FACULTY OF ART

DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION

COURSE:
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE COURSE
CODE:POL 101

NAME:
OBEN IVIE SERINA
MAT NUMBER:
ART2301150

TOPIC:
BASIC CONCEPT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
 BASIC CONCEPT IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

1. Power: Power can be defined as the influence of option A over option B to do what he or she
will not do on a normed move or when he or she will not do ordinarily.
TYPE OF POWER
1. Economic Power.
2. Judicial Power
3. Quasi-Power {Power exercised through Force or Cohesion}.
4. Political Power.

2. Authority:This is the right to do so. That is the right to give out Orders or policies and expect
the citizens to comply.
*Types of Authority.
1. Political Authority
2. Judicial authority
3. Legal rational authority or military Authority.
4. Institutional authority.

3. Influence: Influence can be seen in our every day life. One can be influenced by friends
negatively or positively.

*Types Of Influence.*
1. Political Influence.
2. Institutional Influence.
3. Ideology Influence.
4. Socialization Influence.

*Legitimacy.*
Legitimacy can be defined as the legal general acceptance of a government by its citizens.
That is to say that a government can only be considered as Legitimate (Real, true, and
original) when its has undergone through the Legal process of conducting a free and a fair
election and has emerged and pronounced the winner of that election by the election regulatory
bodies (INEC) through the returning officer.

*Types Of Legitimacy.*
1. Political Legitimacy.
2. Traditional Legitimacy.

*Sovereignty.*
Sovereignty was Propounded by Jean Bodin in 1980 stated that Sovereignty can be defined
as the legal right of a country to control it's own political, social and Economic affairs without
any external interference.

*Types Of Sovereignty.*
1. Internal Sovereignty.
2. External Sovereignty.
3. De-Jury sovereignty - This sovereignty has to do with the Judiciary.
4. De-facto sovereignty -This sovereignty has to do with the military through force & cohesion.

*Government.*
Government can be defined as the machinery of the state that is saddled with the
responsibility of formulating policies, rules and regulations guiding the state.
And they are also in charge of making laws, security, preservation of lives and properties and
above all Providing Social amenities for the well being of the [Link] government operates
at three distinctive Levels within the country. They are the Arms of Government and are as
follows:
1. The Legislative: This arm makes Laws for the country. The legislators can also be referred to
as those at the upper house.
2. The Executive: This arm implements (that is carry out) the laws made by the Legislature.
3. The Judiciary: This arm Interprets the Law's made by the legislature to the state offenders.
eg; Lawyers and Barristers.

BASIC CONCERTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.

Power, Influence and Authority are basic concepts in the study of Political Science and
politics. They are relational concepts in the sense that it is exercised by Party A over [Link] is
an essential and central concept in the discipline Of Political science. It helps to understand
how societies operate and how decisions are made. Power is broadly seen as the ability to
influence the behaviour of another to do something that he or she would not ordinarily have
done.
Max Weber sees Power as the capacity to work one's will within a given social relation even
against Opposition, independent of what that capacity is based on. This view is at the base of
most definitions of power.
According to Lasswell, the political process is concerned with the shaping, distributing and
exercising of power. Power is the capacity of a person to make someone else act or think in a
certain way.

Robert Dahl (1957) defined power as a successful attempt by A to get B to do something he

would not ordinarily do.
 Forms Of Power.

1. Coercive Power: This form of Power Involves the use of force or threat to enforce
compliance. This can manifest through military might, or threat of Punishment. Historically, the
monarch and authoritarian regimes rely on this form of power to maintain control.
2. Economic Power:This centres on the control and moni Lations of resources, wealth, and
economic system. Those who control vital resources or have economic Influence often widely
substantial Political Power.
3. Ideological Power: This involves the dissemination and impositions of ideas, beliefs, and
values that Shape perceptions and [Link] narratives, religious beliefs and political
Ideology are tools that Shapes ideological power.
4. Institutional Power: Institutional powers are those vested on formal Structures and
organization. Examples are government bodies, Legal Systems, International organizations and
bureaucracy. It has to do with the ability to make enforce rules, allocate resources and make
decisions
5. Social Power: This system forms interpersonal relationships, netucoriks, and collective
action within society. It encompasses social norms, customs and identities that influence
behaviour.
Authority.
Authority defines the legitimacy of governance and the exercise of power. Max Weber
defines authority as a matter of people's belief about its rightness, regardless of where that
belief came from, whether it is morally Justified.
Authority in this regard, is legitimate power. Whereas, power is the ability to Influence the
decision of the Other authority is the right to do so. Simply put, authority is power clothed in
Legitimacy or acceptance.
Weber divided authority into three kinds, based on the different grounds where obedience
can be established. They include;
1. Traditional authority, based on history and tradition,
2. Charismatic authority, which stems from the power of personality.
3. legal norms.
Forms Of Authority.
Political Authority:Political authority refers to a government or a leader's legitimacy. Power to
make and enforce laws and decisions within a specific jurisdiction. It is the basis upon which
governments rule and society's function, as it establishes the right to rule and the Obedience of
citizens to that rule.

ASPECTS OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY.

[Link]: Political authority derives its legitimacy from various sources such as Tradition
(traditional authority), Law (Legal - rational authority) or the consent of the governed
(charismatic authority).The population generally accepts legitimate authority. as rightful and
Just.
[Link]:It defines the extent and limits of governmental Power over its citizens, Including the
ability to create laws, enforce them and maintain order.
[Link]:Political authority often implies a responsibility to govern in the interest of
the people and to be accountable for decisions and actions taken while exercising that authority.
[Link] OF POWER:Political authority Involves the practical application of Power, which can
include Coercion (use of force or threat) or persuasion (influence and negotiation).
Political authority can vary widely across different political systems, ranging from
authoritarian regimes where authority is derived from the consent of the governed and
exercised through elected representatives.