by Prof. John Mark H.

Villanueva
National University
Credits to: Prof. Mary Grace Ronquillo

POLITICAL SCIENCE: the systematic study

of the state and the government
POLITICAL: comes from the Greek word
polis which means a city or state
SCIENCE: comes from the Latin word scire
which means to know

CONCEPT OF STATE
A community of persons more or less
numerous, permanently occupying a definite
portion of territory, having a government of
their own, to which the great body of
inhabitants render obedience and enjoying
freedom from external control.

STATE

NATION

legal/political concept

ethnic concept

one state may consist

of one or more
nations

one nation may be

made up of several
states

A. People
- refers to the inhabitants of a state bind
by law, living together for the purpose of
mobilizing a polity.
- it includes citizens, inhabitants and the
electorate.

B. Territory
- is the geographical profile of a state that includes terrestrial, fluvial
and aerial domains.
Art. I The National Territory
The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the
islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over
which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of
its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its territorial sea,
the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine
areas. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of
the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form
part of the internal waters of the Philippines.

C. Government
- is the agency/instrumentality of a state through
which the will of the people is formulated,
expressed and carried out.
Three Branches the Government:
1. Executive implement/administer the laws.
2. Legislative enact, amend, repeal or revise the
laws.
3. Judicial interpret/construe the meaning or
substance of the laws.

D. Sovereignty
- is the supreme power of the state to exact
obedience to its laws upon its citizens.
Kinds of Sovereignty:
1. Internal Sovereignty the power of the
state to control and govern its people within
its territory.
2. External Sovereignty the freedom of the
state from external control or intervention.

A. As to the Number of Ruler/s

1. Monarchy one man rule. The power is usually
vested in the King or Queen of a Royal Family.
2. Oligarchy the power is vested in few individuals
or in a dominant class/group in the society.
3. Democracy rule by the mob or the power is
vested in the people.
a. Direct Democracy the people directly run the
government.
b. Indirect Democracy/Republican the people
choose their representatives to govern them in
public affairs.

B. As to the Extent of Authority

1. Central/National exercises control and
authority throughout the territory of the
state.
2. Local exercises control and authority
only through their a particular political
subdivision (e.g. province, city,
municipality, barangay).

C. As to the Extent of Powers

1. Unitary all powers are centralized in
the national government and devolved
into the local government units.
2. Federal there is a division of powers
and functions between the federal
government and local government units.

D. As to the Government System

1. Presidential based on separation of
powers. The powers of the executive,
legislative and judicial branches of the
government are separated from one another;
however they are coordinated and co-equal.
2. Parliamentary the executive and legislative
powers are fused or merged into one through
the creation of a Parliament.

E. As to the Nature of Power

1. De Jure the government has a rightful
title but no actual power or control over
the people to execute its functions.
2. De Facto the government is exercising
actual power or control over the people
but without a rightful title to execute such
functions.

A. Police Power
- is a fundamental right of a state to enact laws
or regulations to promote the general welfare
of the people in relation to the right of and
enjoyment of persons to life and property. (Law
of Overriding Necessity)
- is based on the Principle of Salus Populi
Suprema Est Lex (the welfare of the people is
the supreme law).

B. Taxation
- is the power of the State to levy or
impose charges upons persons, property
or institutions, as may be defined by law
in order to defray the expenses of the
government and to enable it to fully
discharge its functions.

C. Eminent Domain
- is the power of the state to acquire,
confiscate, or take private property for
public use upon payment of just
compensation.
- can be exercised by private authorities.