Definition of Political Science

Definition of Political Science

Etymologically, politics is derived from the Greek word polis meaning city or country town. Then it evolved into a sense of meaning citizens Polites, politeia which means all associated with the state, which means that politics and state government politikos which means citizenship.

Aristotle (384-322 BC) can be considered as the first to introduce the political through his observations about human sebutzoon politikon. With the term he would like to explain that the nature of political and social life is the interaction between two or more people will surely involve political relationships. Aristotle saw politics as a natural tendency and unavoidable human, for example, when he tried to determine his position in society, when he tried to achieve personal well-being, and when he attempted to influence others to accept his view. Aristotle concluded that maximize the ability of individuals and businesses achieve higher forms of social life is through political interaction with others. 

Interactions that occur within an institution designed to solve social conflicts and shaping destination country. Thus political words indicates an aspect of life, namely political life commonly interpreted as pertaining to life aspects of power with the elements: the state (state), power (power), decision making (decision making), policy (policy, beleid ), and division (distribution) or allocation (allocation).

In general it can be said that politics (politics) is an assortment of activities within a political system (or state) concerning the process of determining the objectives of the system and implement those goals. Decision-making (decision making) as to whether the objectives of the political system that involves selection of some alternatives and preparation of priority of the goals that have been. As for carrying out the purposes it is necessary to determine general policies (public policies) concerning the management and delivery (distribution) or allocation (allocation) of resources (resources) that exist. To be able to play an active role to implement those policies, needs to have power (power) and authority (authority) which will be used both to foster cooperation as well as to resolve conflicts that may arise in the process. Ways that can be used to convince (persuasive) and if necessary coercive (coercion). Without coercion, the policy was simply a desire formulation (statement of intent) alone.

Politics is an attempt or a way to obtain something desired. But there are many who think that politics is not only about power within the state or actions undertaken by state authorities. In some aspects of life, humans often political action, both political trade, cultural, social, as well as in other aspects of life. Thus politics always involves the objectives of the whole society (public goals) and not one's personal objectives (private goals). Political concerns the activities of various groups, including political parties and activities of individuals (people).

The political sense of the scientists:

Johan Kaspar Bluntschli in his book The Theory of the State: "Politics is the science of attention affairs of state, to fight for understanding and understanding of the country and the circumstances, the properties essentially, in various forms or manifestations of development." (The science is concerned roomates with the state, the which endeavor to understand and comprehend the state in its conditions, in its essentials nature, in various forms or manifestations its development).

Roger F. Soltau in his book Introduction to Politics: "Politics studied countries, the goals of state and institutions that would implement that goal; the relationship between the state and its citizens as well as with other countries. "(Political science is the study of the state, its aims and purposes ... the institutions by roomates These are going to be Realized, its relations with its individual members, and other states ... ).

J. Barents in his book Science Politika: "Political science is the study of the life of the state ... that are part of public life, political science study states that in carrying out its duties."

Joyce Mitchell in his book Political Analysis and Public Policy: "Politics is a collective decision-making or policy-making is common to the whole of society." (Politics is a collective decision making or the making of public policies for an entire society).

Harold D. Lasswell and A. Kaplan in the book Power Society: "Political Science studying the formation and power sharing", and in the book Who gets What, When and How, Laswell asserts that "Politics is a matter of who, gets what, when and how. "

W.A. Robson in The University Teaching of Social Sciences: "Political Science study of power in society, ... that is the nature of the essential, basic, processes, scope and results. The focus of attention of a scholar of political science ... focused on the struggle to achieve or maintain power, executing power or influence over others, or against the implementation of that power. "(Political science is concerned with the study of power in society ... its nature, bases, processes , scope and results. The focus of interest of the political scientist ... centers on the struggle to gain or retain power, to exercise the power of influence over the other, or to resist that exercise).

Karl W. Duetch in the book Politics and Government: How People Decide Their Fate: "Politics is making through public facilities." (Politics is the making of a decision by public means).

David Easton in The Political System: "Political science is the study of the formation of public policy." He said "political life includes a variety of activities that affect the policy of the authorities is accepted by a society and that influence how to implement that policy. We participate in political life if the activities we have to do with the making and implementation of policies for a society. "(Political life concerns all Reviews those varieties of activity that influence the kind of authoritative Significantly-adopted policy for a society and the way it is put into practice. We are said to be participating in political life when our activity relates in some way to the making and execution of policy for a society).

Ossip K. Flechtheim in the book Fundamentals of Political Science: "Political science is a social science that specifically studies the nature and purpose of the state as far as the state is the organization of power, along with the nature and purpose of the symptoms of other unofficial power, which could affect the state. "(Political science is that specialized social science that studies the nature and purpose of the state so far as it is a power organization and the nature and purpose of unofficial power of phenomena that are apt to influence the state).

Noer in the book Introduction to Political Thought: "Political Science focusing on the problem of power in a common life or society. This life is not limited to the field of law only, and not also on the growing state in the history of human life is relatively new. Outside the legal field and before the state existed, it also has a power problem also exists. Only in modern times that power is indeed closely related to the country. "

Kosasih Djahiri in the book Political Science and the State: "Political science is viewed as the core of political power spawned a number of theories about how to obtain and execute power. Actually, each individual can not be separated from power, because the influence of a person or group of people can display behavior as desired by the person or party that influence. "

Wirjono Projodikoro stated that "the most important properties of the political field is the use of power by a group of community members to other drug classes. In political science there is always a power or force. "K. Affandimendefinisikan:" Political science is the science which studies human collection of regular life and have the same goal in state bonds. "

There are still a lot of understanding about politics and political science delivered or experts. But from the already quoted would be understood that politics theoretically covers the overall principles and characteristics of the countries without discussing the activities and objectives to be achieved country. While practically, politically studying the state as an institution engaged with the functions and specific purposes (the state as a dynamic institution).