LESSON OBJECTIVES:
• Define the concept of politics
• Explain the relationship between politics as a
phenomenon and political science as a method of
inquiry.
• Recognize the significance of politics in organizing
society and facilitating citizen participation.
Show 👍 (thumbs up) if you AGREE, and
Show 👎 (thumbs down) if you DISAGREE.
Be ready to briefly explain why you
chose that side.
“Politics only
happens in
government.”
“Politics affects
students like
me.”
“Governance and
government are the
same.”
“Politics is always
dirty or corrupt.”
“I experience politics
even in school or at
home.”
Understanding
politics can help
improve society.”
1
HUMAN BEINGS
AND POLITICS
“Man is by nature a
political animal.”
– Aristotle
• Aristotle believed that people are naturally
drawn to live in communities because we
depend on one another.
• This dependence leads to social interactions,
and from these, politics arises, as people make
decisions, solve problems, and organize society.
• Politics exists wherever there is a group of
people in families, schools, barangays, or
nations.
2
ORIGIN AND
MEANING OF
POLITICS
• The word “POLITICS” came from the Greek word “POLIS,”
meaning CITY - STATE.
• In ancient GREECE, the polis was a small political unit where
people came together to govern themselves.
• Politics was not separate from daily life; to live in the polis
meant to engage in politics.
3
CORE CONCEPTS
IN POLITICS
Plato and Aristotle introduced
five main ideas in political
thinking:
I
JUSTICE
Protecting what is right and
correcting what is wrong in
society
II
POWER
Who has the authority to decide
and enforce the law
III
CONSTITUTION/
GOVERNMENT
How the state is structured
IV
POLITICAL
IDEOLOGIES
Beliefs that shape
government systems
V
LEADERSHIP
Who should lead and what
makes a good leader
4
DEFINITIONS OF
POLITICS
Politics is how people
make, keep, and change
rules in society.
Heywood (2007)
Politics is about making
decisions that everyone
must follow.
Hague & Harrop (2013)
Politics resolves disputes
and keeps order.
Barrington et al. (2010)
Politics helps people live
better lives and build a
Good Society.
Aristotle (via Heywood)
5
FOUR VIEWS OF
POLITICS
ACCORDING TO HEYWOOD (2007)
POLITICS AS THE ART OF
GOVERNMENT
Classical View: Politics happens in government offices like Congress or City Hall.
Example: Passing laws, electing officials.
POLITICS AS PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Classical View: Politics happens in the public sphere, not in private life.
Example: Government decisions, national budgets, or policies that affect the public.
POLITICS AS COMPROMISE
AND CONSENSUS
Classical View: Politics is about negotiating and solving problems without fighting.
Example: Student Council members debating a school policy and reaching an agreement.
POLITICS AS POWER
Classical View: Politics is everywhere, even at home or in class, because power
exists in relationships.
Example: A group leader convinces a member to follow their plan.
6
WHAT IS POLITICAL
SCIENCE?
POLITICAL SCIENCE is a
social science that studies
politics, government, and the
state.
Like other sciences, it is based on:
1. A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
2. FACTS AND DATA
3. EXPERIMENTATION
4. OBSERVATION
7
POLITICS VS.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
POLITICS POLITICAL SCIENCE
REAL-LIFE HUMAN THE STUDY OF THOSE
INTERACTION INTERACTIONS
INVOLVES EVERYONE STUDIED BY RESEARCHERS
CHANGES DEPENDING ON USES THEORIES AND
CONTEXT UNIVERSAL IDEAS
8
GOVERNANCE VS.
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT is the institution with the authority to run a
country, acting as the bridge between the people and the state
by implementing laws and policies.
GOVERNANCE, meanwhile, is the process of decision-making and
policy implementation, focusing on how decisions are made and
whether they are inclusive, transparent, and effective.
GOOD GOVERNANCE exists when the government actively
involves the people in planning and policy-making
The key characteristics of good governance include the
following, according to UNESCO:
● PARTICIPATION
● RULE OF LAW
● TRANSPARENCY
● RESPONSIVENESS
● CONSENSUS ORIENTATION
● EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY
● ACCOUNTABILITY
CITIZEN SATISFACTION AND INVOLVEMENT ARE KEY TO GOOD
GOVERNANCE, MEANING YOU PLAY A ROLE TOO.
GOVERNMENT: Formal institutions like the President, Congress, and LGUs.
GOVERNANCE: The broader process involving non-government actors like NGOs,
communities, and the private sector.
EXAMPLE DURING A CALAMITY:
The GOVERNMENT leads rescue efforts.
GOVERNANCE includes barangay officials, volunteers, and donors working together.
9
VALUE OF POLITICS
IN DAILY LIFE
POLITICS INFLUENCES EDUCATION, HEALTH,
RIGHTS, AND YOUR FUTURE.
UNDERSTANDING POLITICS HELPS US:
• Make informed decisions
• Speak up for justice
• Improve our communities
ANY CLARIFICATIONS
OR QUESTIONS?
ACTIVITY 2:
POLITICS VS.
POLITICAL SCIENCE:
A TWO-COLUMN CHART
ACTIVITY
DIRECTIONS: Below is a two-column chart. Sort
the items provided into the correct column:
COLUMN A: POLITICS
(real-world phenomena, actions, or issues)
COLUMN B: POLITICAL SCIENCE
(how scholars study those phenomena using
systematic methods)
POLITICAL SCIENCE
POLITICS (PHENOMENON)
(METHOD OF INQUIRY)
ITEMS TO BE SORTED
(Students will place these in the correct column.)
1. Voting in national elections
2. Analyzing voter turnout data across regions
3. Participating in a protest
4. Researching causes of political polarization
5. Passing a new law
6. Surveying public opinion
7. Lobbying for a bill
8. Writing a comparative study of political systems
9. Watching a political debate
[Link] how debates affect voter behavior