Political science studies political activity as a necessary and universal phenomenon.
Science is the set of techniques and models that allows knowledge to be organized on a structure of objective facts. Politics , for its part, is an ideological activity aimed at making decisions by a group to achieve objectives and the exercise of power to resolve conflicts.
On the other hand, it is possible to distinguish between formal sciences (without concrete content, such as mathematics ), natural sciences (they study nature , such as geology ) and social sciences (they are responsible for analyzing the phenomena of culture and society. , like history ).
That said, we can affirm that political science is a social science that is dedicated to the study of political activity as a universal and necessary phenomenon . Political science is also responsible for developing the theory of the State , the main form of social organization.
History of political science
It is important to keep in mind that politics has always existed, so reflections on its scope date back to ancient times. However, there are those who place the birth of political science in the 16th century , with the work of Nicolás Machiavelli .
Niccolò Machiavelli was a Florentine philosopher and politician who not only became a fundamental figure within the Renaissance but also a key figure in the field of politics. And all thanks to a work he created in 1513 under the title "The Prince" .
The State as a form of social organization is analyzed by political science.
The importance of Machiavelli's "The Prince"
That is a work known today and a reference in many cases that its author wrote while he was imprisoned for having been accused of having carried out a conspiracy against the Medicci family. Specifically, due to this book, the term Machiavellian arose, which currently has a negative meaning and is that among the questions it raised, it is established that any prince, leader, must carry out all the actions he considers, regardless of the type they may be. and cause the damage they cause, because "the end justifies the means."
Hence, even Nicolás Machiavelli establishes in this work that the prince must be authoritarian or that he must be feared by the population. Without forgetting that he also advises every ruler on issues such as avoiding being hated, not increasing taxes and never "touching" either the property or the wives of his subjects. In this way, he will be able to stay on his throne.
However, we cannot ignore the existence of another series of authors who also left their important mark on political science. This would be the case of the English philosopher Thomas Hobbe , who staunchly defended political absolutism, or the Swiss Jean-Jacques Rousseau , who developed nationalist and republican theories.
Political science today
As for the modern notion of political science, it emerged from the 19th century , when liberal revolutions and industrial development led to great social changes that were analyzed by several thinkers.
Political science is currently responsible for analyzing the exercise of political power, state activities, public administration and management , political systems, the party regime and election processes, among many other topics.