Government Studies

UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA

CENTRE OF EXTERNAL STUDIES

GOVERNMENT STUDIES

Chazzan et al.

Rodee, Anderson and Christol (1957:85)

UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA

CENTRE OF EXTERNAL STUDIES

GOVERNMENT STUDIES

UNIT 01: THE NATURE ANS SCOPE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION

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Do you follow political events in other countries?

What is happening in Zimbabwe?

As a govt. studies student, you are expected to be more political

conscious than ever before

You are able to tell who is politician and who is not;

Who is better politician than other;

Most of us understand the issue of bribery and corruption;

And how these have destroyed many government systems or even

countries

Politics is not something to be studied in classrooms alone. It happens all around us

all the time. Students need to read newspapers, visit parliament or local councils,

take a continuing interest in pressure groups, political parties and elections as well

as interest in paying attention to political analysis in the media and to

contemporary issues and controversies in general.

WHAT IS POLITICS?

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Peaceful resolution of conflict.

This implies that the alternative is some form of violent means of settling

differences; such as revolution, civil war or simply armed struggle, while in politics

the clash of ideas and interest is resolved through legal, organised methods which

have been agreed by which a state is governed.

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Politics concerns the resolution of conflicts by non-violent means;

It necessarily involves a struggle for power and influence;

In its fullest sense, it refers to the manner in which a state is organised and

run.

OBJECTIVES

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Define politics

Define political science

Briefly describe the historical development of political science

Discuss the methods of political science

Explain the importance of political science in issues of national development

UNIT 02: THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY

There are two concepts in this unit that you should know and understand:

(a) What is state?

(b) What is a civil society?

ITNRODUCTION

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What is a state?

Apart from dealing with the state, political science looks at the

relationship between the state and society over which it exercises

its authority or power or rule;

Is the state natural or artificial institution?

How does it come to be?

How much power does it have vis-à-vis society?

How does it relate with society?

Can society control the action of the state?

WHAT IS A STATE?

The state refers to the permanent institutions which exercise sovereign power

within a defined territory. Sovereign power may be defined as the monopoly of the

right to enforce laws. These institutions are permanent in the sense that they do not

change when a new government is elected or when new political leaders replace

existing ones.

CHARECTERISTICS OR FEATURES OF THE STAT

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That a state has a clear geographically demarcated area

A state has a permanent population

the right to self-determination

A state should be an independent political entity

A state should enjoy international recognition

A state has the monopoly of force

A state promotes the common good of society

The state is a continuous public power

All these explanations will bring us to the assignment question 1:

The