When the Internet first came to be, no one knew exactly how it would affect the lives of everyone living on the planet. Decades later, almost everyone uses the Internet. Whether it be for the pursuit of knowledge, happiness, riches, and even political ambitions.

During a conversation with a friend who works for a bankruptcy law firm, we began talking about how social media has affected political science. Bob may be an expert in everything there is to know about bankruptcy, but he also loves a good debate!

In the old days, people who want to run for public office had to go on the streets and hold rallies in order for the masses to listen to what they had to say. Now it’s all about Facebook and Twitter marketing and recording political speeches and meetings and uploading them in Youtube. Others use Foursquare as a means of announcing to the online world where the campaign rally is going to be. There’s even a rising trend of politicians hiring social media managers for their Facebook and Twitter pages!

Have you ever wondered why people get all crazy whenever they hear social networking sites? Are you surprised why a Youtube video, despite having a boring and mundane presentation, is actually gathering thousands of subscribers and viewers? Are you shocked why businesses are now dependent on Twitter?

Social media is the great melting pot of business and personal communication. Whether we like it or not, people are, and will always be, attracted to social media because of its unlimited and creative potential. Think of the thousands of blogs being created day by day, the millions of members Facebook, Twitter and MySpace receive, and the hundreds of videos being uploaded to Youtube by just one single member! You just don’t create relationships and bonds with social media; you earn money as well.

Think of those games that you see and play in Facebook; Zynga, for example, has made millions ever since they started creating games in Facebook. Twitter is the secret weapon of internet marketers, channeling hundreds of promotions with a few posts on the social media site. Because of all these positive effects on both the business and personal aspects of our everyday lives, social media is now described as “the next big thing since the Internet.”

If games can be promoted with social media, then I’m pretty sure a political candidate can be marketed without problems. My friend and I finally agreed that when the time comes, there will be a new subject for political science students to talk and research about.

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There are a number of theories that have been advanced by philosophers in history. While some of these philosophers changed the way politics is studied, other didn’t have much impact on the subject. The fact is that some of the theories are anchored on common law, whereas others are inclined towards other facets of politics. Some of the most common theories used in the study of politics are; Marxist theory, public choice theory, rationality theorem, and safety valve theory. The others that fall in the same range are; Michigan model, selectorate theorem, Taftian theory, and power resource theory.

It is elemental to note that the theories vary from the angle on the political subject that they tackle. For instance, what institutional theory deals with, relatively varies with what theories of political behavior and power resource theory tries to explain. It is based on this fact that you need to understand at least the basics of each theory to be able to analyze a political situation from an informed perspective. However, it goes without saying that no matter the political angle you look at a specific case, there will be varying levels of interdependence between the mentioned theories.

The different political science theories can also be found in other areas of study including the social sciences. In other words, this means that some of the theories are multidisciplinary while others are not. The philosophers who are credited for solidifying some of these theories differed in their attribution to matters that concern governance. However, there is always a consensus on other precepts that are directly related to power. These philosophers can be grouped into different categories, and these include; the ancient or medieval philosophers, the modern philosophers, those born in the 19^th century and those born in 18^th century. Note that some of the political science theories were developed over time, so the subject matter tends to change over the period a theory was developed.

There are a good number of political science philosophers who had a great impact on how politics is perceived. What this means is that their thoughts have stood the test of time, and dynamics of governance has changed based on what they stated. The popular names that have influenced this landscape include; Machiavelli, Plato, and Aristotle. The others whose influence is notable include; John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Montesquieu, and David Hume. The two philosophers that cannot be left out on this list are Mohammad Ibn-al Wahab, and Al-Mawardi, their theories were unique, and happened to touch the very core elements of governance.

In all theories, there is an emphasis put on analysis of the core elements that control politics. The power to rule, the power to control, and the desire for mutual benefit as man is a social animal by nature. As a matter of fact, all these theories are only meant to discover power, and what effect it has on humans.

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What Does Political Science Really Entail

It is important to understand what really political science encompasses, in order to deal with the different aspects of subject matter. In almost all cases, political science will cover a number of things including; public law, International relations, public administration, and, of course, comparative politics. The scope and depth that anybody is able to cover these topics will relatively vary, but many times it will depend on knowledge that a person has gathered over a period of time. This means for anyone to correctly interpret history, evaluate leadership, or make a political prediction concerning leadership in any jurisdiction, he must be experienced in these issues.

The education level and qualifications are also necessary if the person is to be an authority in the subject matter. If you are limited in these two, the chances that you will misinterpret issues are always pretty high. There are various schools of political theories that can be argued from different angles, and this is what offers solid evidence that it not a science with defined rules that must be followed. In a nutshell, there are many schools of thought that can be studied, evaluated and views offered. However, without a good platform to express these views they are not likely to have the much-needed impact. It is for this reason that many political scientists will always strive to be on the mainstream media and communication channels and leadership positions, if not they end up becoming politicians.

It is imperative to note that in political science a number of methodologies can be used in the study of this subject. The gathering of information can be done by positive research, realism, and institutionalism. You can also research on politics using other social science methods like structuralism, as well as post-structuralism. If you understand these different methods, it will always be a plus because you are most likely to offer authority opinion on matters that concern politics.

Overall, this is a study of how human beings react to pertinent issues that dictate all facets of leadership and what influences policies and political leadership. This means that it touches on the very core elements that define governance, and related issues. However, one thing that you will actually notice is that different theories might be subject to a certain period. Thereafter, they are rendered not credible when other specific issues arise in future. For instance, what might be important during an electioneering period, might not apply to reactions of people during a dictatorial leadership. Either way, opinion has to be effected.