Is Political Science Really A Science?

From the very day the subject of Political Science got its introduction in the Society it has been a topic much discussed and has always a controversial one. It is frequently asked as to whether it is really a science? Two views have existed, on this question: negative and affirmative.

Negative View:

Great and renowned thinkers in the past and present have denied its claim to be a science. For instance, Buckle said, “In the present State of knowledge, Politics, so far from being a science, is one of the most backward of all arts.” Maitland says the same thing: “When I see a good set of examination questions headed by the words ‘Political Science’ I regret not the questions but the title.” The French thinker, Augusta Comte, pointed out several objections to its claim to be a science. He says that Political Science cannot be accepted as a science because of three reasons: (1) there is no common agreement among its writers and thinkers as to its methods, principles, and conclusions; (2) it lacks continuity of development; and (3) it lacks such exact and fixed laws and principles by means of which it could be possible to predict or foresee future political events and developments. In short, it lacks all those necessary qualities which would make it a science. Similarly, Bismarck remarked, “Politik ist keine exakt wissenschaft”, “Politics is not an exact science”. More recently, Walter Lippmann, American educationist and philosopher, said, “Nobody takes political science very seriously, for nobody is convinced that it is a science or that it has any important bearing on politics.”

Positive View:

Political Science has also its supporters. The earliest of them was Aristotle, who is known as the founder of Political Science; he was its first systematic writer. He regarded it not only a science but declared it to be the supreme or master science. Bodin and Hobbes also believed it to be a science.

In recent times, Lord Bryce said that politics is a science in the same sense as meteorology. Sir Frederick Pollock expressed a similar opinion. He said “there is a science of Politics in the same sense and to the same or about the same extent as there is a science of morals”. Just as the, science of morals would guide individual behaviour, so the science of politics would guide and regulate the activities of the State. Before we may decide which of the two views is correct, let us see what does science mean?

 

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