TyroCity: Political Theory and Thoughts Notes

The law of Negation of Negation

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Thesis – Antithesis – Synthesis
Direct beginning of class struggle (Nothing would be lost except the chain of your hand).
Victory of proletariat class.
Dictatorship of proletariat class.

The Law of transformation of quantity into quality

Establishment of communism
Creation of classless and stateless society, then no need of state and law, there will be equal law for all without discrimination between classes. So class struggle is a necessity and main route for achieving communism.

Saptanga Theory

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

There is not any fixed date found when Kautilya was there on the earth, but a Brahmin named Chanakya, who destroyed Nanda Vansha (dynasty) in the history of India is known as Kautilya.

The main treatise of Kautilya is Arthasastra where he depicts about the state, its nature and a theory of ‘Saptanga’ for the establishment of the strong state. The state is a natural and inevitable institution according to him.
The state is a whole consisting of the following seven interdependent pasts as called ‘Saptanga’ theory.

1. The swami or sovereign: The king as a head of the state is a swami or sovereign.

A good ruler should be equipped with various qualities through meditation, sound education, political training, etc.
A good ruler should always care people and the state.

2. Amatya: Amatya means composition of council of ministers and bureaucracy.

The king should take advice from all ministers, should consult in all matters but the king could take own decision, this is an Machiavelli approach.

3. Janapada: The people and territory, should be suitable and balanced between jana and pada.

4.Forts: Construction of various kinds of forts for the protection of state and king as well.

Especially, the capital should be well fortified and easily defendable against external and internal attacks.
Fort should be self sufficient enough in periods of crisis both internal and external crises.

5. Establishment of strong treasury: Discretion of king in expenditure.

6. Strong army for the state’s defense: Arrangement of punishment through army as well as other forces should exist in the state.

Fear of punishment should be comprehensive to save the state’s sovereignty externally and internally.

7. The ally: Friendship with many countries as far as possible.

Kautilya is sometimes criticized as Eastern Machiavelli who was too power monger.

Deconcentration

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Deconcentration, is the term referring to:

“The process by which the agents of central government control are relocated and geographically dispersed” (Sayer et al.).
“Administrative decentralization, i.e. a transfer to lower-level central government authorities, or to other local authorities who are upwardly accountable to the central government” (Ribot 2002 in Larson).
“The transfer of administrative responsibility for specified functions to lower levels within the central government bureaucracy, generally on some spatial basis” (Ferguson and Chandrasekharan).
“One of administrative decentralization which redistributes decision-making authority and financial and management responsibility among levels of the central government; there is no real transfer of authority between levels of government. It may involve only a shift of responsibilities from federal forest service officials of the capital city to those stationed in provinces, districts, etc”.

Introduction to Karl Marx

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Karl Marx was born in Germany, exiled to Paris, met there Engels (a life long friend), both again left Paris and went to Belgium and at last they reached to England and lived there life-long where real democracy was prevailed. They began to live, think, analyze, express their ideas freely and frankly staying in the Museum of London. Marx wrote many treatise (articles), essays and writings, the main are the Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Capital (1867).

Marx was both social scientist and political philosopher. For Marx, matter is the basis of all things, matter is the ultimate truth which brings ideas and changes everywhere. It is the matter or mode of production which created classes. Man is the root cause of all evolution and devolution so state is not natural but artificial association which was created by the creation of classes.

Comments on Marx

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Sorel, Sidney and Macaver were the commentators on Marx.
Economy is not only the main cause of class struggle, there are other sources of conflicts in society besides economic problems.
Marx’s conception is the ‘over-concentration’ upon economic conflict. Economic mode of production is the ultimate cause of class struggle is difficult to accept.
Human history is not only the history of class struggle, it is difficult to determine the stages of history which corresponds to thesis, antithesis and synthesis. There are other wars in history, such as wars between nations or intra-nations for powers for ethnicity, territory for religions like crusades, etc.
The doctrine of class struggle leads to survival of only one class, i.e., proletariat class in this approach, there is no compromise in tone and democratic version.
Marxian concept of classes is static and rigid.
Dialecticism is the process of development in society, according to Karl Marx, but it would be stopped after the creation of classless and stateless society in his version, which seems most unsuitable for the process of development.
It is dictatorship of revolutionary people not of the whole people, his approach of equality never belongs.
Marx’s prophet of creation of classless and stateless society seems utopia.
Marx theory to some extent is scientific but he has been distorted and twisted time to time.
In his late age, Marx said that ‘I know the only thing that at least I am not Marxist’.

Evolution of Political Science

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

The History of Political Science

A curve of scientific progress in the study of politics begin in Greek political science, make modest gains in the Roman centuries, not much progress in the Middle Ages, rise a bit in the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, some substantial gains in the 19th century and solid growth in the 20th century acquiring professional characteristics.

It properly begins with Plato (428-348 B.C.E.) {The Republic, The Statesman and The Laws} and refined by his disciple Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.) {Politics}

Historical Development of Political Science

A dynamic science concerned with human beings as political animal and power-centered state.

Aristotle termed it ‘Master Science’ and held a philosophical and pragmatic view. ‘Good’ politics

Derived from combination of three Greek words – polis (city-state), polity (government or state or political org.) and politia (constitution).

For Gettel – ‘science of state’; for Seeley – ‘science of government’; Lindsay Rogers – ‘science of the art of government’; Paul Genet- ‘science of state and government’; Willoughby – ‘science of state, government and law’; Frederick Pollock – ‘science of politics’

Since 1948 UNESCO has designated the science as PS but after WWII in G. Britain preferred to call Politics.

The discipline came into separate existence from mid 20th century can be divided into two.

One following traditional norms and values identified with Classical Political Science and the other applying novel perspectives is Modern or New Political Science.

Aristotle General Background

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) was born at Stagira, a Greek city state in 384 B.C. in a family of Royal Physician.
He was a man of comfortable means and believed in the necessity of private property and family.
Aristotle entered Plato’s Academia at the age of 17 and studied for 20 years. His philosophy was shaped during that 20 years time.
Aristotle established a school named Lyceum in 335 B.C. It became the intellectual center of Hellas, the Greek people.
He wrote a book named ‘The Politics’.
He is bridge between orient and occident.
He explored 150 countries and studied the Constitution of 150 countries.
He was realist in thought and action in contrast to his teacher Plato who was idealist in thought and action.
His method of study was inductive method. As per the inductive method, specific observation leads to general conclusion.

Relation between Political science and Sociology

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Sociology is parent science of all social sciences so sociology is the fundamental social science. Political science is subdivision of sociology—former originated after the origin of organized society and sociology originated even in the era of unorganized society—even in pre-social life.

Political science has widened its scope to a good understanding of both the nature of society and the behavior of the individual which is merely a subject of sociology.

According to Prof. Giddings, “to teach the theory of the state to men who had not learned the first principles of sociology is like teaching astronomy or thermodynamics to men who have not learnt the Newtonian laws of motion.”

Revolution and social upheavals occur in society which affect political system, but to solve such social problems, government actions are to be regulated.

Introduction to Jean Jacques Rousseau

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Born at Geneva and died in France, boyhood as vagabond, motherless, and neglected child cared by Uncle.
Spent large part of life in France.
His main writings are ‘Social Contract’ and ‘Discourses’ which influenced French Revolution(1789).
He mentioned popular sovereignty lying on ‘General will’ which came into existence through social contract. He gave his version of the state of nature as causes to the origin of the state where government of general will with popular sovereignty was accepted through social contract.

Origin of State

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Every state is a community of some kind, and every community is established with a view to some good; for mankind always act in order to obtain that which they think good. But, if all communities aim at some good, the state or political community, which is the highest of all, and which embraces all the rest, aims at good in a greater degree than any other, and at the highest good.

Some people think that the qualifications of a statesman, king, householder, and master are the same, and that they differ, not in kind, but only in the number of their subjects. For example, the ruler over a few is called a master; over more, the manager of a household; over a still larger number, a statesman or king, as if there were no difference between a great household and a small state. The distinction which is made between the king and the statesman is as follows: When the government is personal, the ruler is a king; when, according to the rules of the political science, the citizens rule and are ruled in turn, then he is called a statesman.

But all this is a mistake; for governments differ in kind, – As in other departments of science, so in politics, the compound should always be resolved into the simple elements or least parts of the whole. We must therefore look at the elements of which the state is composed, in order that we may see in what the different kinds of rule differ from one another, and whether any scientific result can be attained about each one of them.

In the first place there must be a union of those who cannot exist without each other; namely, of male and female, that the race may continue (and this is a union which is formed, not of deliberate purpose, but because, in common with other animals and with plants, mankind have a natural desire to leave behind them an image of themselves), and of natural ruler and subject, that both may be preserved. For that which can foresee by the exercise of mind is by nature intended to be lord and master, and that which can with its body give effect to such foresight is a subject, and by nature a slave; hence master and slave have the same interest.

Out of these two relationships between man and woman, master and slave, the first thing to arise is the family, and Hesiod is right when he says, First house and wife and an ox for the plough, for the ox is the poor man’s slave. The family is the association established by nature for the supply of men’s everyday wants, and the members of it are called by Charondas companions of the cupboard, and by Epimenides the Cretan, companions of the manger.

But when several families are united, and the association aims at something more than the supply of daily needs, the first society to be formed is the village. And the most natural form of the village appears to be that of a colony from the family, composed of the children and grandchildren, who are said to be suckled with the same milk. And this is the reason why Hellenic states were originally governed by kings; because the Hellenes were under royal rule before they came together, as the barbarians still are. Every family is ruled by the eldest, and therefore in the colonies of the family the kingly form of government prevailed because they were of the same blood.

As Homer says:
“Each one gives law to his children and to his wives.” For they lived dispersedly, as was the manner in ancient times. Wherefore men say that the Gods have a king, because they themselves either are or were in ancient times under the rule of a king. For they imagine, not only the forms of the Gods, but their ways of life to be like their own.

When several villages are united in a single complete community, large enough to be nearly or quite self-sufficing, the state comes into existence, originating in the bare needs of life, and continuing in existence for the sake of a good life. And therefore, if the earlier forms of society are natural, so is the state, for it is the end of them, and the nature of a thing is its end. For what each thing is when fully developed, we call its nature, whether we are speaking of a man, a horse, or a family. Besides, the final cause and end of a thing is the best, and to be self-sufficing is the end and the best.

Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal. And he who by nature and not by mere accident is without a state, is either a bad man or above humanity; he is like the Tribe less, lawless, heartless one, whom Homer denounces – the natural outcast is forthwith a lover of war; he may be compared to an isolated piece at draughts.

Relationship of political science with history

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Intimately connected: without political events, history is only a literature and without history, political science is only a theory. History is past politics and politics is present history.

According to Seeley, “history without political science has no fruits, political science without history has no root.

History provides raw materials to political science Study of political science is possible in the foundation of history.

History is the laboratory of political science. They are interlinked, they are interdependent and interrelated.

Difference between history and political science

In their method of treatment, history is narrative with chronological orders, but political science particularize the political events, depicts (describes) and analyze.
In scope, history is comprehensive dealing economy, religions, military, social and all aspects but political science deals with state, government authority and political relations.
History deals with concrete fact whereas political science deals with ideal and abstract fact.

Political Theory and Thoughts

Political Theory Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Concept of Welfare State

Theory of Sovereignty

Political Party

State

Election/franchise/suffrage

Concept of Good Governance in Modern Regime

Relations of political science with other social sciences

Introduction to Political Science

Plato

Plato’s Concept of Justice

Aristotle

Cicero

Machiavelli

John Locke

John Locke

John Stuart Mill

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Manu

Rajdharma

Kautilya

Karl Marx

Decentralization, deconcentration and devolution

Democracy