Politics and its experts, who explain it in a more scientific manner , known as Political Scientist do share a wider responsibility towards the society. We have developed a large number of courses, curriculms, and have also contributed number of research papers, books and so on. These contributions have shown their implications as well. Politics has changed. Its methods, techniques have undergone radical changes in the last fifty years. This gives us, the political scientists, a real satisfaction. Perhaps, we can sleep properly as we have done our due.
But is this the case? Have we really contributed? Some of these questions were raised by the well known political science figure David Easton, when he questioned the relevance of the behavioural revolution in the discipline. He questioned the feasibility and relevance of natural science type research in Political Science. He said that the political scientists were so busy with the quantitative mthods that they did not realize the emerging tendency of moving away from the social realities.
Same can be said about political scientists today as well, I believe. Of course not all can be placed in this generalization but a majority comes under this category. While preparing our class notes, teaching material and teaching the political theories- manufactured, tested and verified in the west, we have forgotten that there is a tough world outside the realm of formal political science. Most of the theories (and not all) are away from the problems which a common citizen faces due to the politics of the country. In other words, we are busy with explaiing these tendencies but have failed to bring a substantial change.
The whole policy making and implementation paraphernalia is engaged in a serious nexus with the politicians and big business houses. This nexus has pulled small emterpreneurs and other salaried classes in this nexus as well. As a result, we all are in the process of being a part of that nexus -willingly or unwillingly. The nexus has all the powers to manouver the eixsting notions of philosophy, science, history and others that we have almost forgotten how to think for alternative paradigms. We see people dying everyday, not as a routine process of life and death but due to systemic failures, social atrocities, and other structures to carry out violence, but we have accomodated ourselves.
It is sad to write but it seems that we the political scientists have also started believing in - politics is a bad person's business. But staying away from this will not make us good. There is a need to stand in defense of politics. Politics which is characterized by deliberation, tolrenace, freedom and justice and not by violance, suppression, inequality and hierarchy.
