POLITICAL THEORY: MEANING, NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE

 

Political Theory helps us to better understand the concepts which shaped our political system. Before knowing Political Theory, we should have idea about what is Theory.

 

THEORY

Merriam Wbester Dictionary defines a Theory as “an idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain facts or events that is suggested or presented as possibly true but that is not known or proven to be true”.

It is a rational enterprise which draws conclusion based on reasons. Theories are contextual because they change with time, places and persons. Theory can’t be objective totally because it is human nature to become subjective in many terms. It is always based on assumption but these assumptions are followed by reasons.

 

POLITICAL THEORY

The term Political Theory sometime interchangeable with other terms like ‘political thought’, ‘political philosophy’, political ideology etc. But it is different from these terms.

Political Theory is a body of systematic knowledge related to the phenomenon of the state’. According to David Held “Political Theory is a network of concepts and generalization about political life involving ideas, assumptions and statements about the nature, purpose and key features of government, state and society and about the political capabilities of human being.

Political Theory

 

NATURE OF POLITICAL THEORY

Political theory may be studied in wider as well as narrower senses. In wider sense it includes explanations, description, and predictions. It mainly focuses on objective data. In other hand in narrow sense, it includes only thinker’s entire teaching like description of facts, explanation (whether religious, philosophical or empirical) his conception of history, his value judgements and his proposals of goals of policy and principles.

To study this subject, it is very important to have good knowledge of both aspects wider as well as narrower. It should be value laden and fact laden also. We can study political theory in two terms:

 

1.    TRADITIONAL

It stands for the history of political ideas. Starting with Plato their ideas, that events which effect his writings and their intellectual tradition. Most of the thinkers that time was the product of that circumstances in which they born and get experience of their life.

 

2.    MODERN

This conception of theory is newer. It focuses on political behavior in the modern world. It includes objective data with human behavior, current events, assumptions and perdition to solve the problem which exists.

So, the field of political theory includes both the traditional and modern spheres. Thus, Andrew Hacker said “Whereas the older conception has as its subject matter the historical texts and the conditions which surrounded their writing, the more recent approach to theory sees as its subject the actual behavior of men and institutions in our own time. Systematic theory is , then, concerned to create generalizations which describe and explain contemporary political phenomena. By and large, it places great importance on the method of collecting data, for systematic knowledge must be founded on evidence rather than intuition. On the whole, this approach to theory tries to avoid making value judgements or enter into ethical controversies”.

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF POLITICAL THEORY

 

·       PROBLEM SOLVING

Political Theory is closely related toa a number of academic subjects such as history, ethics, sociology, economics and other areas of study. These subjects provide some solution which can solve problems which is facing by society or political system. Political theory’s main goal is to give systematic ideas which can solve this problem.

 

·       KNOWLEDGE OF OUR RIGHTS AND DUTIES

A democratic government implies popular participation in political processes such as elections. Political Theory give us systematic knowledge about our Rights and Duties. Many thinkers explain these terms in very comprehensive way. It gives some hope to people these Rights and duties in simple terms. For example, political theory tells us that Right to Vote is not only a Right but a Duty as well and every voter should choose the best men.  

 

·       LIBERALIZES THE OUTLOOK

By studying political theory, an individual may think more logically about concepts such as equality, liberty and justice. Political Theory teaches us to be tolerant of other people’s attitudes or beliefs. Liberty and Equality are not just abstract concepts, these concepts reflect ideals that we should try to follow.

 

·       KNOWLEDGE ABOUT POLITICS IN REAL SENSE

Limitations on any government exist and we all can see them. A political system has to function under different kinds of compulsions and constraints. Anything is possible in politics. An understanding of politics can be helpful in appreciating factors which bring necessary changes in the society.

 

·       GROWTH IN REASONS

A political concept is not merely a matter of faith or belief, it develops through a log of reasoning. Different ideologies like liberalism, Marxism and socialism have been subjected to verification and the political thinkers relied on ‘facts’ and ‘practical experience’. Political theory generates a spirit of reasoning, which would help students to make arguments or statements when they participate in debates