Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Social sciences

Historical materialism is the philosophy of society and history in Marxism. Marx assumed that the knowledge of man, society, and history requires a science whose subject matter, epistemological foundation, and method are radically different from those of the natural sciences. Historical materialism, Marx thought, is the true science of human phenomena (social and historical) and is presented as a scientific theory of the economic or material conditions of society and history.

The main idea of historical materialism is that history is not an accidental sequence of events resulting from the individual action of some influential characters and decisive action or imaginary subjects, like providence, fate, or the spirit of the people (Volkgeist),... Continue reading "Historical Materialism: Unveiling Society's Economic Foundations" »

Historical materialism, developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, is a theory that aims to study society and the laws governing its development. These laws are objective, independent of consciousness, and knowable. Humans employ these laws in their practical activity. Historical materialism provides a scientific study of social reality and its historical evolution from a materialistic standpoint.

Marx developed general concepts that allow the study of any society as a whole, not just at a particular historical moment. Through economic, historical, and philosophical theories, Marx sought to discover the laws governing social change and presented a method for interpreting social conflict and its transformation. The German Ideology already contains... Continue reading "Historical Materialism: Marx and Engels' Theory of Social Change" »

Methods of Political Science

Political scientists employ various methods to study and understand political phenomena. Some of the key methods include:

1. Biological Method:
2. Observation Method:
3. Experimental Method:
4. Psychological Method:
5. Legal Method:
6. Historical Method:
7. Comparative Method:
8. Philosophical Method:

Observation Method

The observation method involves studying political phenomena and their integration to identify the causes that alter or modify them. This often involves analyzing political life using statistics. For example, analyzing election results.

Experimental Method

The experimental method has limited scope in political science because political life is a dynamic process. Governments and political structures are constantly changing. Examples... Continue reading "Political Science Methods: A Comprehensive Analysis" »

Political Parties: Moderates and Progressives

Liberalism had two initial, different manifestations: moderate doctrinaire liberalism, also known as conservative, and progressive liberalism. In many cases, rather than political parties, these were groups of notables still lacking a clear party infrastructure. They only organized into electoral periods, often responding to military leadership.

Doctrinaire Liberalism (Moderates)

Doctrinaire or moderate liberalism defended **dual representation**, whereby the Crown and the Cortes were the two bodies forming the basis of shared sovereignty and together constituted the legislative power. They emphasized the elitism of their political preference with a bicameral Cortes. Members of the Senate were appointed... Continue reading "Historical Liberalism: Moderates and Progressives" »

Core Management Functions

Planning

Effective planning involves anticipating and preparing in two key ways. It requires creating a detailed plan or project outlining actions for the short, medium, and long term. For a project's viability, it must be meticulously programmed, considering the cost of actions and budgeting accordingly.

Organizing

Organizing involves establishing clear organizational structures. Authority and responsibility are delegated by defining relationships across all company levels.

Implementation

Implementation requires constant decision-making and effective communication of those decisions.

Coordination

Coordination focuses on materializing resources and aligning efforts, ensuring all functions work in concert to achieve common... Continue reading "Essential Management Functions and Key Leadership Styles" »

Context of 19th Century Europe

The 19th century was a century of social and political revolutions. Europe was being transformed; the old regime was finished, making way for a new system of governing nations. This century began with two events that shook the continent: the French Revolution and Napoleon's conquests.

Other highlights of this century include:

• The political triumph of the bourgeoisie
• The consolidation of industrial capitalism
• The consolidation of major European nations (Germany, Italy, Greece, etc.)
• European colonial arrogance in Asia and Africa
• The restoration of the monarchy
• German idealism, positivism, and neo-Kantianism
• Romanticism
• Scientific and technical progress
• The birth of sociology, psychology, and cultural anthropology

In the cultural... Continue reading "Karl Marx: Life, Philosophy, and Impact on 19th Century Europe" »

The Social Rule of Law: Origins and Evolution

The concept of the "rule of law" is often attributed to the lawyer and German thinker Hermann Heller. Heller advocated for a state with economic and social responsibilities, capable of redressing inequities arising from the market economy. The precedent for the social state of law formula can be found in the works of Lorenz von Stein, who saw the state as a body capable of correcting inequalities arising from industrial and competitive society. In his work *Social Movements and the Monarchy*, Von Stein declared, "The era of revolutions and political reforms has ended, and the era of revolutions and social reforms has begun."

The defense of the social state of law was notably promoted by social democracy,... Continue reading "Social Rule of Law: Origins, Evolution, and Challenges" »

Philosophical Framework

Eighteenth-century British philosophy sought to ground social, moral, and legal principles in the context of new economic and intellectual conditions. Unlike ancient philosophy, which relied on metaphysical concepts such as self, God, or the natural state, this new approach emphasized anthropology, particularly Hume's exploration of the moral sense.

Hume aimed to create a 'science of man' using Newton's experimental method, prioritizing induction over deduction to achieve greater certainty. He sought to apply the law of universal gravitation to the field of mind, re-evaluating legal concepts within this framework. A key aspect of this period was the empirical orientation of thought, influenced by practical considerations... Continue reading "18th-Century British Philosophy: Hume, Society, and History" »

Science and Technology

Science: This type of knowledge is the most important that human beings produce, if one takes into account the enormous influence it has on all areas of knowledge and on many fields of life.

Technology: This is a vast field of research, design, and creation that uses scientific knowledge in order to control things or natural processes.

Empiricism

It emerged in the eighteenth century in England and was represented by its maximum exponent, D. Hume.

Empiricism is a theory of knowledge which believes that we can only understand reality through the physical senses or perception of things. We could even say that it is a theory contrary to rationalism.

There are two types of knowledge:

• Simple
• Compound

Impressions: Vivid perceptions of... Continue reading "Science, Technology, Empiricism, and Rationalism" »

Public Administration as Legal Persons: Classification

Among all government administrations, two are particularly important:

• State Administration
• Administration of the Autonomous Communities

They hold greater significance because they possess an original legal personality derived directly from the Spanish Constitution (EC). The EC establishes their basic organization and framework of powers. These two legal entities possess superior status due to their critical political functions. Other administrations have lesser powers and importance.

Additionally, there are other authorities known as institutional administrations, referred to as public bodies under LOFAGE (Law on Organization and Functioning of the General State Administration), which include... Continue reading "Spanish Public Administration: Legal Status and Structure" »