{"id":3441,"date":"2026-08-11T22:10:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T16:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/notes\/political-theory-meaning-and-approaches\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T02:58:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:28:34","slug":"political-theory-meaning-and-approaches","status":"publish","type":"psir_note","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/notes\/political-theory-meaning-and-approaches\/","title":{"rendered":"Political Theory: meaning and approaches"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"n-wrap\">\n<div class=\"n-shell\">\n<div class=\"n-crumb\"><a href=\"\/psir\/psir-notes\/\">PSIR Notes<\/a><span class=\"sep\">\u203a<\/span><a href=\"\/psir\/psir-notes\/#i-a\">I-A Political Theory and Indian Politics<\/a><span class=\"sep\">\u203a<\/span><span>Political Theory: meaning and approaches<\/span><\/div>\n<header class=\"n-head\">\n<div class=\"n-eyebrow\">Paper I \u00b7 Political Theory and Indian Politics<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"n-title\">Political Theory: meaning and approaches<\/h1>\n<div class=\"n-syl\"><b>Syllabus \u00b7 Paper I-A \u00b7 1<\/b> \u2014 <span class=\"cur\">Political Theory: meaning and approaches<\/span>.<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"n-grid\">\n  <main class=\"n-body\"><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"why-political-the-meanings-inside-the-word\">Why \u201cPolitical\u201d? \u2014 the meanings inside the word<\/h3>\n<p>From the Greek <span class=\"n-term\">polis<\/span> (city-state, community). Politics is the activity of reaching <span class=\"n-term\">binding collective decisions<\/span> by reconciling differences \u2014 over ends, means, resources, values and authority. Hence the <span class=\"n-term\">\u201cart of the possible\u201d<\/span>: workable solutions under disagreement.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"n-quote\">\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">Working definition<\/span> \u201cPolitics is the activity by which groups reach binding collective decisions through attempting to reconcile differences among their members.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">Five meanings of \u201cthe political\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">As government<\/span> \u2014 the art of governing; office, authority, the machinery of the state.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">As public affairs<\/span> \u2014 citizenship, public life, the common good. <span class=\"n-sch\">Aristotle<\/span>: \u201cMan is by nature a political animal\u201d; <span class=\"n-sch\">Hannah Arendt<\/span>: politics as action and speech among free citizens.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">As compromise &amp; consensus<\/span> \u2014 conciliation rather than force; the peaceful settling of conflict.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">As power &amp; domination<\/span> \u2014 <span class=\"n-term\">Adrian Leftwich<\/span>: politics lies in all collective activity, \u201cformal and informal, public and private\u201d; <span class=\"n-sch\">Carl Schmitt<\/span>: the friend\u2013enemy distinction; <span class=\"n-sch\">Antonio Gramsci<\/span>: <span class=\"n-term\">hegemony<\/span>; <span class=\"n-sch\">Karl Marx<\/span>: class power and political economy.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">As authoritative allocation<\/span> \u2014 <span class=\"n-sch\">David Easton<\/span>: politics is the <span class=\"n-term\">authoritative allocation of values<\/span> for a society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"n-pyq\"><span class=\"n-pyq-chip\">UPSC 2024 \u00b7 20m<\/span><span class=\"n-pyq-q\">Elucidate the meanings inherent in the term \u2018political\u2019 with appropriate illustrations.<\/span><a class=\"n-pyq-a\" href=\"\/psir\/psir-pyq\/elucidate-the-meanings-inherent-in-the-term-political-with-upsc-psir-2024-0101\/\">Answer<\/a><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"politics-power-the-state\">Politics, Power &amp; the State<\/h3>\n<p>Politics is <span class=\"n-term\">power-laden<\/span> \u2014 the acquisition, retention and exercise of power. <span class=\"n-term\">J.W. Garner<\/span>\u2019s state-centric maxim, \u201cPolitical science starts and ends with the state,\u201d once ruled the discipline; it now competes with <span class=\"n-term\">society-wide<\/span> readings that locate power across all social relations, not the state alone.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"political-theory-meaning-nature\">Political Theory: Meaning &amp; Nature<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-sch\">George H. Sabine<\/span> defines political theory broadly as \u201canything about politics or relevant to politics.\u201d It runs along three connected dimensions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Historical<\/span> \u2014 political ideas read in their context.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Philosophical<\/span> \u2014 questions of justice, liberty, obligation and the good society.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Scientific<\/span> \u2014 behaviour, institutions and processes studied through observation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Political theory is therefore both <span class=\"n-term\">explanation<\/span> and <span class=\"n-term\">evaluation<\/span>: it describes political life, criticises it, and helps reconstruct it. It clarifies concepts and supplies the ideas that political science then tests.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"theory-science-philosophy-thought-ideology-know-the-splits\">Theory \u00b7 Science \u00b7 Philosophy \u00b7 Thought \u00b7 Ideology \u2014 know the splits<\/h3>\n<div class=\"n-tw\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Category<\/th>\n<th>Core question<\/th>\n<th>Pointers<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Political Philosophy<\/span><\/td>\n<td>What <em>ought<\/em> to be? (justice, liberty, equality)<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Plato<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Aristotle<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Rawls<\/span> \u2014 normative<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Political Theory<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Explains political phenomena; may borrow from philosophy<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Leo Strauss<\/span>: the search for the \u201cright and good order\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Political Science<\/span><\/td>\n<td>What \/ how? (empirical, observable)<\/td>\n<td>Observation, statistics, comparison<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Political Thought<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Time- and place-bound communal ideas<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Machiavelli<\/span>, British idealists<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Political Ideology<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Programmatic, dogmatic defence of a power arrangement<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Marx<\/span>, liberalism, feminism<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"n-tw\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Political Theory<\/th>\n<th>Political Ideology<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Analytical and critical; open to criticism<\/td>\n<td>Defensive and programmatic; often dogmatic<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Seeks understanding and evaluation; dispassionate<\/td>\n<td>Seeks support for a power arrangement; passionate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Clarifies concepts<\/td>\n<td>Mobilises belief<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote class=\"n-quote\">\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">Norman Jacobson:<\/span> <em>\u201cEvery political scientist plays a double role \u2014 part scientist and part philosopher; no theorist can make a lasting contribution unless he works in the realms of both.\u201d<\/em> <span class=\"n-term\">\u2014 without science, theory is a \u201cworthless ethical residue\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Bridge line: theory supplies the ideas, science tests them. Philosophy seeks justification; science seeks explanation. Exam-worthy: \u201cEvery political philosopher is a theorist, but not every theorist a philosopher.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"five-stage-evolution-of-political-science\">Five-Stage Evolution of Political Science<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">From ethics to relevance \u2014 the journey of the discipline.<\/span> <span class=\"n-term\">1 \u00b7 Greek<\/span> (Ethical: <span class=\"n-sch\">Aristotle<\/span> \u2014 the \u201cmaster science\u201d; <span class=\"n-sch\">Barker<\/span> calls it architectonic) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">2 \u00b7 Medieval<\/span> (Theological: <span class=\"n-sch\">Augustine<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Aquinas<\/span> fuse politics with salvation) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">3 \u00b7 Renaissance \/ Enlightenment<\/span> (<span class=\"n-sch\">Machiavelli<\/span> splits power from morality; contract, rights, separation of powers) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">4 \u00b7 Behavioural<\/span> (Stats &amp; surveys; <span class=\"n-sch\">Easton<\/span> \u2014 politics \u201cas it is, not as it ought\u201d) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">5 \u00b7 Post-Behavioural<\/span> (<span class=\"n-term\">Credo of Relevance<\/span> \u2014 values rejoin data).<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-map-of-approaches-traditional-vs-contemporary\">The Map of Approaches \u2014 Traditional vs Contemporary<\/h3>\n<div class=\"n-tw\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Traditional approaches<\/th>\n<th>Contemporary approaches<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Philosophy, history, law, institutions<\/td>\n<td>Behaviour, systems, society, context, identity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Largely <span class=\"n-term\">normative<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Normative + empirical<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>State and formal institutions<\/td>\n<td>State, society, groups, individuals, power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Justice, authority, sovereignty, liberty<\/td>\n<td>Identity, discourse, difference, sustainability<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Often Eurocentric<\/td>\n<td>Open to global and post-colonial perspectives<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h3 id=\"normative-approach\">Normative Approach<\/h3>\n<p>Prescribes the <span class=\"n-term\">best possible order<\/span> \u2014 concerned with values, ends and \u201cwhat ought to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"n-quote\">\n<p><em>\u201cJustice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><cite>John Rawls<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Gerald Allan Cohen<\/span>: a normative principle is \u201ca general directive that tells agents what they ought, or ought not, to do.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-sch\">Charles Taylor<\/span> (\u201cNeutrality in Political Science\u201d): political science cannot be value-free.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Significance<\/span>: values are unavoidable \u2014 \u201cnot deciding is simply deciding to allow others to decide for you.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Criticism<\/span>: subjectivity; resists testing and prediction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"empirical-approach-the-normative-empirical-debate\">Empirical Approach &amp; the Normative\u2013Empirical Debate<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Empirical<\/span>: describe, explain, predict; facts over values. <span class=\"n-sch\">Locke<\/span> on property and consent; <span class=\"n-sch\">Easton<\/span> on systems analysis.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">The fault line that runs through all of political theory<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"n-tw\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>NORMATIVE<\/th>\n<th>EMPIRICAL<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\u201cwhat ought to be\u201d \u2014 values, justification<\/td>\n<td>\u201cwhat is\u201d \u2014 describe, explain, predict<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Plato<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Aristotle<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Rawls<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Strauss<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Locke<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Easton<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Almond<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Merriam<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">Resolution is balance, not choice.<\/span> <span class=\"n-sch\">Jacobson<\/span> warns against both <em>scientism<\/em> and <em>moralism<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-other-approaches-one-liners-their-critics\">The Other Approaches \u2014 one-liners &amp; their critics<\/h3>\n<div class=\"n-tw\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Approach<\/th>\n<th>In one line<\/th>\n<th>Champions<\/th>\n<th>Classic critique<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Historical<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u201cHistory is the root, political science is the fruit\u201d<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Sabine<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Machiavelli<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Over-traditional, state-centric<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Philosophical<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Purpose and morality of rule; the good order<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Leo Strauss<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Relativity of values (<span class=\"n-sch\">Berlin<\/span>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Legal<\/span><\/td>\n<td>State as a legal, sovereign order<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Austin<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Dicey<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Formalistic; ignores reality<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Institutional<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Formal institutions \u2014 <span class=\"n-sch\">Van Dyke<\/span>: \u201cany persistent system of activities and expectations\u201d<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Bryce<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Finer<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Formalism, descriptiveness<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Sociological<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Politics embedded in social structure<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Catlin<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Can downplay institutions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"n-term\">Textual \/ Contextual<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Text as timeless artefact vs writings in their milieu<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"n-sch\">Macpherson<\/span>, <span class=\"n-term\">Tully<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Anachronism vs over-contextualism<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\"><em>C.B. Macpherson<\/em>* reads Locke through an emergent bourgeois lens; <\/span>James Tully*<em> situates Locke\u2019s property theory amid dissenters\u2019 rights.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"behavioural-approach-the-scientific-turn\">Behavioural Approach \u2014 the scientific turn<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Background<\/span>: positivism (<span class=\"n-term\">Auguste Comte<\/span>) demands value-free science. Seeds after World War I; full bloom after World War II. <span class=\"n-lab\">Aim<\/span>: place the <span class=\"n-term\">\u201cactual human being\u201d<\/span> at the centre \u2014 the systematic, empirical study of political behaviour.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Major thinkers<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Charles Merriam<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Harold Lasswell<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Gabriel Almond<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">V.O. Key<\/span>, <span class=\"n-term\">Herbert Tingsten<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">David Easton\u2019s eight intellectual foundations:<\/span> Regularities \u00b7 Verification \u00b7 Techniques \u00b7 Quantification \u00b7 Value-neutrality \u00b7 Systematisation \u00b7 Pure science \u00b7 Integration<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Achievements<\/span>: precision, survey tools, comparative data \u2014 the discipline finally \u201clooked scientific.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Decline<\/span>: over-complication (jargon over clarity), reductionism (numbers flatten meaning), an ethical vacuum and a status-quo bias. <span class=\"n-sch\">Easton<\/span> faulted scholars for sitting in \u201civory towers,\u201d perfecting techniques while ignoring real problems; <span class=\"n-sch\">Robert Dahl<\/span> called it \u201cmore revolutionary in technique than in validated theory.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"n-quote\">\n<p><em>Behaviouralism is \u201crather like the Loch Ness monster: one can say with considerable confidence what it is not, but it is difficult to say what it is.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Critical School<\/em>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Germino<\/span> \u2014 <em>\u201cquantification without reflection\u201d killed theory<\/em>; <span class=\"n-sch\">Adorno<\/span> &amp; <span class=\"n-term\">Horkheimer<\/span> \u2014 <em>instrumental rationality props up capitalism<\/em>; <span class=\"n-sch\">Habermas<\/span> \u2014 <em>technique colonises the lifeworld<\/em>; <span class=\"n-sch\">Marcuse<\/span> \u2014 <em>one-dimensional man<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"behavioural-vs-institutional-a-comparison\">Behavioural vs Institutional \u2014 a comparison<\/h3>\n<div class=\"n-tw\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Basis<\/th>\n<th>Institutional<\/th>\n<th>Behavioural<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Focus<\/td>\n<td>Formal institutions<\/td>\n<td>Actual political behaviour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Unit<\/td>\n<td>State, government, constitution, organs<\/td>\n<td>Individuals, groups, voters, elites<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Method<\/td>\n<td>Descriptive, legal, institutional<\/td>\n<td>Empirical, scientific, quantitative<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Concern<\/td>\n<td>Structure and functions<\/td>\n<td>Processes and behaviour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Strength<\/td>\n<td>Knowledge of political structures<\/td>\n<td>Knowledge of real political conduct<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Limitation<\/td>\n<td>Formalism, descriptiveness<\/td>\n<td>Reductionism, value-neutrality<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"n-pyq\"><span class=\"n-pyq-chip\">UPSC 2025 \u00b7 20m<\/span><span class=\"n-pyq-q\">Provide a comparative analysis of behavioural and institutional approaches to the study of political theory.<\/span><a class=\"n-pyq-a\" href=\"\/psir\/psir-pyq\/provide-a-comparative-analysis-of-behavioural-and-institutional-upsc-psir-2025-0104\/\">Answer<\/a><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"systems-approach-easton-s-input-output-model\">Systems Approach \u2014 Easton\u2019s input-output model<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">The political system as a converter of demands into decisions.<\/span> ENVIRONMENT \u2014 society, economy, culture. <span class=\"n-term\">INPUTS<\/span> (Demands + Supports) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">POLITICAL SYSTEM<\/span> (conversion \/ the \u201cblack box\u201d of decision-making) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">OUTPUTS<\/span> (Authoritative decisions + policies). <em>FEEDBACK: outputs reshape future demands &amp; supports.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Extension<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Gabriel Almond<\/span>\u2019s structural-functionalism \u2014 system capabilities and conversion functions. <span class=\"n-lab\">Criticism<\/span>: status-quo bias; neglects power and conflict.<\/p>\n<div class=\"n-pyq\"><span class=\"n-pyq-chip\">UPSC 2022 \u00b7 10m<\/span><span class=\"n-pyq-q\">Explain the systems approach.<\/span><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"post-behavioural-approach-the-credo-of-relevance\">Post-Behavioural Approach \u2014 the Credo of Relevance<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Trigger<\/span>: the crises of the 1960s \u2014 war, poverty, civil rights. <span class=\"n-lab\">Sparks<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Thomas Kuhn<\/span> (paradigms) and <span class=\"n-sch\">Karl Popper<\/span> (falsification).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"n-quote\">\n<p><span class=\"n-sch\">David Easton:<\/span> <em>a \u201cgenuine revolution, not a reaction; a becoming, not a preservation; a reform, not a counter-reformation.\u201d<\/em> <span class=\"n-term\">\u2014 substance before technique<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Credo watch-words<\/span>: <span class=\"n-term\">Action<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-lab\">Relevance<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-term\">Social change<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-term\">Values<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-term\">Reality<\/span>. Values are \u201can integral part of our personality\u2026 so long as we are human beings\u201d; the intellectual must \u201cprotect the human values of civilisation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Critique<\/em>: <span class=\"n-term\">Dwight Waldo<\/span> \u2014 <em>a \u201craving, rumbling structure without any ultimate destiny\u201d; and it still leans on the systems theory it once denounced.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"n-pyq\"><span class=\"n-pyq-chip\">UPSC 2023 \u00b7 15m<\/span><span class=\"n-pyq-q\">\u201cCredo of Relevance in post-behaviouralism advocates the importance of action science.\u201d Analyse.<\/span><a class=\"n-pyq-a\" href=\"\/psir\/psir-pyq\/credo-of-relevance-in-post-behaviouralism-advocates-the-upsc-psir-2023-0103\/\">Answer<\/a><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"decline-resurgence-of-political-theory\">Decline &amp; Resurgence of Political Theory<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">Declared dead, then reborn.<\/span> <span class=\"n-term\">\u201cPerennial concern\u201d<\/span> (<span class=\"n-sch\">Sabine<\/span>, <em>What is Political Theory?<\/em>) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">DECLINE declared<\/span> (<span class=\"n-sch\">Easton<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Cobban<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Germino<\/span>) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">RESURGENCE<\/span> (<span class=\"n-sch\">Rawls<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Berlin<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Arendt<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Oakeshott<\/span>) \u2192 <span class=\"n-term\">Post-colonial turn<\/span> (<span class=\"n-sch\">Said<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Fanon<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-sch\">Spivak<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">Why it declined<\/span> (per <span class=\"n-sch\">Easton<\/span>): <span class=\"n-term\">historicism<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-term\">moral relativism<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-term\">hyper-factualism<\/span> \u00b7 <span class=\"n-term\">science-fetish<\/span>. Hyper-factualism piled facts without theory \u2014 Easton\u2019s \u201ctheoretical malnutrition and surfeit of facts.\u201d <span class=\"n-sch\">James Bryce<\/span> had demanded \u201cfacts, facts, and facts\u201d; <span class=\"n-term\">Alfred Cobban<\/span> judged that theory \u201cplayed no role.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"n-lab\">Why it returned<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">John Rawls<\/span> (<em>A Theory of Justice<\/em>) restores normative reasoning; <span class=\"n-sch\">Isaiah Berlin<\/span> \u2014 \u201cso long as rational curiosity exists\u2026 political theory will not wholly perish from the earth\u201d; <span class=\"n-sch\">Hannah Arendt<\/span> recovers the public realm \u2014 theory is \u201can arduous calling, not an escape mechanism\u201d; with <span class=\"n-sch\">Michael Oakeshott<\/span> and <span class=\"n-sch\">C.B. Macpherson<\/span>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"n-pyq\"><span class=\"n-pyq-chip\">UPSC 2018 \u00b7 10m<\/span><span class=\"n-pyq-q\">\u00b7 <strong>UPSC 2019 \u00b7 10m<\/strong> \u00b7 <strong>UPSC 2023 \u00b7 10m<\/strong> \u2014 Decline and resurgence of political theory.<\/span><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"post-colonial-theory-eurocentrism\">Post-Colonial Theory &amp; Eurocentrism<\/h3>\n<p>Recovers the political experience of the <span class=\"n-term\">\u201cother\u201d<\/span> and challenges the universal claims of Western theory. <span class=\"n-sch\">Edward Said<\/span> (<em>Orientalism<\/em>), <span class=\"n-sch\">Frantz Fanon<\/span>, <span class=\"n-sch\">Gayatri Spivak<\/span>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"n-quote\">\n<p><span class=\"n-term\">The hinge of the 2023 question<\/span> Eurocentrism is both the <span class=\"n-term\">target<\/span> (what post-colonial theory sets out to dismantle) and the <span class=\"n-term\">motive force<\/span> (the very engine that drives its agenda).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"n-pyq\"><span class=\"n-pyq-chip\">UPSC 2023 \u00b7 15m<\/span><span class=\"n-pyq-q\">\u201cEurocentrism is both the target and the motive force of post-colonial political theory.\u201d Discuss.<\/span><a class=\"n-pyq-a\" href=\"\/psir\/psir-pyq\/eurocentrism-is-both-the-target-and-the-motive-force-of-the-post-upsc-psir-2023-0102\/\">Answer<\/a><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"scope-at-work-three-classic-themes\">Scope at Work \u2014 three classic themes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Political obligation<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Filmer<\/span> (divine right) \u2192 <span class=\"n-sch\">Hobbes<\/span> (escape from a life \u201csolitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short\u201d) \u2192 <span class=\"n-sch\">Locke<\/span> (\u201cthe end of government is the good of mankind\u201d); grounded in the moral worth of social cooperation.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Right to property<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Locke<\/span> \u2014 the \u201cchief end\u2026 the preservation of their property\u201d; <span class=\"n-sch\">Marx<\/span> \u2014 communism as the \u201cabolition of private property\u201d; UDHR Art. 17 \u2014 the right to own property.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"n-lab\">Politics as master science<\/span>: <span class=\"n-sch\">Aristotle<\/span> \u2014 the good is the end of all action, and \u201cthe science which studies this good is politics.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"n-next\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<aside class=\"n-rail\">\n<h4>On this page<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"#why-political-the-meanings-inside-the-word\">Why \u201cPolitical\u201d? \u2014 the meanings inside the word<\/a><a href=\"#politics-power-the-state\">Politics, Power &amp; the State<\/a><a href=\"#political-theory-meaning-nature\">Political Theory: Meaning &amp; Nature<\/a><a href=\"#theory-science-philosophy-thought-ideology-know-the-splits\">Theory \u00b7 Science \u00b7 Philosophy \u00b7 Thought \u00b7 Ideology \u2014 know the splits<\/a><a href=\"#five-stage-evolution-of-political-science\">Five-Stage Evolution of Political Science<\/a><a href=\"#the-map-of-approaches-traditional-vs-contemporary\">The Map of Approaches \u2014 Traditional vs Contemporary<\/a><a href=\"#normative-approach\">Normative Approach<\/a><a href=\"#empirical-approach-the-normative-empirical-debate\">Empirical Approach &amp; the Normative\u2013Empirical Debate<\/a><a href=\"#the-other-approaches-one-liners-their-critics\">The Other Approaches \u2014 one-liners &amp; their critics<\/a><a href=\"#behavioural-approach-the-scientific-turn\">Behavioural Approach \u2014 the scientific turn<\/a><a href=\"#behavioural-vs-institutional-a-comparison\">Behavioural vs Institutional \u2014 a comparison<\/a><a href=\"#systems-approach-easton-s-input-output-model\">Systems Approach \u2014 Easton\u2019s input-output model<\/a><a href=\"#post-behavioural-approach-the-credo-of-relevance\">Post-Behavioural Approach \u2014 the Credo of Relevance<\/a><a href=\"#decline-resurgence-of-political-theory\">Decline &amp; Resurgence of Political Theory<\/a><a href=\"#post-colonial-theory-eurocentrism\">Post-Colonial Theory &amp; Eurocentrism<\/a><a href=\"#scope-at-work-three-classic-themes\">Scope at Work \u2014 three classic themes<\/a><\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Political Theory: meaning and approaches for the UPSC PSIR optional \u2014 PSIR Notes \u203a I-A Political Theory and Indian Politics \u203a Political Theory: meaning and approaches Paper I \u00b7 Pol<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"fx_note_key":"I-A.1.1","fx_note_sec":"I-A","fx_note_point":"1","fx_note_desc":"Political Theory: meaning and approaches for the UPSC PSIR optional \u2014 PSIR Notes \u203a I-A Political Theory and Indian Politics \u203a Political Theory: meaning and approaches Paper I \u00b7 Pol","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3441","psir_note","type-psir_note","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/psir_note\/3441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/psir_note"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/psir_note"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/psir_note\/3441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3893,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/psir_note\/3441\/revisions\/3893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}