political science state centered and power centered
Man in nature is a social being. He cannot exist alone and can certainly not be self-sufficient. He is born and dwells in society where he associates with fellow humans. Man’s interaction with others in society eventually manifests his selfishness and quarrelsome nature. The human being is complex. Therefore as men live and interact in society, there arises the need for rules and accepted form of behavior. The regulation and execution of these rules are what bring about order in society. The regulators and enforcers of these rules and laws are what constitute what is called government. According to Heywood (2007) the government is created by individuals and for individuals (population), it exists to serve their needs and interests. This government hence is involved in a relationship with the rest of society. People have needs within the environment where there are resources and as such they make demands to the system (government) where processes take place and decisions and policies are passed back into the environment responding to the demands previously made. The discipline that deals with man in relation to his government is what is referred to as political science. However, there is no single or generally accepted view of political science as many thinkers have given many and different explanations of politics. The aim of this essay is to discuss political science as political science state-centered and political science power-centered and to highlight the differences and similarities between the two.
Political scientists study matters concerning the allocation and transfer of power in decision making, the roles and systems of governance including governments and international organizations, political behavior and public policies. They measure the success of governance and specific policies by examining many factors, including stability, justice, material wealth, and peace. (Http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Political_science&oldid=572424779).
As the
Political scientists study matters concerning the allocation and transfer of power in decision making, the roles and systems of governance including governments and international organizations, political behavior and public policies. They measure the success of governance and specific policies by examining many factors, including stability, justice, material wealth, and peace. (Http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Political_science&oldid=572424779).
As the
Bibliography: Beck, Et.al (1986) Political Science: The Science of Politics, New York, Agathon Press. Heywood, A. (2007) Political Ideologies; an Introduction, 3rd edn. London, Palgrave McMillan. Http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=State_%28polity%29&oldid=572454466. (Accessed 15th September, 2013). Http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Political_science&oldid=572424779 (Accessed 12th September, 2013). Http//en, Wikipedia.org/wiki/political_science.power_versus_authority. (Accessed 12th September, 2013). Norman, F. (Tue: 12 August 08). State-Government Role. Http//en, Wikipedia.org/wiki/role_of_the_government. (Accessed 15th September, 2013). UNDP (n.d), Building a Capable State in Africa, (Chapter 5, Ulimwengu, J. The role of non-state actors).