Test 6 : Political Science Mains Marathon
TEST 6 : POLITICAL THEORY
Q.1. Discuss the key features of pre-Marxist socialist theory.
Q.2. Hegemony does mean something more specific than power and domination. Elaborate.
Q.3. “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility”- J.S. Mill.
Q.4. Examine the conception of state in the ideologies of Fascism and Marxism.
Q.5. Central to Aristotle’s political thought is his classification of different types of political constitutions.
Q.6 Explain Machiavelli’s application of empirical method to human affairs marks an important stage in an evolution of Political Science.
Q.7 Evaluate the contribution of Buddhist tradition to Indian Political Thought.
Q.8 “The end of every man is continued success in obtaining those things which he from time to time desires”-Hobbes. Comment.
Q.9 Critically evaluate the debate on “End of ideology”.
Q.10 Compare analytically the concept of ‘power’ with respect to views of Marx and Max Webber.
All Mains Marathon Optional Questions are updated in this page.
#1
Socialism is considered to be an ideology of the poors and is considered to be a hat that has lost its shape due to the numerous types of socialism. German scholar Karl Marx was the first to systematically organize socialism into a coherent ideology.
However there existed scholars like Robert Owen , Charles Fourier who are considered to be pre-Marxist socialists.Such scholars attempted to bring in socialism through conciliation between labour and capital. Socialism was to be brought by peaceful means.Capitalists were to be persuaded to take steps leading up to socialism.Pre-Marxist socialists assumed the goodness of human nature that would allow socialism to exist.
However efforts of early socialists failed to make an impact.Such ideas were criticized by Marx for being utopian and not scientific. Marx considered such early socialists as idealists and lacking in true understanding of capitalism.
#2
Hegemony refers to soft power or domination by consent. Concept of hegemony explained by Gramsci not only refined Marxism but also political theory.
Before Gramsci scholars like Hobbes spoke about state being Leviathan or hard power. Marx considered economy to be the basic structure and considered state to be an instrument of the bourgeoisie class that is talking of power in terms of economy.
Gramsci adds a new dimension with his concept of hegemony. According to Gramsci , bourgeoisie rule not only through hard power but also through soft power or hegemony. The ruling classes rule by consent which is manufactured by intellectuals in the civil society. Gramsci advices the sub altern class to first win the War of Position by replacing the hegemony of the ruling classes with counter hegemony and then going on frontal assault to capture power.
#3
JS Mill is considered as a liberal in the truest sense. Mill was a staunch defender of freedom of speech which is reflected in the above statement.
According to Mill there must be freedom of speech to the maximum extent. Speech is a gift bestowed upon humans by God and there should not be any limits on it.Mill considers that truth can emerge out of anywhere even from a madman therefore those who seek to limit it are delaying the truth and causing harm to themselves. Silencing of all discussion means that there is infallibility which is not possible.
Discussion should be encouraged and not stiffled. According to Mill if others are right then it provides an opportunity for person to improve himself on the other hand if others are wrong then person will emerge stronger.No society has become great by limiting the freedom of speech of its members.
#4
According to Gettel ,political science begins and ends with state which reflects importance of the concept to the discipline. State is a contested concept with different schools of thought having different viewpoints.
Fascism which is considered as a hodge-podge of ideas seeks to create a totalitarian state that dominates every sphere of man’s life. Marxism which is associated with the ideas of Karl Marx on the other hand seeks to create a stateless , classless society.
Fascist state is both pro-industry and pro-labour , Marxists on the other hand consider state to be an executive committee of the bourgeoisie. Fascists seek to organically unite man with state while Marxists seek to end state. Fascist state considers women as second class citizens while Marxist stateless world considers women as equal to men.
Fascist state is an imperialist and expansionist state focusing on wars while Marxist want to create a loving and caring society that is peaceful.
Thus we can see that state is a contested concept with scholars from different schools having different conceptions.
Its not gettel but James Wiford Garner.Pls check.
#5
Aristotle is considered as the Father of Political Science. He was not only Plato’s greatest critic but also his greatest disciple.
While Plato was an idealist , Aristotle was a realist and he relied on empirical methods. He studied nearly 150 constitutions. From his studies he was able to develop his theories of revolution. While Plato was radical , Aristotle was a conservative and considered any change minor or major as a revolution.
While Plato considered rule of philosopher king as best , Aristotle’s studies showed that practical form of philosopher king is tyranny which is the worst form of government. He also considered rule of law to be superior to rule of philosopher king. Aristotle considered polity or rule by middle classes to be stable thus Plato’s second best is considered as Aristotle’s best. Aristotle’s idea of golden mean can be reflected in his preference for polity as polity is golden mean between oligarchy and monarchy.
Aristotle rejected democracy for being rule of ignorant many and oligarchy for rule of rich and rule of poor is inherently unstable. Poors will not obey laws out of ignorance while rich will not obey laws out of arrogance.
His thorough studies laid the foundation for empirical methods in political science which was later used by several other scholars which has rightly led to him being the Father of Political Science.
Q.1. Discuss the key features of pre-Marxist socialist theory.
->
The origin of socialist ideas is in French revolution, which called for equality and fraternity. There were socialists during the time of French revolution calling for revolutionary activities like Louis Blanc, Blanqui. Blanc called for workers controlled economic system and Blanqui advised conquest of state by force. However revolutionaries failed to bring socialism.
Later on another form of peaceful, evolutionary form of socialism emerged in various parts of Europe. Prominent early socialists include saint Simon,Charles Fourier,Robert Owen. These socialists believed that socialism will come by calling to the conscience of capitalists.
Marx was convinced that socialism cannot come in a peaceful manner. Marx calles them as utopians because they lack scientific understanding of capitalism. They also lack scientific understanding of history. According to Marx ” violence is the midwife of change. There has not been a single birth without bloodshed.”
Regarding socialists during French revolution who recommended revolution, Marx believes that they lacked proper understanding of capitalism. There are limited chances of action being successful without being based on theory.
can we have some more features??? i couldnt find more than 2 in notes …… please do share if u have more 🙂
Right now only these. But thank you for reminding. Will add later.
Q.2. Hegemony does mean something more specific than power and domination. Elaborate.
->
Hegemony is soft power. As opposed to the power of coercion it os power of attraction. According Marxist scholar Gramsci, bourgeoisie rule is not just by coercion but by MANUFACTURING CONSENT in their favour. This dimension of power is called as HEGEMONY.
Gramsci makes difference between HEGEMONY AND DOMINATION AND POWER. Domination is a one way process. In domination bourgeoisie are exercising power and and masses are passive. While hegemony is more sensitive term and is a two way process. Here bourgeoisie class establish its control but at the same time try to incorporate some values among masses. Thus hegemony is leadership. It generates goodwill. Leader is different from master. If master has power of coercion leader has power of attraction.
Similar to the gramscian concept of hegemony, other scholars like post modernist Althusser has given the concept of interpellation. Althusser has explained interpellation as a process by which dominant ideas infiltrate our mind and what I think as my idea is actually not my idea. It is presented in a way that I believe that it is my idea.
Another post colonialist scholar Edward said has given the concept of orientalism. According to him study of east by colonial masters was a PROJECT to establish that west is superior than the east.
Q.3. “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility”- J.S. Mill.
->
John Stuart Mill is known as the champion of feeedom of speech and expression. His work is the most exhaustive and passionate defence of freedom of speech and expression. According to Mill the most important freedom is freedom of S & E.
According to Mill, “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility”. Mill considers that it is not benefecial to suppress the freedom of S & E. FSE is a means to arrive at truth and nature of truth is such that it is bound to emerge. There is no advantage in postponing of our understanding of truth.
Mill further suggest to let other person speak because 1. If you are right and the other person is wrong he will understand that his position is wrong. 2. If other person is right and you are wrong, then yoy have no moral right to suppress his voice. And it is an opportunity for you to correct yourself.
Mill adds that ” when all but one has difference of opinion, majority is not justified in silencing the minority; just like the single person will not be justified silencing the majority. “. Thus we find first ardent supporter of FSE in the form of JS Mill.
socratic principle of dilectics can be seen through the mills idea of freedom of speech… add this if u feel correct……. overall very nice answer … kudos!!!
Q.4. Examine the conception of state in the ideologies of Fascism and Marxism.
->
The conception of state in the ideologies of Fascism and Marxism not only differs but differs significantly. Both have views about state poles apart.
Fascism draws its inspiration from Hegel and therefore considers state as a virtue. Fascism considers state as march of god on earth. Fascism believes in the suprmacy of the state. Mussolini used to say, ” nothing outside the state, nothing above the state and against the state”. Fascist state denies rights and liberties to the people and emphasizes on duties and discipline.
Marxism does not consider state as march of god earth rather considers state as an instrument of exploitation. State as an instrument of the dominant class. In the words of Karl Marx ” state is an executive committee of the bourgeoisie”. Lenin believes that the continuation of state itself indicates the existence of classes and class conflict and struggle.
Marxism believes that the workers cannot and should not expect justice from the state. They should prepare themesleves revolution, for violent overthrow of state and establish a stateless society which Marx calls as Communism – a perfect stage and end of history.
It is to be noted that scholars like Karl popper have compared fascist regime in Germany, Italy with that of communist Russia and called them as totalitarian regimes while other scholars like Laski calls fascism as last desperate attempt of capitalism to protect itself.
Q.5. Central to Aristotle’s political thought is his classification of different types of political constitutions.
->
Aristotle who is known as the father of political science, the reason for considering him father is his exhaustive analysis of constitutions.
Aristotle has studied 158 constitutions of his time and previous time. He is the first person to classify the constitutions and give comparative features. Hence Aristotle is not only the father of political science but also the father of comparative politics.
Aristotle in his scheme of classification of constitutions uses two parameters – purpose of governments and number of persons ruling. Aristotle gives different constitutions like Monarchy which is rule of one person and its perverted form tyranny which he considers worst form, aristocracy – rule of rich and its perverted form oligarchy, polity as the rule of middle class and democracy rule of many ignorantand poors which he considers second worst. After analyzing 158 consititutions Aristotle concludes that Monarchy or the rule of philosopher king is THE BEST but POLITY is THE BEST PRACTICABLE form of government.
If we compare Plato’s REPUBLIC with Aristotle’s POLITICS, Plato’s REPUBLIC is a book which is encyclopedic in nature whereas POLITICS is entirely dealing with the state, constitutions. Hence can be treated as first textbook in the discipline.
again very nice answer……. you could have written it on paper then it would be easy for u to describe different forms of govts. through diagramatic representation 🙂
Q.6 Explain Machiavelli’s application of empirical method to human affairs marks an important stage in an evolution of Political Science.
->
Political science which is one of the oldest discipline has evolved over a period of time. Its origin goes back to ancient Greece and empirical method which Machiavelli used considered as the milestone in the progress of the discipline.
Political science emerged as a political philosophy, as a subdiscipline of philosophy in ancient Greece. Plato who is considered as the father of political philosophy emphasized on normative issues. Through the method of dialectic tried to understand what ought to be.
The discipline witnessed a decline during medieval times. Poltocal studies became the subdiscipline of religion.
In modern times political science got the status of an Independent and autonomous field. The credit for this achievement goes to the Machiavelli, who considered politics is neither ethics nor religion but an independent field. Machiavelli has introduced the tradition of real Politik. He suggested to study what is rather than what ought to be. Hence he suggested empirical observation.
Thus the application of empirical observation forms the important stage in the evolution of political science as the discipline and it has influenced the scholars of behavioralism who aimed to make political science a Science.
you could have give the definition of empirical approach in the introduction…… overall very good answer 🙂
Thank you. Yes I will improve.
Q.8 “The end of every man is continued success in obtaining those things which he from time to time desires”-Hobbes. Comment.
->
Hobbes who belongs to the tradition of social contract, in the above given statement describes the human nature. He describes human nature to find out what is there in the human nature which necessitates the State.
Hobbes on the basis of compositive resolutive method logically establishesh that human by nature is materialistic, utilitarian and individualistic. So Man would to like to posses such things which gives him pleasure. Different people may like different things but the means to get the things is power.
Hobbes put forward the dilemma of unlimited desires and limited resources. Man needs power because power is a means to gain pleasure. As there is continous desire for pleasure, there is endless desire for power.
Since man is pleasure seeking he wants to enjoy forever. Satisfaction of one desire generate craving for satisfaction of other desires. He also suggests that man fears death because death means end of desires.
Thus for Hobbes human life of about passions and desires. According to him passions play more important role in our life than reason.
As per my understanding question wants us to comment on this :
end of man = keep satisfying his desires
So i found it whatever you have written is correct, i have also written the answer on same line 😀 but not as good as yours……… are you appearing for this mains? if yes then is it gonna be your first one?
Q.9 Critically evaluate the debate on “End of ideology”.
->
The end of ideology thesis was given by western scholars like Daniel bell, sm lipset in 1960s. According to this thesis , there is no major difference in the political life in the east and the west.
After the end of second world war, world witnessed cold war. Cold war was described as the the ideological war or battle of ideologies between capitalism and socialism.
Daniel bell in his THE END OF IDEOLOGY : ON THE EXHAUSTION OF POLITICAL IDEAS IN THE 60s, suggests political ideology has become irrelevant because similar type of state and administrative system has come into existence and the polity of the future would be driven by piecemeal technological adjustments ie. Economy in the front and politics at the backseat. Hence ideological battles carry no meaning.
According to another proponent of the thesis, ideological battles carry no meaning because there is universal acknowledgement that the liberal democratic societies are the best way of life.
The thesis has been strongly criticized by various scholars. According Alasdair McIntyre, end of ideology is itself an ideology and its indirect aim is to justify western way of life. C B McPherson also believes that it is wrong to think that the western societies are egalitarian.
End of ideology reemerged in the modified sense in the context of cold war in the form of end of history. Scholars find that its an arrogant version of end of ideology, which claim about the superiority of western liberal political life.
Q.10 Compare analytically the concept of ‘power’ with respect to views of Marx and Max Webber.
->
There are significant differences in the views of Karl Marx and max Weber wrt power. Intact Max weber is supporter of capitalism and critique of Karl Marx.
Weber has criticized Marx’s historical materialism, according to which the economic structure is the basic structure and whoever controls it wields all the power and controls all other spheres ie superstructure. Weber disagrees with Marx. In his PROTESTANT ETHICS AND RISE OF CAPITALISM he has shown how protestant ideas led to the evolution of capitalism.
Both also differed in their opinion wrt the exercise of power by the state. Marx believes that the state is an instrument of the bourgeoisie class and it exercises power for the furtherence of interests of the dominant class only. State represent coercive power. Weber views state power as legitimate. According to him, exercise of power by the state is considered right by the people and this is the reason for the continuation of the state. Similar ideas are also given by T H Green who held that WILL NOT FORCE is the basis of the state.
When weber gives 3 ideal types of authority – traditional, charismatic, legal rational, – he believes that in all societies all forms of authorities exists with varying degrees of influence. As opposed to this when Marx traces the evolution of human history form primitive communism, slave society to capitalism, based on his dialectical materialism communism is the stage where state and classes will wither away and it will be the perfect stage – perfect freedom, perfect equality.
You could have first write introduction of power, conventional and non conventional concept of power;
all points are valid but in last paragraph i dont know how you compared the 3 types of authority of weber with that of the marxism views on communism……….
i guess you can just conclude your answer in last para by saying that , as marx consider power as the source of exploitation of working classes by bourgeoisie class for weber power is legitimate authority through which ruling class work for the welfare of those who are being ruled……….
Please let me know if i have made some mistake in above statements …. ALL THE VERY BEST 😀
Explain Machiavelli’s application of empirical method to human affairs marks an important stage in an evolution of Political Science.
