Introduction to Political Sciences

Repetition for Midterm 1

Introduction to Political Sciences

Session 2What is Political Science?

What is politics?

• Definition• Key concepts:– Power: influence and coercion– Authority: The legitimacy of power– Dimensions of legitimacy: • Input: Democratic procedures• Output: Performance of the political system/govt• Social: social coherence, so that rule of the majority is

accepted by the citizens

Who are the people?

• People are Citizens: Not all people living in a state have the right to vote (foreigners without citizenship)

• Tension between nation and state – nation state implies that each state consists of one nation

• Illustration: electoral turnout in Belgium, Independence of Kosovo

Approaches to the study of politics

• Normative vs. Empirical analysis– Normative: What should be– Empirical: What is observable

• Rationalist vs. constructivist approaches– Rational choice theory: benefit maxismising

(Political Economy)– Constructivism: preferences shaped in interaction,

socialisation (Political Sociology)

Normative approch of political philosophy: Who should rule?

• Aristotle: danger of a tyranny of the majority• Bodin: defence of absolutism• Hobbes: Leviathan: unconstrained rule • Locke: in favor of constitutional

government/republicanism• Montesquieu: system of checks and balances

Empirical approach of European integration theories

• Which factors drive the integration process?– Which actors are the most important ones?

(intergovernmentalism vs. Supranationalism)– What shapes their preferences? (rationalist vs.

Constructivist approaches)– How is the interaction constrained? (bargaining

power, agenda setting, role of norms ...)

Introduction to Political Sciences

Session 3 The State

Rival Thories of the State

• Pluralist view: neutral arbiter • Marxist view (Capitalist state): instrument of

the ruling class • The Leviathan state: growing intervention into

society as a result of internal dynamics• Patriachal State: similiar to Marxist view –

state as a reflection of the power structure in society, “a mens’ world”

Role of the state

• Minimal states• Development states• Social democratic states• Collectivised states• Totalitarian states

Has the state lost power in recent times?

• Globalisation– Competition leads to pressure to cut corporate taxes

and wages– Regional integration (EU) leads to less autonomy in

fiscal, monetary policy, but regional integration also a means to regain power (pooled sovereignty)

• Substate governance– Pressure for decentralisation – But: public-private partnership can lead to better

solutions (complexity of modern societies9

Introduction to Political Sciences

Session 4Political Ideologies

What is an ideology?

• Definition: set of ideas, blueprint for action• Categorisation: Central question: What is the

proper role of the state?– State interference in economy– State inference in private life

Main ideologies

• What was the historical context of the evolution of a certain ideology?

• What are the main ideas of the different ideologies?

• Illustration: Be able to apply our matrix to contempory debates about the proper role of the state