Qn 1. Political Science is a master science, “architectonic” in its character, from which all other practical sciences take their cue. (Earnest Barker). Discuss. (1991/I/2/60)
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, heralded political science as a master science, considering its nature and scope. And Earnest Barker, an English political scientist, termed it architectonic, as he perceived it as the foundation from which other practical sciences emerged.
Political Science is about polis or city-state. It was born in the intellectual capital of the past — ancient Greece. Political Science continued to evolve along with human society. Even as other practical sciences kept on building legitimacy, political science acted as the basic structure, holding all of them together. The state is the backbone of society and political science begins and ends with the state (Garner).
Political Science explains and guides public policies formulation, implementation and evaluation. It can be said that statecraft handles all practical aspects of society and human life. Thus, it is believed that all practical sciences borrow from the science of the state. The clear indication is of the integral nature, pervasive scope and wide application of the discipline. It is with reference to this centrality in public sphere, that Aristotle called political science a master science.
In shaping our lives, political science inspired the practical sciences such as psychology, sociology, public administration, and economics inter alia. It projects the indispensable character of this subject. Not only is it one of the oldest disciplines, it remains widely and deeply relevant in the present times. Perhaps, in the complex globalised polity of today, this master science is needed more than ever.