'Man is by nature a social being'- Aristotle
Human beings are social beings- We lie and work together
Within all Human groups there are diverse, Competing and conflicting
interests and values
All groups exist in a context of scarce resources(Material and non-
material)
Politics arises because we need to make decisions about how to live
together in the face of diverse interests and in the context where not all
interests can be achieved(scarcity)
Politics as a process
Much more than the art of Government
It's also the 'Process of who gets what when and how'- Lasswell 1936
'The activity through which people make, preserve and amend the
General rule under which they Live'-Heywood 2007
The 'Process by which society makes decisions or evolves policies'- Rush
2014
' All the Activities of co-operation and conflict whereby the Human
species goes about organising the use, production and distribution of
Human, natural and other resources' Leftwich 1984
It takes place in all Human societies
Wherever groups of people are they need to make decisions about social
order, the rules of the society and about who gets what
Decision making can be co-operative but other times it can be conflictual
Once a decision has been made it becomes a policy for the group,
Binding them, Even if some of them continue to resist
Politics as Power
Politics is at work in all social activities and it concerns the production
and distribution of resources
Politics is the exercise of Power
Power is closely related to the ownership and control of these scarce
resources. It may be in the hands of a select few or more widely
distributed.
Some individual or Groups will have more or less power in determining
who gets what and when.
Small Groups of people can reach collective decisions without any
special procedures
, However towns and cities must develop institutions for making and
enforcing collective decisions
Hobbs and the need for Government
In his treatise, Leviathan, he argued that without order humans would
exist in a state of nature, of 'Every man against man' resulting in a nasty
life
He said everyone must give obedience to a sovereign Authority to
ensure order and peace
The Government then should facilitate collective decisions and provide
security for all
Dangers of Government would be abuse of Authority
Politics, Government and Governance
Political system refers to all the different parts that makeup the political
life of a state or community
Government is the heart of a political system. It refers to the institutions
and processes through which societies are governed
Government is comprised of all those institutions endowed with public
authority and making decisions for a community
Their Institutions:
While we think Government is the central figure of governance of a state
in many contexts it is not the only one
Governance is:
1. 'The exercise of Power and decision making by a group of people.
Human beings are social beings- We lie and work together
Within all Human groups there are diverse, Competing and conflicting
interests and values
All groups exist in a context of scarce resources(Material and non-
material)
Politics arises because we need to make decisions about how to live
together in the face of diverse interests and in the context where not all
interests can be achieved(scarcity)
Politics as a process
Much more than the art of Government
It's also the 'Process of who gets what when and how'- Lasswell 1936
'The activity through which people make, preserve and amend the
General rule under which they Live'-Heywood 2007
The 'Process by which society makes decisions or evolves policies'- Rush
2014
' All the Activities of co-operation and conflict whereby the Human
species goes about organising the use, production and distribution of
Human, natural and other resources' Leftwich 1984
It takes place in all Human societies
Wherever groups of people are they need to make decisions about social
order, the rules of the society and about who gets what
Decision making can be co-operative but other times it can be conflictual
Once a decision has been made it becomes a policy for the group,
Binding them, Even if some of them continue to resist
Politics as Power
Politics is at work in all social activities and it concerns the production
and distribution of resources
Politics is the exercise of Power
Power is closely related to the ownership and control of these scarce
resources. It may be in the hands of a select few or more widely
distributed.
Some individual or Groups will have more or less power in determining
who gets what and when.
Small Groups of people can reach collective decisions without any
special procedures
, However towns and cities must develop institutions for making and
enforcing collective decisions
Hobbs and the need for Government
In his treatise, Leviathan, he argued that without order humans would
exist in a state of nature, of 'Every man against man' resulting in a nasty
life
He said everyone must give obedience to a sovereign Authority to
ensure order and peace
The Government then should facilitate collective decisions and provide
security for all
Dangers of Government would be abuse of Authority
Politics, Government and Governance
Political system refers to all the different parts that makeup the political
life of a state or community
Government is the heart of a political system. It refers to the institutions
and processes through which societies are governed
Government is comprised of all those institutions endowed with public
authority and making decisions for a community
Their Institutions:
While we think Government is the central figure of governance of a state
in many contexts it is not the only one
Governance is:
1. 'The exercise of Power and decision making by a group of people.
