Republicans and Democrats Switched Colors
Today we think of Republicans as Red and Democrats as Blue, but that specific color scheme only came into use in the 2000’s. Neither party has an official color.
Political Science
Political Science is the science of politics, or the science of the nation-state. It is the art of diplomacy, the study of ideas, ideologies, and influence, the science of strategy, economics, and rhetoric, and more. Perhaps political science is best summed up by Aristotle in his discussing of man’s role in creating the ideal nation-city-state:
“Political science aims at what is the highest of all goods achievable by action…. though it is worth while to attain the end [AKA happiness/arete/”the greatest good”/”the highest good”] merely for one man, it is finer and more godlike to attain it for a nation or for city-states. These, then, are the ends at which our inquiry aims, since it is political science, in one sense of that term.” – Aristotle on the meaning of life, virtue, morals, ethics, and the city-state, Nicomachean Ethics 350 BC
Conservatives, Moderates, Liberals, and Progressives
We explain the political terms conservative, moderate, liberal, progressive, and radical and how they are used in different contexts.
The Bed of Nails Principle
The bed of nails principle states that while laying on one nail is enough to puncture a person’s skin, laying on many distributed nails isn’t.
Shirley Chisholm Was the First Black Congresswoman and Major Party Candidate
Shirley Chisholm became the first black Congresswoman in 1968. In 1972 Chisholm ran for President as a Democrat, making her both the first female, or black, major party Presidential candidate.
Hillary Clinton was the First Woman Nominated by a Major Party
Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominee of a major U.S. political party at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Game Theory is the Study of Games
Game theory involves games, but it isn’t the study of games. It is the study of mathematical models of conflict and cooperation regarding decision making.
Political Realism Vs. Political Idealism
Political realism is dealing with politics as they are in reality, political idealism is dealing with politics as an ideal.
Machiavelli’s the Prince Can be Read as Satire
Many (including Rousseau) consider Machiavelli’s The Prince to be satire, expressing a preference for a free republic over a hereditary principality.
The Issue is Always the Government or the Market
For a given market, the choice always boils down to state intervention vs. the free-market, there is no third option (unless you count mixed-markets).
Niccolò Machiavelli is the Father of Modern Political Science
Niccolò Machiavelli can be considered the father of modern political science, and his book The Prince one of the first works of modern political philosophy (if not just modern philosophy).