Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Comparative Politics Nature, Scope
Comparative Politics Nature, Scope
3. Political power:- The ability to control and modify the conduct of individual or
group of individual .
Despite the fact , Comparative Politics does not have a universal definition due to
dynamic nature of politics , however we can define as “CP is the study of the
forms of political organizations , their properties , correlations , variations and
modes of change” – MG Smith
The meaning of Comparative Politics also include difference between Comparative
Politics and Comparative Government.
1. “Comparative Government usually • “Comparative Politics in Contrast ,
refers to the study of institutions and Studies broader range of political
functions of countries or nation-states activities including the govt. and
in Europe with attention to the their institutions as well as other
executive , Legislatures and judiciaries forms of organizations not directly
as well as supplementary organizations related to national govt. for example
as political parties” . tribes, communities , associations
:Chlicote and Unions” .
2.Comparative Govt. follows traditional :Chlicote
definition of Politics which was 2.Compartive Politics follows modern
institutional meaning and unscientific definition of politics which is
meaning of politics , limited to the study of behavioural and functional meaning
State, organs and political Parties . of politics which studies State ,
Organs , political Parties as well as
political activity , behaviour , Political
process and political power .
3. The scope of CG is limited because it is 3. The scope of CP is wider because it is
only concern with the formal structure also concerned with non-formal
of political system like legislature, structures , which do not have any legal
executive and judiciary . sanction behind, but they are capable
enough in influencing the formal
structure of a political system . Such as
Interest Groups , Unions etc.
6. The CG dominated the world before 6.CP is dominating the world ager Second
Second- World War , as this era was World War because of many factors such as
dominated by the traditional meaning of modern or behavioural meaning of
politics and normative approach politics .
Two Views
3. Traditional view or institutional view or constitutional view or legal view :-
Scope will extend as far as the extension of political institutions .
Basis – Constitution
Narrow view , not scientific and thus not appropriate… Why , non-constitutional
also influence constitutional institutions .
2. Behavioural View
According to this view scope of CP include all the elements which are influencing
the politics , Hence Scope of Comparative politics include everything .
Institutional , Behavioural , Constitutional , non constitutional , political or non
political .