This is an introductory article for the module on political science. This article sets the context and defines the term as well as analyzing the scope and importance of political science. The key theme in this article is that political science as a field of study has acquired importance in recent years due to the explosion in interest of the matters related to the working of the political economy.
Articles on Political Science
This article examines the relationships between political science and other social sciences. The key theme in this article is that political science and other sub-disciplines of social sciences share a symbiotic relationship as all of them purport to study the global political economy and each is intimately linked to the other in this quest.
The world has changed a lot over the last few decades and not always for the good. Of course, there are many positive developments as well. This article discusses some of the changes in the global political economy over the last few decades and places the changes happening in the world in perspective.
The exercise of power and its uses and abuses are the cornerstone of modern nation states and hence, this article discusses the various aspects of the way in which power in the modern context has to be exercised.
The political system in a modern nation state is one of the pillars of democracy and hence, it is an important mechanism through decision-making is actualized to reflect the will of the people. This article discusses some aspects of political systems around the world.
The practice of democracy is different in different countries around the world. The prototypes for the countries are derived from the US and the UK, which have been the example for countries around the world. This article discusses the different political systems around the world, compares, and contrasts how they differ from each other.
This article introduces the theme of state formation, development, and change over time and examines the factors for the same. The key theme in this article is that states evolved for good over time if their institutions are strong and fail if they have weak and failing institutions.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of countries that are considered failed states because basic governance does not work in these states. This article discusses the phenomenon of failed states and its implications for the global political economy.
The arc of history suggests that the birth of the modern nation state is relatively recent and that the continuous battle between authoritarianism and freedom has been the defining core of the spread of the concept of the modern nation state.
For democracies to work well, the three arms of the nation state, the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary have to work in tandem. The ultimate goal has to be to uphold the constitution and hence, there has to be a system of checks and balances that ensures this objective.
Institutions like the bureaucracy, the judiciary, the armed forces, and the regulatory agencies are important for state formation and development. Strong institutions are one reason why the west forged ahead of the east and this article examines some of these aspects.
The debate as to whether global governance means the end of national sovereignty or whether it is a necessary aspect of globalization is discussed in this article. The key theme in this article is that as most nations of the world have agreed to join the global economy for their benefit, they cannot complain that they are becoming irrelevant or losing their autonomy.
Political revolutions succeed when they engage the establishment and involve institutional support for their causes. This article discusses some aspects of the political revolutions and examines some factors that contribute to their success. The examples of political revolutions across the world are cited to analyze the phenomenon.
One of the reasons why nations grow or fail is because of governance or the lack of it. This article examines some of the factors that effective governance enables and empowers for sustained economic growth and wellbeing of its citizenry.
This article discusses the concept of sovereignty from a wide variety of perspectives and analyzes how the processes of globalization have eroded some parts of the sovereign concept. Further, the recent economic crisis is examined from the lens of how the emergence of the postcolonial powers is redrawing the balance of power in the world.
The article discusses in detail the two prominent schools of thoughts regarding sovereignty. These 2 thoughts are - monist and pluralist.
Property as we understand today has a history to it and this article looks at how the concept of property came about and how it is one of the pillars that underpin the existence of the capitalist system.
This article continues the themes introduced in the article on the concept of property and examines the ways in which having clear records of ownership and titles of land and other immovable assets holds the key to unlocking the mystery of capital. This article is based primarily on the pioneering work done by the renowned Brazilian economist, Edward De Soto.
Most of us love to hate bureaucracy. However, bureaucracy is an aspect of our lives that is vital and critical to the functioning of society. This article introduces the concept of bureaucracy and discusses the practice of bureaucracy in the modern context. The key theme in this article is that society needs bureaucracy as much as it needs society and hence, we should learn to engage with each other meaningfully.
The digital age is reshaping entire nations, businesses, cultures, and societies as it makes citizens more aware, status quoists more uneasy, and information more continuous. The future would be determined by the choices the different stakeholders would make with respect to technology and its uses. This article discusses some key themes that the digital age has engendered in the realm of political science.
This article discusses the emergence of regional and chauvinistic parties as a response to globalization in many developing countries. The key theme in this article is that the conflict between those who have benefited from globalization and those who have lost out can be resolved through awareness and educational programs aimed at the disenfranchised and the underprivileged.
The state must guarantee basic rights to the citizens that include human rights and civil liberties and the citizens must act according to the laws as well. This is the glue that binds them together and hence, human rights and civil liberties must be followed in practice rather than being theoretical concepts. This article discusses these themes with some real world examples from countries around the world.
This article discusses how political systems around the world have fallen prey to policy paralysis and gridlock and how despite the well intentions of politicians to change the system, the underlying fabric has become resistant to change. The key theme in this article is that the present generation must not lose hope in democracy and must understand that it is the best and preferable form of the political system.
This article explains why economic theory is inherently flawed. It points out the flaws present in the underlying assumptions. It also lists down some of these assumptions and explains why they are incorrect.
In this article, we discuss the different types of economic systems and their classifications based on the methods described by experts and economists. In addition, we look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of economic system and the examples of countries that have the economic systems in place. In the last section, we look at the benefits an individual and society in general might get from the different kinds of economic systems.
Is democracy more suitable for economic development or is autocracy more suitable? Further, do people benefit more in democracies than autocracies as far as their economic status and quality of life are concerned? Further, human development indices indicate that democracies are more effective than autocracies in delivering economic development and social justice. These are some of the themes that would be explored in this article.
This article deals with the problems faced by developing countries (or the less developed countries) and the positive and negative effects of economic growth in these countries. In particular, the article deals with some of the key areas that include population growth, scarce capital and corruption of institutions among others. The objective of this article is to highlight the problem in each of these key areas and then examine how economic growth can alleviate and also exacerbate the same.
This article addresses the debate whether social security is a pyramid scheme or not. It lays down both arguments and explains why social security is bad irrespective of whether it is a pyramid scheme or not. It explains that social security is a regressive tax designed to swindle money away from hardworking Americans.
In this article, the irony of calling the modern society capitalistic has been revealed. The article explores the existence of socialistic maxims in the so called capitalistic society. It also explains how these socialistic policies could have possibly led to economic mayhem.
With the Planet in crisis, we need a rethink of our way of doing business, and hence, we must retool Capitalism to become more compassionate. This article examines this theme from multiple perspectives with a careful and nuanced analysis of why we need Compassionate Capitalism to avoid and avert the demise of humankind.
This article explains the concept of internal contradictions of capitalism. It compares the timeline of world financial events to the timeline which has been outlined in Karl Marx’s theory.
This article explains the concept of vulture funds. It also provides some of the criticisms which are commonly levelled against vulture funds. Lastly, it also explains why vulture funds are necessary since they perform an important function.
Economic Theory often debates the type of system that is conducive for economic growth. While some experts believe that democracy is better for economic development, others point to dictatorships as being good for prosperity. Using theories and examples from the real world, this article examines which form of the political system is better for ensuring economic growth and prosperity of its citizenry.
The statement by the Chairperson of NITI Aayog, that Too Much Democracy was bad for Economic Growth sparked a debate about the pros and cons of democracy in so far as it being a hindrance or a help for economic growth was concerned. This article draws upon the experiences of the other nations in the world and looks at Indian History to argue for and against the notion that Democracy is bad for Business and suggests an alternative Middle Path.
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