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” … political theory is not an escape mechanism but an arduous calling.” ( John Plamanetz) (UPSC CSE Mains 2014- Political Science and International Relations, Paper 1)

  • Political Theory since the dawn of modern human civilization remained the intellectual discourse for defining basic structures of society like Law, Power, Authority, Legitimacy, Rights etc. It is the political theory which always provided the essential concepts to assist such developments. As Political theories were built by various thinkers coming from different ideological, moral, intellectual and philosophical backgrounds, theories like rights, liberty etc could hardly escape themselves from the essential normative judgements. The subjective analysis of various theory building process created various debates and discussion essential for the a subject to grow.

  • However, the approach was criticised by the behavioural school as an escape mechanism. David Easton blamed traditionalists for the decline and purported irrelevance of the discipline. He stated that political theories were indulging in old ideas rather than dealing with contemporary issues. His behavioralist theory sought to systematise political theory to make it more scientific, dynamic and value-neutral.
  • Behaviourism was criticised for ideological reductionism by Dante Germino. Normative scholars criticised it for compromising with scope and relevance of the discipline i.e. it was neither necessary nor desirable to make political science ‘value-neutral. They critiqued the unrequited jargon as well as the status quoism (Herbert Marcuse). There was limited critical analysis of existing political phenomena – behavioural school was more descriptive and empirical than critical and analytical. Thus, traditionalist scholars faulted behaviouralists for denigrating the normative method. For Plamenatz, the normative approach to political theory was not ‘an escape mechanism’ rather, an arduous task of scrutinising the present and formulating and striving for an ideal.

  • After 1960s a new web of political thinkers called for rejection of such narrowness discipline and advocated for incoming of different web of ideas for good. The strong effect of Marxist -Socialist ideas, Feminism and post-Modern ideas called for more intellectual analysis for the burning problems of this century like-Globalised world order, threat from the non-state actors, movements for saving the environment, ending the poverty etc. Hence, political theory in the 21st century has not become an escape mechanism but an arduous calling for differing ideas for the welfare of all.



POSTED ON 13-02-2024 BY ADMIN
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