets in written petitions, political meetings, newspapers and
magazines, protest meetings, strikes etc. Sometimes, the means of
articulation turn to violent methods such as damaging or setting flames,
public property, taking out violent demonstartions, killing of political
leaders etc. are resorted. Interest
Aggregation: The different interest groups claim upon the political system
for the fulfilment of such demands. As such, the process by which all such
different demands are combined or aggregated and common policies for the
realisation are evolved is known as Interest aggregation. Political
Communication: Helpful in framing policies, Info from govt'al and non-govt'al
organisations. Political
Communication is a two way street: The Govt wants to know the people actually
want and on the other hand, wants to communicate to the people, the policies
framed by it for the promotion and fulfilment of their interests.
[formal+informal] Radio, TV,
Newspaper, Magazines, Political parties, Public rallies, departments,
Parliamentary discussions, Political leaders etc. OUTPUT Rule Making:
determines and regulates the relationship with individuals w/o making it
anarchy, need rise, new rules by parliament. Rule
Application System: Civil servants, Bureaucracy, helpful in maintaining the
impact of political systems, executive function Rule
Adjudication: Good or stringent, adequate mechanism in case of breach,
compensation, independent judiciary, impartiality etc. |
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Liberalism |
View of John Locke: British: Two
Treatise of Govt: Right to life, freedom, property, natural rights Views of
Rousseau: French Liberty,
Equality and Fraternity. French Rev, General Will [Romanticism] Views of
Montesquieu: French,
Separation of power, bitterly opposed the despotism, tyranny, he was an
advocate of equality, equal rights, personal freedom, freedom of religion,
justice, tolerance, individuality or humanity Views of
Bentham: Utilitarianism,
Maximum happiness, minimum pain; decentralisation, protection of general interest
of people, reformative punishment JS Mill: 19th century British Philosopher,
Liberalism in a systematic manner, minimum state interference, strongly
pleaded of thought and expression forming institutions etc. Representative
government -Growth of the
capabilities of system -Conversion
Process -System
Maintenance and adoption function |
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Meaning and
Scope/ Relations |
Scope of
Political Science:
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Significance |
Significance
or utility of the study of political science
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Conclusion |
On the basis of discussion given behind, it
becomes very cleear that the study of polscience is more important than the
study of any other subject. It broadens the outlook of an individual and
enables him to understand day-to-day problems. All this helps to make a perfect
citizen. |
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