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NATURE OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS:, , Nature and scape of comparative politics is fathomable only when one understands the, main characteristics and significance of comparative government. Although the two, terms ‘Comparative Politics’ and ‘Comparative Governments’ are used lightly and, interchangeably, there is distinction between them. Conventionally, the comparative, study of politics stands entitled as ‘comparative government’, Comparative government, includes the study of features and legal powers of political institutions existing in, various states. It is the study of state and other political institutions in terms of their, legal powers, functions, and positions on a comparative basis., , Key characteristics of comparative government are mentioned below:, , Stress upon the study of political institutions of various countries., , Focus on the study of major constitutions of the world., , Emphasis upon the study of powers and functions of various political institutions, , working in different countries., , “+ Formal study of the organisation and powers, description of the features of the, constitutions and political institutions, and legal powers of political institutions form, the basic contents of comparative government study., , “ To devise a theory of ideal political institutions has been the objective., , oot, , These traits make comparative government popular area of study during the beginning, of 20th century, Subsequently, Majority of political scientists greatly displeased with its, narrow scope, intuitive methodology, and formal legalistic-institutional and normative, approach. These researchers then adopt comprehensiveness, realism, precision and, scientific study of the processes of politics as their new goal. Their efforts came to be, labelled as comparative politics., , Basically, the study of comparative politics involves mindful comparisons in studying;, political experiences, institutions, behaviour and processes of major systems of, government. It comprises of the study of even extra constitutional agencies along with, the study of formal governmental organs, It is concerned with important regularities,, similarities and differences in the working of political behaviour. Consequently,, comparative Politics can be defined as the subject that compare the political systems in, various parts of the globe, with a view to comprehend and define the nature of politics, and to devise a scientific theory of politics., , Some popular definitions of comparative politics are given below:, , * According to John Blondel, comparative politics is "the study of patterns of national, governments in the contemporary world",, , * M.G. Smith described that "Comparative Politics is the study of the forms of political, organisations, their properties, correlations, variations and modes of change”.

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“ E.A Freeman stated that “Comparative Politics is comparative analysis of the various, forms of govt. and diverse political institutions”., , It can be established that comparative politics encompasses a comparative study of not, only the institutional and mechanistic arrangements but also an empirical and scientific, investigation of non-institutionallsed and non-political determinants of political, behaviour, Empirical study of political processes, structures and functions shapes a, major part of comparative political studies., , It is demonstrated in literature that comparative analyses and compares the political, systems operating in various societies. To do this, it takes into account all the three, implications of politics that include political activity, political process and political, power., , Comparative Politics is pigeonholed by numerous features. These are mentioned, below:, , e Analytical and empirical research, , « Objective study of politics: A value-free empirical study-It rejects normative, descriptive methods of comparative government., , ¢ Study of the infra-structure of politics: Comparative Politics, now analyses the actual, behaviour of individuals; groups structures, sub-systems and systems in relation to, environment. It studies the actual behaviour of all institutions,, , © {nter-disciplinary focus: Comparative Politics focuses upon interdisciplinary, approach. It studies politics with the help of other social science like psychology,, sociology, anthropology and economics., , ¢ Itstudies political processes in both developed and developing countries. The biased, and parochial nature of traditional studies stands replaced and the study of political, systems of Asia, Africa, and Latin America enjoys equal importance with the study of, African and European political systems,, , e Theory building as the objective: The objective of Comparative politics study is, scientific theory building., , « Adoption of ‘Political Systems, , With above features, Comparative politics is emerged as a new science of politics. It has, prohibited the non-comprehensive scope, formal character, legal and institutionalised, framework, normative approach and parochial nature of the traditional comparative, , government studies., , MAJOR APPROACHES OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS:, , Political investigators use different approaches tools to arrive at greater political, understanding. Approaches support in defining the kinds of facts which are relevant.

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The diversity of approaches is used by political scientists to attack the complexity of, political systems and behaviour., , Conventionally, the study of comparative politics is termed as ‘comparative, government’. It includes the study of political institutions existing in various states .The, features, advantages, demerits, similarities and dissimilarities of political institutions, were compared. It was an attempt to ascertain the best of political institutions. The, focus {Traditional view), continued to remain popular up to the end of the 19th century., In the 20th century, the study of political government underwent revolutionary, changes. The traditional focus of the study of politics got substituted by new scope,, methodology, concepts, techniques which were known as contemporary view of the, study of politics. Political researchers made great attempts to develop a new science of, ‘comparative politics’. They espoused comprehensiveness, realism, precision and use of, scientific methods as the new goals for the study of comparative politics. This new, endeavour is nowadays promoted as 'madern’ comparative politics. In the modern, assessment, the scope of comparative politics Is much wider. It includes the analysis and, comparison of the actual behaviour of political structures, formal as well as informal., Researchers believe that these political structures, governmental or non- governmental,, directly or indirectly affect the process of politics in all political systems,, , Both traditional and modern comparative politics adopt different approaches to its, study. Traditional scientists follow narrow and normative approach. It involves, descriptive studies with a legal institutional framework and normative prescriptive, focus. Whereas modern political scientists follow empirical, analytical studies with a, process orientated or behavioural focus and they adopt scientific methodology. It seeks, to analyse and compare empirically the actual behaviour of political structures., , TRADITIONAL APPROACHES:, , The traditional approach to Political Science was broadly predominant till the, occurrence of the Second World War. These approaches were mainly associated with, the traditional outlook of politics which underlined the study of the state and, government. Consequently, traditional approaches are principally concerned with the, study of the organization and activities of the state and principles and the ideas which, motivate political organizations and activities, These approaches were normative and, principled, The political philosophers supporting these approaches and raised questions, such 'what should be an ideal state?’ According to them, the study of Political Science, should be limited to the formal structures of the government, laws, rules and, regulations. Therefore, the supporters of the traditional approaches stress various, norms such as what ‘ought to be’ or ‘should be’ rather than ‘what is’.

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Characteristics of Traditional approaches:, , e Traditional approaches are mostly normative and stresses on the values of, politics., , ¢ Prominence is on the study of different formal political structures., , © Traditional approaches made very little attempt to relate theory and research., , © These approaches consider that since facts and values are closely interlinked,, studies in Political Science can never be scientific., , There are many types of traditional approaches that are as follows;, , 1. Philosophical approach:, , Philosophical approach Is conventional approach to study politics. Customarlly, the, study of politics was subjugated by philosophical reflections on universal political, values that were regarded as essential to the just state and the good state. The oldest, approach to the study of politics ts philosophical. Philosophy “is the study or science of, truths or principles underlying all knowledge and being.” {t entails that philosophy or, philosophical approach tries to explore the truth of political incidents or events. It, discovers the objective of political writings or the purpose of political writer., , Main aim of philosophical approach ts to evaluate the consequences of events in a, logical and scientific manner. Van Dyke opined that "philosophy denotes thought about, thought Somewhat more broadly It denotes general conceptions of ends and means,, purposes and methods.” The purpose of philosophical approach is to explain the words, and terms used by the political theorists. The enquiry started by the philosophical, , approach removes confusion about the assumptions., , Several Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle were the creators of this, approach. The main subject of Plato's writings was to define the nature of an ideal, society. This approach states that values are inseparable from facts. It is mainly an, ethical and normative study of politics, hence is concerned with what ‘should be’ or, ‘ought to be’. This approach seeks to understand our fundamental nature and aim as, human beings, recognizing principles and standards of right conduct in political life. It is, normative in character and believes in developing norms or certain standards. It, followed the logical method where Investigator has his own values and determined, , philosophies., , Benefit of philosophical approach is that it enters into the depth of every aspect of, political phenomena and examines them without any partiality. Its interpretation of, political activities conjures interest in the minds of students of politics. Words and, phrases used by philosophers highlight point on the subject. Philosophical approach, , enhances linguistic clarity, That ls why It ts said that this approach aims at thought, about thought.

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Philosophical approach use procedure of logical analysis. It uses reason to explore the, truth. The truth which this approach establishes may be of various kinds-normative,, descriptive or prescriptive. But the philosophical approach is indifferent to the nature, or category of truth., , This approach also tries to establish standards of good, right and Just. Many critics, observed that this approach determines what is in the interest of the public and he, identifies interest more with ends that with means., , In the huge arena of political science, there are a number of great or outstanding books., Philosophical approach explores the meaning and central theme of these books as well, as the exact purpose of the authors. In the contemporary Greek city-states of Plato, morality, moral values and idealism ruined to such an extent that he received a great, shock and seriously thought to recuperate these and this urge encouraged him to write, The Republic. He wanted to establish that politics and morality are not an etheric, concepts. Rather, an ideal and moral body politic can be made a real one through the, selfless administration by a philosopher-king. John Locke composed his Second Treatise, to rationalize the interests and objectives of the new middle class and he struggle of, people for liberty., , Other political philosopher such as Machiavelli and Hobbes wrote to support royal, absolutism. Some critics may not agree with the views of these philosophers or the, arguments of these books, but it must not be forgotten that the books were written at, particular and critical moment of history., , It is well established that Philosophical approach helps people to understand the, contemporary history and the nature of politics suggested by philosophers. In other, words, the philosophical approach aids to comprehend the political ideologies of past, centuries. In this sense, the philosophical approach is very important for researchers, and people., , Application of the philosophical approach in political science focuses on the great ideas,, values and doctrines of politics. The normative-philosophical approach is the ancient, and the least scientific approach to the study of politics and it has been taken over, although not completely displaced by contemporary approaches., , Criticism of the Philosophical Approach:, , Though philosophical approach is highly important for scholars and other people to the, study of politics, critics have raised several problems about its worth. It is documented, in literature that one of the central ideas of political philosophy is idealism and it is, conspicuous in Plato's The Republic. Critics argued that idealism itself is quite good but, , when its practical application arises it appears to be a myth., , Plato emphasized Idealism in his theory, but it had not practical importance and be fully, realised that idealism would never be translated into reality. It is a subject of absolute