It studies the social relations from a political point of view, focusing on:

- Events

The political science looks on the impact of social relations, on political power institutions, processes
and events. Political sociology differs from the political science because it looks at the political field
as a result of what comes from the social factor.

Political sociology is looking at the state, at the political institutions but it looks at them as forms of
organizing society.

Organizations to look at: trade unions, political parties, lobby groups.

Political parties are an important source to obtain information, but we can look at groups at a local,
national or international levels. It is important to think at layers.

Political sociology is the study of the relationship between society and politics and the dynamic
associations among and between the social origins of politics, the structure of politics, all political
processes and the effect of politics on the surrounding society and culture.

When we study various concepts and phenomena, we should keep in mind that politics equals
equality.

Politics doesn’t equal policy. Politics cannot be done without policies and polity.

Politics is the most conservative type of human action. Human beings lived in polity for centuries.

When you take someone else’s work and you try to see if it right or wrong by applying your own type
of analysis is called the inductive method. “A study of Scarlet” is a book that has a perfect example of
the inductive method.

Plato spoke about the idea of state rulers and the meanings and importance of justice.

Nicolo Machiavelli is not the cynical methodistic author that is usually described. He is also valued
even today. He looks at the evolution of the state and the human interest throughout time. He
speaks of the importance of the private property and he identifies private property as one of the
main causes of conflict.

Philosophers dealing with the issue of the relation with the state: Jean Jacques Rousseau, Auguste
Compte, Montesquieu.
The philosophers were influenced by some major political events: the English revolution, the French
Revolution.

John Locke (1642-1704) – English philosopher, founder of the empirical studies. He is also the
founder of political liberalism. In 1690 he published the two treaties of government. He is basing his
analysis on the English revolution and is arguing that the king does not actually have divine rights. He
wrote the book “An essay concerning human understanding” in which he says that for a human being
it is impossible to have knowledge about the whole world.

Rousseau argues against the partnership established between the individual and the state. He says
that in the nature the individual enjoys his freedom. He says that in the state the individual is
somewhat enslaved. In his work “The social contract”- 1762 he puts forward many of the ideas that
would later be found in the discourses of the French Revolution. He is considered to be one of the 4
fathers of the French Revolution.

Montesquieu is famous for several works. “The Persian letters” - one of his most important works.
He speaks about the separation of powers during the American Revolution. He speaks about the
importance of having a legislative, judging and executive power.

Hobbes is on the right side of the debate.

Edmund Burke was not only a man of letters, but also a politician in 18th century Britain. He was
supporting the idea that the laws adopted against the Roman-Catholics should be suffraged. His
famous works were published during the French Revolution in which he was calling to the European
politicians to resist.

Starting with the 19th century, the spotlight will be on the political elites. The democratic authors are
Tocqueville, Karl Marhein, Max Weber. The conservative analysis is being given by the Italians like
Pareto, Robert Michels. Those ideas were taken over by the Fascist regime.

On the democratic branch: August Compte (the creator of the word sociology), Max Weber.

Positive Philosophy, Positive political system – supported the importance of order in society.

Tocqueville is known for using systematic observation: Why it is important to start with questions
and hypothesis.

Max Weber – considered one of the most important sociologists because he has a comprehensive
work that covers economy, history, sociology, and politics.

Emile Bricaine came up with some of the most important concepts that we use today. -> the theory
of labor in society. He also analyzed the rate of suicide in Europe from a comparative point of view.
He says that everything people do is influenced by the society. According to him, it is the social forces
that determine the actions of the individuals. This is called the holistic approach.
The purpose of Political Sociology:

Who determines who? Is society determining politics? Is politics determining society? – a conclusion
was not really reached.

Collective behaviors, social movements, political conflicts -> a type of approach. What this approach
doesn’t approach in an effective matter is the way totalitarian systems have managed to emerge to
power.

Every country has particularities and the sociologists have had different points of view.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Poland was the country from which lots of political sociologic
ideas came.