Political Theory

Political theory analyses the basic questions like; How a

country must be organised, why do we need a government
or what do we owe to each other as citizens.

What is Political Theory?

Political theory is concerned with the ideas and principles that systematically
shape the constitution, governments, and social life. Certain values and
principles, such as democracy, freedom, and equality, have inspired people
and guided policies.

The origins of these values and words need to be understood rationally and
political theory helps us in that respect. Political theory explains what
freedom, equality, justice, democracy, secularism, and other concepts mean.

Why do we study Political Theory?

Different countries, such as America and India have tried to protect their
fundamental values by enshrining them in their constitutions. The values
such as equality, freedom, dignity, justice, peace etc have been influenced
by the ideas of philosophers such as Kautilya, Aristotle, Jean Jacques
Rousseau, John Locke, Karl Marx among other prominent ones.

Although Rousseau, Marx, and Gandhi were not politicians, their ideas
influenced generations of politicians around the world. It thus becomes
necessary that we have a sound understanding of these political terms.

Political theorists study the foundations of modern polity and also consider
our current political experiences to identify trends and future possibilities.

Who influenced the values of the Indian constitution?

The constitution of India is based on ideas and principles that have been
debated since the time of Kautilya. Political thinkers and activists such as MK
Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar have shaped the pillars of the Indian constitution.

Relevance of Political Theories in India

India is free and independent, but questions regarding freedom and equality
have not ceased to crop up. We can broadly find the relevance of modern
political thought in India as it concerns with the following:

Firstly, the issue concerning freedom, equality and democracy arise in many
areas of social life and they are being implemented in different sectors at
different phases.

E.g: Equality may exist in the political sphere in the form of equal rights but
it may not exist to the same extent in the social and economic spheres.

Secondly, though freedom is guaranteed in our Constitution, we encounter

new interpretations all the time.

E.g: The right to life has been interpreted by the courts to include the right
to livelihood.

The Right to information has been granted to a new law. The fundamental
rights guaranteed by our Constitution have been amended and expanded
over time through judicial interpretations and government policies which are
designed to address new problems.

Thirdly, as our world changes, we may discover new dimensions of freedom

as well as new threats to freedom.
E.g: global communications technology is making it easier for activists to
network with one another across the world for protecting tribal cultures or
forests. But it also enables terrorists and criminals to network.

As a result, questions are raised regarding how much freedom should be

given to people using the net.

Putting Political Theory To Practice

The only aspect focused on the political theory is that which deals with the
origins meanings and significance of the political ideas that we are familiar
with such as freedom, equality, citizenship, justice, development,
nationalism, secularism. Various political theorists have provided diverse
definitions of freedom or equality and you may find the distinct definition of
equality or freedom or justice.

Political theorists clarify the meaning of political concepts by looking at how

they are understood and used in ordinary language. They also debate and
examine the diverse meanings and opinions in a systematic manner.

This is because terms like equality concern our relationships with other
human beings rather than with things. Human beings, unlike things, have
opinions on issues like equality.

Example: People often jump the queue in shops or doctor’s waiting rooms or
government offices. Some people cannot have the access to these shops and
other goods and services because of monetary constraints.

Thus, our idea of equality is quite complex, also the reason behind the many
definitions is because the meaning of equality is dependent on the context.

As in the case of equality and other subjects such as Freedom, Citizenship,

Rights, Justice, Development, Equality, Nationalism and Secularism; the
political theorists engage with everyday opinions, debate possible meanings
and thrash out policy options.

Why should we study Political Theory?

Firstly, political theory is relevant to all of the aforementioned target groups.

Even as high school students, we may choose one of the aforementioned
professions in the future, making it relevant to us indirectly at present.

Secondly, as citizens entitled to vote and make decisions on other issues, it

is helpful to possess a basic knowledge of the political concepts and
institutions that shape the world in which we live in order to act responsibly.

Thirdly, freedom, equality, and secularism are not abstract issues in our
lives. Discrimination of various sorts is encountered by people every day in
families, schools, colleges, shopping malls, and other places. Political theory
encourages us to examine our ideas and emotions about political matters.

Finally, as students, we enjoy participating in debates and elocution

competitions. We have opinions about what is right or wrong, just or unjust,
but we are unsure if they are reasonable. Political theory exposes us to
systematic thinking on justice or equality so that we can refine our opinions
and argue in an informed manner, for the sake of the common good.

Nationalism:

Introducing Nationalism
 Nationalism is often equated with patriotism,
expressed through symbols such as flags, parades,
and acts of national sacrifice.
 India's Republic Day parade is a public display that
communicates national power, unity and cultural
diversity.
 Defining nationalism precisely is difficult, yet it is
crucial because of its major impact on modern world
history.
 Over the past two centuries nationalism has united
people and ended oppressive rule, but it has also
been a cause of wars, displacement and divisions.
 Nationalism contributed to the disintegration of large
empires such as the Austro-
Hungarian and Russian empires, and to the end of
colonial empires (British, French, Dutch, Portuguese).
 In the 19th century nationalist ideas helped to unify
many smaller kingdoms into modern nation-states,
for example the unification of Germany and Italy,
and inspired independence movements in Latin
America.
 Nationalism often replaced local loyalties and
dialects with common languages and state-based
political identities.
 India's freedom struggle was a nationalist movement
aimed at achieving independence from colonial rule.
 Separatist movements continue to reshape
boundaries and political claims around the world;
examples include movements in Quebec (Canada),
the Basque country (Spain), among
the Kurds (Turkey, Iraq), and the Tamil movement in
Sri Lanka.
 Nationalism can both unite (for example, movements
for pan-Arabism) and divide (for example, separatist
nationalism that seeks a separate state).
Nations and Nationalism
A nation is not merely a collection of people living
together; it differs from a family or a tribe in several
important ways.
In families and clans members usually have personal
knowledge of each other and are connected by blood or
marriage; in a nation most people may never meet and
are not related by kinship, yet they feel a bond.
People commonly assume that nations are formed by
shared physical or cultural traits such as a single
language, a single religion, or a common ancestry, but
many nations are linguistically, religiously and
ethnically diverse.
 Examples of diversity within nations: Canada has both
English and French speakers; India has many different
languages and religions across its regions.
A nation is primarily an imagined community: people
believe they belong to the same group because they
share common beliefs, hopes and a sense of collective
identity even without meeting most other members.
This shared identity is built on assumptions and shared
stories about the past, present and future.
The next sections explain the main components that
create and sustain a nation: shared beliefs, history,
territory and shared political ideals.
Shared Beliefs
 A nation is founded on belief, not on physical
objects such as rivers or buildings.
 Nations exist because people imagine them to exist;
their existence depends on commonly held ideas
about belonging and identity.
 When we call a group a nation we refer to their
shared sense of identity, common aspirations for the
future, and often a desire for political self-rule.
 A helpful analogy is that a nation is like a team: a
team becomes meaningful only when members see
themselves as a unit; without that shared
imagination they would be merely individuals
performing tasks.
 Similarly, a nation exists only when its people believe
they are connected and part of the same community.
History
 People who identify as members of a nation feel a
sense of continuing historical identity; they
believe their community extends across time-into the
past and the future.
  This continuity is expressed through shared
memories, stories, myths, historic records and
cultural achievements.
 Nationalists often emphasise the long and
continuous history of their civilisation to support
claims of belonging and political legitimacy; in India
nationalists highlighted ancient cultural heritage as
part of this historical identity.
Territory
 Nations are commonly associated with a specific
territory that is considered their homeland.
 Long residence in a territory and shared historical
experiences in that land strengthen a collective
identity.
 The land inhabited acquires special meaning; nations
commonly refer to it as homeland, motherland,
fatherland or holy land.
 Example: the Jewish people, dispersed across the
world, have historically regarded Palestine as their
original homeland-the 'promised land'.
Shared Political Ideals
 Members of a nation often share political values and
ideals about the kind of state they wish to create,
such as democracy, secularism and liberalism.
 A shared set of political ideals helps form the basis of
a political community or nation-state by creating
mutual obligations and recognition of rights among
citizens.
 A nation grows stronger when its members accept
responsibility towards one another and the political
values that bind them.
Common Political Identity
 Some people consider common cultural features-
language, ancestry or religion-to be the primary
 unifying factors of a nation, and cultural symbols,
holidays and rituals can foster belonging.
 However, placing cultural homogeneity at the centre
of national identity can endanger democratic values
because religions and cultures are internally diverse
and societies are plural.
 For this reason it is often preferable to conceptualise
the nation in political rather than purely cultural
terms: democracies should prioritise loyalty to
shared political values and constitutional principles
rather than to a single religion, race or language