What is Political Theory and What is its Relevance?

What is Political Theory and What is its Relevance? SOL DU B.A PROGRAM FIRST YEAR 

• The word ‘Political’ has multiple meanings. It derived from the Greek word ‘polis’. It meant city-state, presently it means the state. More specifically, it refers to decision-making within and about the community.
  
  
  
  
• The word 'theory' has been derived from the Greek word ‘theoria’. It means a well focused mental outlook taken at something in a settle of contemplation with the intent to grasp it.
• Andrew Hacker -: The theorist engaging in political science describes and explains political reality. Meanwhile, the theorist engaged in political philosophy prescribes the goals that should be pursued in the political  reality.
• Sebine-: defines it, “as anything about politics or relevant to politics”. That is his broad definition of political theory. He also has given the narrow definition as “the disciplined investigation of political problems”.

 The above definitions bring out certain   essential characteristics of political theory       which are as follows-:

• Political theory has as its area of operation, the realm of politics. It includes citizen’s political life, political behaviour, political ideas, the governments he establishes and the task that government performs.
• The methods which political theory applies, includes description, explanation, prediction and investigation of any political phenomenon chiefly with intent to grasp or comprehended all about what is 'political'.
• The ultimate objective of political theory is to construct a better state in a good society. In the process it also attempts to create certain processes, procedures, structures and institutions, which historically tested and rationally attuned.

NATURE OF POLITICAL THEORY

• Political theory is closely related to the nature of state, the authority, the structure of the state, the interaction of the state with its environment. Political theory also relates with the works of political thinkers.
• George Catlin significantly observed : “The theory (of politics) itself is divided into political science and political philosophy.
• Andrew Hacker also dwells on these two major components of political theory. He writes : “Every political scientist ... plays a double role. He is part scientist and part philosopher ... no theorist can make a lasting contribution to human knowledge unless he works in the realms of both science and philosophy”

Some Basic Characteristic of Political Theory

 1. A political theory is generally the creation on individual thinker based on his moral and intellectual position and when propounding his theory he is looking explain the events, phenomenon and the mysteries generally of mankind's political life. The theory may or may not be accepted as true but it always can be regarded as one more theory. Generally we find the political theory of an individual thinker is put forward in a classic work y the thinker like Plato did in his Republic or Rawl in A Theory of Justice.

 2. A political theory attempts to provide explanations on questions relating to mankind, the societies he formed and history and historical events generally. It also suggests ways of resolving conflicts and sometimes even advocates revolutions. There are also often predictions made about the future. 

3. Political theory thus is also sometimes not only providing explanations and predictions but also sometimes actively influencing and participating in historical events particularly when they propose political action of a particular kind and that line of action is widely adopted.

VARIOUS CONCEPTS OF POLITICAL THEORY 

1. Classical Political Theory

•  Plato and Aristotle are the two thinkers who are studied and who have great influence till today. Classical political theory was deeply dominated by philosophy and the whole focus was on taking a holistic gaze searching for the most general of truths.
• there was no clear distinction between philosophical, theological and political issues and political science or thought was not separately recognised as a discipline as such.
•  The underlying quest was to arrive at the best possible form of government. The state and government were also viewed as a tool for realising the moral goals of man and society and for promoting the good.
• The classical tradition also sought to search ways for an ideal state and a stable system. The main questions that the classical tradition was asked was what is the best form of government? and who should rule and why? . Also how should conflict situations be resolved.

2.Liberal Political Theory 

• This new philosophical wave was led by thinkers like Hobbes, Locke, Thomas, Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Jeremy Bentham, J.S. Mill, Herbert Spencer and a host of other writers. The main thrust of the liberal tradition was the individual's rights and the state was merely regarded as a contract between individuals to benefit from the conflict resolution mechanism that a system of rule of law provides. The main aim of the state in the liberal tradition is to help individuals realise their fundamental inalienable rights.
•  The new liberal theories also dismissed the idea of common good and an organic community and instead advocated that the government should govern as less as possible for individual rights to reign supreme and free him from political, social and economic restraints as far as possible.

3.Marxist Political Theory

• Man shall not be exploited by man" and where each individual will have the full opportunity to develop his or her personality and potential. He also was the first major thinker to stress on the historical exploitation of the female gender and the need for women's liberation. The most important themes of Marxist political theory are class division, class struggle, property relations, modes of production, state as an instrument of class domination and revolution by the proletariat. Marxism also suggests that rights, liberty, equality, justice and democracy in a capitalist liberal democracy are really only enjoyed by the rich and properties classes because the state is controlled by the upper classes who use the institutions of the state as a tool for class exploitation. He believed real liberty and equality can only be achieved in a classless and stateless society. Thus whereas Liberal theory provided the theoretical basis for a capitalist free market system, Marxist political theory provided the basis for the establishment of a socialist state through revolutionary action.

4.Empirical-Scientific Political Theory  

• Behavioral schools differed fundamentally from all the previous schools because they suggested that the job of political theory is only to explain political phenomenon and extrapolate from that and predict the future. It is not to make philosophical and moral judgement. It is not at all to advocate revolutionary action. Thus political theory is not to question or propose who rules, should rule and why but rather who does rule and how? . Or in other words it should not question the basis of the state but should be happy witht he status quo, stability, equilibrium and harmony in the society. It should focus attention on the study of political behavior of man, group and institutions irrespective of their good or bad character. Practical political theory is not only concerned with the study of the state but also with the political process. 

 5.Contemporary Political Theory

• David Held has opined that contemporary political theory has four distinct tasks: 
• Philosophical: to focus on the fundamental philosophical positions of the normative and conceptual framework; 
• Empirical: to empirically understand and explain the concepts; 
• Historical: to examine the important concepts in the historical context; and
•  Strategic: to asses the feasibility of moving from where we are to where we might like to be

Relevance of Political Theory -: 
In providing an explanation and description of political phenomenon helping select the political goals and actions for a community and helps in providing the basis for making moral judgments. 

RELEVANCE OF POLITICAL THEORY

• The relevance of political theory could be tested in relation to (i) a description of the political phenomena (ii) a non-scientific (based on philosophy and religion) speculation or a scientific (based on empirical studies) analysis or explanation (iii) political goals and political action, and (iv) ethico-normative and moral judgment. Essays on political theory propounded in Plato’s Republic, Issiah Berlin’s Liberty or Rawls’ A theory of Justice or Nozick’s Anarchy,State and Utopia can be cited as some example to the relevance of political theory.

David Held views the task of political theorist as really demanding.

• About the nature and purpose of state, and government relationship of individual, authority and state, political theory provides systematic thinking for these areas.
• About the socio-political ideals and the socio-political phenomena political theory helps us to establish a correlation between them.

•  It helps us to know the nature and ends of the socio-economic system and the stages of its evolution through the ages.
•  It makes the individual conscious of his rights and duties in a state or a society.
•  It helps to find solutions to problems like poverty, violence, corruption, ethnicity, etc.
•  As Karl Marx said, the task of political theory is not only to understand and explain the social reality but also to change it. Viewed in this light, political theory helps us to evolve ways and means to change society either through reform or revolution.
• If political theory performs its desirable function, then the people will be equipped with the instruments of struggle for their advancement. The correct political theories may make us choose right goals and means so as to avoid the roads that end in darkness of despair 
•  It tells us about the past, present and future of politics in a rational way.
•  It helps the comparison of different political systems and helps in evacuating our own system.
•  It encourages a dignified debate between upholders of different points of view. 
• It is a source of mutual respect and toleration between the political thinkers and academicians.

CONCLUSION

• The goal of theory is to enhance our thinking of the social reality and create conditions for good life. In this context, both classical and empirical theories need to be synthesized. Political theory is also important because it can go forward basing itself on the theories and purpose the means and directions for changing society to establish and ideal society. Marxist theory for instance is an example of a theory which not only purposes the direction but also goes so far as to advocate a revolution for establishing an egalitarian state. Thus, the political theory is sound and it can be transmitted and communicated to people than it can become a very powerful force for the advancement of society and mankind.

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