Political Theory

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Cover Contents Preface About the Authors Chapter 1: Approaches, Methods and Models of Political Study and Analysis Introduction Analysis of Traditional Studies Analysis of Recent Studies Approaches and Methods Traditional Approaches and Methods Philosophical Approach Historical–Analytical Approach Legal–Institutional Approach Descriptive–Taxonomic Approach Contemporary Approaches and Methods Behavioural Approach The ‘Intellectual Foundation Stones’ of Behaviouralism: David Easton Regularity Verification Techniques Quantification Values Systematization Pure science Integration Traditionalist Critique of Behaviouralist Assumptions Achievements of the Behavioural Approach Subjective awareness Focus on both formal institutions and informal political processes Inter-disciplinary approach Revolt against traditional methods of political science Search for stable units of analysis Revolution in methods and techniques of political enquiry Elements of Behavioural Analysis in Kautilya, Machiavelli and Hobbes Post-behaviouralism ‘Credo of Relevance’: David Easton55 Substance over technique Change orientation Relevant research Value-laden research Political scientist as critical intellectual Action-oriented research Politicization of the profession Post-behaviouralism: Revolt or Continuity? Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 2: Concept of the State in Political Theory and International Relations Society, State, Constitution and Government Concept and Idea of the State Concept of the State Idea of the State Defining the State in Terms of ‘Concept’ and ‘Idea’ Elements of the State Population Territory Government Sovereignty Certain Considerations on the Elements of the State Constitution International recognition Permanence of the state and the doctrine of continuity of the state Kautilaya’s Saptang theory or the seven elements of the state Journey of the State Pre-state Societies and Oriental Empires City-States The Roman Empire Feudal States The Modern Nation-state and Its Discontents Doctrine of the national basis of the state Doctrine of the right of self-determination Nation-states, national-states and state-nations Ideal Type of Nation-state The nation as the basis of the state Mono- or poly-nationality as basis of nation Attributes of the state Citizenship as the basis of relationship between population and the state Basis of public good, welfare and security of its citizens Nation-state as the primary economic, political and cultural actor31 Right to recognize and get recognized Equality of nation-state Reluctant States, Missing Nations and Shared Sovereignty: Nation-states in the Developing World A Brief Note on the Evolution of the State in India Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 3: Perspectives and Theories on the Origin of the State Introduction How did the State Originate? Force Theory of the Origin of the State Theory of the Divine Origin of the State Kautilaya’s Arthasastra on Origin of the State Liberal Theories of Origin of the State Social Contract Theory Human nature and psychology of man Condition in the state of nature Nature and terms of social contract Nature and type of state in the civil/political society Critical Evaluation of the Social Contract Theory Historical and sociological possibility Philosophical tenability Legal soundness Historical–Evolutionary Theory of Origin of the State Contributions to the theory Factors which influenced the historical evolution of the state Religion and customary laws Institution of property and emergence of social classes Force/power and conquest Political consciousness Citizenship Nationality and race Urbanization Development of Science Marxian (Class) Theory of Origin of the State Critical evaluation of Marxian theory How is the State Viewed? Organismic Theory: The State as Organism Juridical Theory: The State as Law Giver Idealistic Theory Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 4: Roles and Functions of the State and the Nature of State Power Introduction Liberal and Neo-Liberal Theories Negative Liberalism and Theory of Laissez-Faire State Thomas Hobbes and John Locke: Theorists of the Possessive Individual Theorists of the Laissez-Faire State Physiocrats Adam Smith Thomas Robert Malthus and David Ricardo Jeremy Bentham Herbert Spencer The Mills Positive Liberalism and Theory of the Welfare State John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism revised Liberty: Positive and negative Positive state Thomas Hill Green Freedom as positive power Theory of rights: Ideal and natural Role of the state: Idealist and positive Leonard T. Hobhouse R.H. Tawney Harold Joseph Laski Positive liberty Social welfare state R.M. Maciver Other Positive Liberals: Theorists of the Thick State Neo-Liberals or Libertarians: Theorists of the Thin State Marxian (Class) Theory of Nature and Functions of the State Orthodox Marxian Perspective Two Accounts of the Class–State Relationship State as executive committee of the dominant class Base–Superstructure relationship State as an Instrument for the Exploitation of the Oppressed Class ‘Withering Away’ of the State Critical Evaluation of the Orthodox Marxian Theory Neo-Marxian Perspective Endnotes Chapter 5: Concept of Sovereignty in Political Theory Introduction to the Concept of Sovereignty Historical Perspective on the Concept of Sovereignty Rationalization of Natural Law and the Concept of Sovereignty Jean Bodin Johannes Althusius Hugo Grotius Contractualists and the Concept of Sovereignty Thomas Hobbes John Locke Jean Jacques Rousseau Legalists and the Concept of Sovereignty Jeremy Bentham John Austin and the Monist Theory of Sovereignty Critical evaluation of Monist theory Characteristics of Sovereignty Absoluteness or Illimitability of Sovereignty Indivisibility of Sovereignty Inalienability of Sovereignty Permanence or Perpetuity of Sovereignty Universality or All-Comprehensiveness of Sovereignty Aspects or Types of Sovereignty Titular Sovereignty Legal Sovereignty Political Sovereignty Popular Sovereignty National Sovereignty De Jure and De Facto Sovereignty Internal versus External Sovereignty ‘Instituted Sovereignty’ versus ‘Acquired Sovereignty’ Sovereignty and the Indian Constitution Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 6: Concept of Sovereignty Challenged Critics of Sovereignty Political Pluralism and Pluralist Critiques of Sovereignty A Brief Introduction to Political Pluralism Sovereignty, Power and Authority Possible Reasons for Emergence of Doctrine of Political Pluralism Features of Political Pluralism and Its Underlying Principles Doctrine of real or juristic/corporate personality of groups Society not the state as the source of law Characteristic of the State: Not power or sovereignty but the purpose or end it serves State as coordinator of interests in society Prominence to political federalism and decentralization of authority International law and internationalism limits sovereignty Basis of pluralism Views of exponents of political pluralism Society and the State: Primacy of the Social Over the Political State and Other Associations in Society: Is the State First Among the Equals? Authority of Law and its Social Basis End of the State and Basis of Sovereignty Harold Joseph Laski Criticism of Monist/Austin’s Theory of Sovereignty Concept of Pluralist Authority and Rejection of Absolute Sovereignty State and Government—Sovereignty of Fallible Men? Place of the State in the Great Society: State and Other Associations Internationalism and the State Critical Evaluation of Pluralist Theory Other Critiques of Sovereignty Guild Socialism Syndicalism Anarchism Modern Individualism Marxist Critique of State Sovereignty Contemporary Challenges to Sovereignty Neo-colonialism Supra-national and Para-statal Organizations and Sovereignty Global Concerns and Sovereignty Globalization and Challenge to Sovereignty Internal Strife and External Intervention Internal strife External intervention Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 7: Principles of Liberty and Freedom Introduction Meaning and Sphere of Liberty and Freedom A Brief History of Liberty and Freedom Liberty and Freedom Defined Conditions for Realization of Liberty and Freedom Types of Liberty and Freedom Natural Liberty Civil or Social Liberty Economic Liberty Political Liberty Negative and Positive Liberty National Freedom or National Liberation Liberty, Liberation, Freedom, Licence, Anarchy and Authority Negative and Positive Liberty Negative Liberty Positive Liberty Liberalism: Classical and Modern, Neo-Liberalism and Libertarianism Neo-liberal Views on Liberty Marxian Views of Freedom Freedom as Freedom of the Human Being Not the Individual Critique of Capitalist Mode of Production as Inimical to Human Freedom Herbert Marcuse, C. Wright Mills and André Gorz on Alienation Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 8: Principle of Rights Introduction: Rights of Individuals, Groups and Classes Definition and Meaning of Rights Rights Defined Ingredients of Rights Positive and Negative Rights Conventions of Guaranteeing Rights Forms of Rights Dimensions or Kinds of Rights Theories of Rights Theory of Natural Rights Contractual ground of natural rights: Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Teleological ground of natural rights: Paine and Green Natural rights and contemporary debate: Rawls and Nozick Critical evaluation Theory of Legal Rights Bill of rights versus common law Exponents of legal rights Critical evaluation Theory of Moral–Ideal Rights Critical evaluation Theory of Historical Rights Critical evaluation Theory of Social-Welfare Rights Critical evaluation Theory of Human Rights Grounds of human rights Consequences of human rights arguments Content and scope of human rights Debate on ‘universal’ versus ‘value specific’ rights and its implications Theories of human rights Marxian Perspective on Rights Critique of bourgeois rights Is the working class struggling for rights or revolution? Rights under the socialist society: To each according to his need. Critical evaluation Rights under the Indian Constitution Fundamental Rights Constitutional Rights Statutory Right Review Question Endnotes Chapter 9: Principle of Equality Introduction: Equity, Equality and Egalitarianism Formal Equality, Procedural Equality and Substantive Equality Formal Equality Procedural Equality Substantive Equality A Brief History of Equality and Inequality Meaning of Equality Dimensions of Equality Civil Equality Legal Equality Political Equality Social Equality Gender Inequality as a Special Form of Social Inequality Economic Equality Grounds for Unequal Treatment and Principle of Reverse Discrimination Equality and Liberty Liberty and Equality Are Incompatible and in Conflict Liberty and Equality Are Compatible and Complementary Marxian Views on Equality Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 10: Principle of Justice Introduction: Equity, Fairness and Justice Diverse Perspectives on Justice Justice During the Greek Period: As a Virtue of the Social Order Plato—Concept of justice as moral conduct by individuals and social classes Aristotle—Concept of distributive justice Concept of Justice During Roman Period Justice according to the natural law and right reason Marcus Tullius Cicero—Concept of Justice founded on natural law Concept of Justice in the Medieval Period Justice as triumph of theocratic principle Utilitarian Perspective Justice as the greatest net balance of satisfaction or happiness Legalist Perspective Justice as creation of the sovereign Marxian Perspective Justice as end of exploitation Justice as Synthesis of Political Values Liberty, Equality and Fraternity Ambedkar’s Social Justice Perspective Justice as End of Caste Exploitation Liberal-Egalitarian Perspective on Justice John Rawls and Justice as Distribution Critical evaluation Libertarian Perspective Nozick and Justice as Entitlement Critical evaluation Dimensions of Justice Legal Justice Political Justice Social Justice Economic Justice Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 11: Concepts and Theories of Democracy Introduction Meaning and Definition of Democracy Forms of Democracy Bourgeois or Capitalist Democracy Classical Democracy Democratic Centralism Direct Democracy Illiberal Democracy Indirect or Representative Democracy Industrial Democracy Liberal Democracy Madisonian Democracy Participatory Democracy Party-based Democracy People’s Democracy Plebiscitary Democracy Popular Democracy Representational Democracy Westminster-type Democracy Classical Democracy: Participatory and Representative Democracy Direct or participatory democracy Liberal Democracy Government of the people? Limitations of Liberal Democracy Contemporary and Recent Theories of Democracy Elitist Theory of Democracy Pluralist Theory of Democracy Marxian or Socialist Theory of Democracy Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 12: Political Obligation, Resistance and Revolution Introduction: Political Obligation, Citizenship and Legitimate Authority Types of Obligation and Their Relationship with Political Obligation Political Obligation: Supporters and Opponents Political Obligation and Resistance: Levels and Orientations Grounds and Limits of Political Obligation Political Obligation during the Greek Period Political Obligation During the Roman Period Political Obligation versus Christian Obligation Political Obligation Under Feudal Europe Political Obligation Under Islamic Injunctions Political Obligation in Indian Political Thought Political Obligation During the Colonial Rule in India Political Obligation Under Post-renaissance European Political Thought Resistance and Revolution Aristotle’s Concept of Revolution Locke’s Concept of Revolution Marxian Concept of Revolution Perspective on Proletarian Revolution in India Kautilaya’s Concept of Revolts and Rebellions J. P. Narayan’s Concept of Total Revolution Endnotes Chapter 13: Theories of Power, Dominance and Hegemony Introduction Power as an Analytical Variable in Politics Power Power, Legitimacy and Authority Dimensions of Power Political Power Economic Power Ideological Power Political Authority and Its Limitations Weber’s Classification of Authority Limitation on Political Authority Perspectives on Distribution of Power Liberal and Functionalist Perspectives on Distribution of Power Elitist Perspective on Distribution of Power Application of Elite Theory in the Indian Context Pluralist Perspective on Distribution of Power Application of the Pluralist Model in the Indian Context Feminist Perspective on Distribution of Power Corporatist Perspective on Distribution of Power Marxian Perspective on Distribution of Power: Class Rule, Dominance and Hegemony Orthodox Marxian Position on Distribution of Power Neo-Marxian Revision on Distribution of Power in Capitalist Society Hegemony as Power Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 14: Theory of Political Culture Introduction Political Culture and Public Opinion Political Culture as ‘Civic Culture’ Types of Political Culture Political Sub-Culture Political Socialization and Its Agencies Agencies of Political Socialization Political Socialization or Hegemony and Cultural Reproduction Political Culture as a Framework of Comparative Study Sub-system autonomy Structural and role differentiation Cultural secularization Political Culture, Political Socialization and Democratic Stability Political Culture in India: Myron Weiner’s Analysis Review Questions Endnotes Chapter 15: Theories of Political Economy Introduction: Economics of Politics Theories of Political Economy Classical Political Economy Approach Marxian Approach to Political Economy Contemporary Theories of Political Economy Game theory Public-choice theory Political Economy of the Indian State Political Economy of the Indian State: Bardhan and Rudolph’s Analysis Review Questions Endnotes Index