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  1. Political science | Fields, History, Theories, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 19, 2025 · political science, the systematic study of governance by the application of empirical and generally scientific methods of analysis. As traditionally defined and studied, …

  2. political science summary | Britannica

    political science, Academic discipline concerned with the empirical study of government and politics.

  3. Political science - Rational Choice, Decision Making, Institutions ...

    Dec 19, 2025 · Political science - Rational Choice, Decision Making, Institutions: The dominant school of thought in political science in the late 20th century was rational choice theory.

  4. Regime | Autocratic, Democratic & Totalitarian | Britannica

    Dec 7, 2025 · A more-detailed definition documents the means through which an institution forms. The emphasis is on the principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures around …

  5. State | Definition, History, Figures, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 7, 2025 · Plato and Aristotle wrote of the polis, or city-state, as an ideal form of association, in which the whole community’s religious, cultural, political, and economic needs could be satisfied.

  6. Institutionalism | Social Science, Political Theory & Economics ...

    Institutions are the rules of politics and the instruments of their enforcement. However, Friedrich was careful to note that institutions must reflect social and political reality, and without belief in …

  7. Legitimacy | Government, Political Theory & Philosophy | Britannica

    Legitimacy, popular acceptance of a government, political regime, or system of governance. The word legitimacy can be interpreted in either a normative way or a “positive” (see positivism) way.

  8. Political science Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

    Britannica Dictionary definition of POLITICAL SCIENCE [noncount] : the study of governments and how they work a degree in political science

  9. political science - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help

    Political science is concerned with the actual workings of government, not with the ideal state. The founder of the subject was Aristotle in the 4th century bc.

  10. Power | Definition, Social Dynamics, Authority, Weber, Foucault ...

    Nov 8, 2025 · Power, in political science and sociology, the capacity to influence, lead, dominate, or otherwise have an impact on the life and actions of others in society. The concept of power …