K to 12 BASIC EDUCATION
CURRICULUM
Senior High School Academic Track
Grade: 12
Subject Title: Philippine Politics and Governance
Semester: 1st Semester
Number of Hours/Semester: 80
Prerequisite: (If needed)
I. Introduction: THE CONCEPTS OF
POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE
Content
1.1 The meaning of Politics
1.2 How politics can be studied
1.3 The meaning of governance
Learning competency
The learners ………
1. Articulate the definitions of politics
2. Differentiate the various views on politics
3. Explore the connection between the
phenomenon (politics) and the method of inquiry (political
science
4. Differentiate governance from government
THE VARYING VIEWS OF
POLITICS
By:
ROSEMARIE TY FRIAS, Ph.D.
Bicol University, CSSP
Department of Political Science
POLITICS AS A SCIENCE
Politics is not only an art as to what concerns a
state. The study of politics is scientific because it is
possible to acquire objectives and knowledge about the
political reality and the complicated world about it by
characterizing facts from values.
Politics when viewed as a
Discipline
According to Aristotle, it is the study of the affairs of
the Polis (city-state) which he defined as the most
sovereign and inclusive association.
According to Dahl, politics is the existence of rules or
authority within the state. It is therefore the study of
power relationship among people in a given society as
well as those relationships among states in the
international community.
“theory, art, science and the practice of government”
POLITICS AS ACADEMICS
Politics is also an academic subject. It was
originally regarded as a branch of philosophy, history
or law. Its main principle was to discover the purpose
upon which human society should be based.
Politics when viewed as a
Concept
Culture of cooperation and conflict. While people
would always rival interests, oppose opinions and
seek competition, others work together, consolidate
and integrate interests in attaining goals.
Politics is the middle ground that aims to unionize
and harmonize clashing concerns in achieving
consensus.
Politics when viewed as an
Action
When people build organization, or
when they defend and modify the
prevailing rules of the society under which
they live and prosper.
Politics may be studied as:
a consensus and compromise
as a society
as a power and the distribution of resources
as a public affair
as an art of government
as academics
as a science
Politics as Consensus and
Compromise
Consensus means agreement of
people in a class or group that
characterizes the balancing of interest in
order to advance a collective purpose to
promote their welfare.
Understanding consensus is
viewed in two contexts:
1. consensus is an agreement of varying classes,
groups or individuals
2. consensus is also a disagreement among
contesting parties
Consensus politics is coined to
mean in two facets:
1. Procedural Consensus. It is a willingness to make
decisions through consultation and bargaining, either
between political parties or between government and
major interests.
2. Substantive Consensus. It refers to an overlap of two
ideological positions of two or more political parties,
reflected in agreement about fundamental policy goals.
Politics as a Society
The presence of varying views, interests, conflicts,
and diversities in a society all the more gave politics
meaning and relevance in any given field of human activity,
condition or organization. Politics takes place within a
polity, a system of socialized organization operated
through dissimilar yet formal machineries of the
government. Politics in this context works inside the
government (on one hand).
Politics as a Power and the
distribution of Power
Politics as a power works in all phases of social
activities and in every aspect of human endeavor. For
Adrian Leftwich, politics is at least the heart of all
collective social activity, formal and informal, public
and private, in all human groups, institutions and
societies. In this sense, politics takes place at every
level of social interaction.
politics concerns the production, distribution and
use of resources in the course of social existence.
Politics is, in essence, power: the ability to achieve a
desired outcome through whatever means.
politics is about diversity and conflict, but the
essential ingredient is the existence of scarcity
politics can be seen as a struggle over scarce
resources, and power can be seen as the means
through which this struggle is conducted
power is the ability to get things done accordingly or
to achieve desired outcomes through various means
like influence, authority, coercion or other use of
force and intimidation.
Politics as Public Affairs
Politics as public affairs is distinct from private activities.
Public affairs have their own spheres of life in contrast to non-
political affairs of the state. Private affairs dwell within the areas
of life where individual do manage and decide for themselves as
in cultural, artistic, personal, economic, social and domestic
spheres.
Civil Society. A term that describes institutions or organizations
that are private in that they are essentially independent from
the state in the attainment of their purpose.
Public. Refers to the apparatuses or institutions of the
government that are directly involved in the conduct of state
and political affairs.
Politics is a public activity where people may directly and
continuously participate in the political life within the realm of
the formal institutions or structures of the state and through
other various channels with which they partake interests
bargaining in the struggle to promote their ends.
Politics as an art of government answers the question
‘what concerns the state’. This involves the exercise of control
within society through the making and enforcement of
collective decisions that is viewed as conventional definition of
politics in Athens.
This understanding of politics implies the study of who
exercise power and authority in the government and how
are powers distributed in a state.
POLITICS AS AN ART OF
DEFINING POLITICS
Politics is defined in such a number of ways as to the
exercise of power, the making of political decisions, the
practice of deception and manipulation, the exercise of
authority, the allocation of limited resources and so forth. But
politics nonetheless is a study that tries to complement
extreme power and interests in the society. It is an art and a
science in harmonizing both ends together in the name of
consensus and compromise.
Two main things to consider in
defining the characteristics of
politics:
1. All questions involve the making of a common decision
for a group of people, that is, a uniform decision applying
in the same way to all members of the group.
2. Involve the use of force by one person or a group of
people to affect the behavior of another person or group
of people.
Politics may loosely mean a struggle for power, control
and influence. Politics is a central concept that runs in the
hearts of a state.
4 SIGNIFICANT POINTS IN THE
DEFINITION OF POLITICS
ACCORDING TO HAQUE
Politics is a collective activity, involving people who accept
a common membership or at least acknowledge a shared
fate;
Politics presumes an initial diversity of views, if not about
goals then at least about means;
Politics involves reconciling such differences through
discussion and persuasion; and
Political decisions became authoritative policy for a group,
binding members to decisions that are implemented by
force if necessary
Basic Issues in Politics:
Legitimacy- the question of being a rightful ruler
Sovereignty- the question on the right of the
government to rule
Authority- question of the power to rule and exact
obedience on the people.
“If a government’s rule is
legitimate, it has legitimacy; if a
country’s existence is legitimate,
it has sovereignty, and when a
leader’s rule is legitimate, he/she
has authority.”
SOME KEY TERMS IN POLITICS
1. Political Process
2.Political Institutions
3.Political Situations
4.Political Values
What is it that political scientists
study?
A. much of the interests of political scientists is devoted to the
formal operation of politics in the world of government and
those who seek to influence it. (Behavioralists, rational choice
theorists and institutional analysis as approaches)
B. Political as a social process that can be observed in a variety
of settings. Politics is about more than what the governments
choose to do or not to do. It is about the uneven distribution of
power in society, how the struggle over power is conducted,
and its impact on the creation and distribution of resources, life-
chances and well-being. (Feminism, anti-foundational work and
Marxism approaches)
What is scientific approach to
politics?
Political science is a science because it
offers knowledge based on systematic inquiry.
It is concerned with the production of
systematic knowledge about the political.
The growth of Political Science
Polis (Greek )- city/state
Scire (Latin )- to know
A.)Greek Philosophy - Plato & Aristotle
They did not approach is as a specialized discipline but they thought and
wrote about government systematically.
B. Political Economy _ Adam Smith
Workings of the market
Late 18th and early 19th centuries universities published chairs/departments
of political economy
C. Half of the 19th century - economics and political science began to diverge into a
specialized discipline
D. de Columbia University 1880 – first American department of Political science
Jean Bodin (1530-1596) a French Philosopher- coined the term Political
Science
WHAT IS GOVERNANCE
According to UNDP, governance is the political, economic and
administrative authority in the management of country’s affairs
at all levels. In the public sector, the governance perspective
extends beyond traditional players and looks at the
development of a broad range of non-state actors including
business media, civil society and faith based groups.
Governance needs the presence and drive of a team. Successful
governance development models usually keep a strong vision
team- the team that plans, strategizes, legislates, executes,
follow through and educate.
Competent management of a country’s resources and affairs in
a manner that is open, transparent, accountable, equitable, and
responsive to people’s needs.
3 LEVELS OF GOVERNANCE:
Administrative
Political is the process of decision making to
formulate policies
Economic decision making process that affects a
country’s economic activities and its relationship with
other countries
Characteristics of Good
Governance
Characteristics of Good Governance
Consensus Oriented ta e
Participatory Transparent
Follows the Rule of Law es s e
Effective & Efficient ta e s e
Eight Major Characteristics
Participation
Rule of law
Transparency
Responsiveness
Consensus oriented
Equity and inclusiveness
Effectiveness and efficiency
Accountability
Participation
Both men and women
Either direct or through legitimate
institutions/representatives
Needs to be informed and organized
Freedom of expression
Organized civil society
Rule of Law
Requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced
impartially
Requires full protection of human rights
(minorities)
Independent judiciary
Impartial and incorruptible police force
Transparency
Decisions taken and their enforcement
are done in a manner that follows rules
and regulations
Responsiveness
Institutions and processes try to serve all
stakeholders within a reasonable
timeframe
Consensus Oriented
Requires mediation of the different
interests in society – reach a broad
consensus – best interest of the whole
community. HOW?
Broad and long term perspective on what is
needed for sustainable human development
Equity and Inclusiveness
Ensure that all its members feel that they
have a stake in it
No one should feel excluded from the
mainstream of the society
All should have the opportunity to improve
or maintain their well being
Effectiveness and Efficiency
Process and institutions produce results
that meets the needs of the society while
making the best use of resources at their
disposal
Sustainable use of natural resources and the
protection of the environment
Accountability
Government, private and civil societies must be
accountable to the public and their institutional
stakeholders
Accountable to those who will be affected by its
decisions or actions
Requires transparency and rule of law
PRESCRIPTIONS OF GOOD
GOVERNANCE
Transparency of Government
Simplicity of Procedures
Responsibility
Fight against Corruption
Individual Freedom and Collective Expression
Independence of the Legal System
ELEMENTS OF GOOD
GOVERNANCE (Asian Dev’t
Bank)
1. Accountability
(CAMPBELL)
“P officials, who are employed in complex
government departments, have to be accountable to their
immediate superiors, political leadership and the public at
large.”
2. Participation
3. Predictability
4. Transparency
“Ethics are as important for
the public servant as blood
for the body”
References
Theory and Methods in Political Science 2nd Ed
Edited by David Marsh and Gerry Stoker
Palgrave MacMillan, China
Introduction to Political Science 1st Ed
Ricardo S. Lazo
Rex Book Store Inc. Sampaloc, Manila
An Introduction to Government and Politics 7th Ed
Mark O. Dickerson and Thomas Flanagan
Thomson Nelson, Canada
Fundamentals of Political Science 2nd Ed, 2000
Florentino G. Ayson and Dolores Aligada-Reyes
National Book Store, Mandaluyong City
A Comparative Introduction to Political Science
Robert J. Jackson and Doreen Jackson
Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey
Understanding American Politics and Government 2nd Ed
John Coleman, Kenneth M. Goldstein and William G. Howell
Pearson Education, Inc., USA
THANK YOU
