Poltika affects all people to one degree or another. Each member of society, one way or another, is involved in political life regardless of his desire, because he lives in a country where there is a certain political system. Throughout the entire history of mankind, politics has invariably influenced the fate of peoples, countries and the daily life of people. It is not surprising, therefore, that in 1948 UNESCO recommended introducing the study of political science into the curricula of universities - the science of politics, its relations with society and man, and political relations.
Today, political science is massively studied by students of higher educational institutions, not inferior in popularity to jurisprudence, philosophical and economic sciences. Moreover, political science has almost the highest rating in the list of humanitarian disciplines. All this suggests that this subject is interesting for young people, its study and knowledge helps to better navigate in modern society, to adequately perceive all the changes taking place in social life.
Like any other science, political science arose as a result of certain needs of society, therefore, its formation and development is aimed, first of all, at meeting these very needs. What are these needs and how are they conditioned? They are determined by the specific functions performed by political science as a science for each individual and society as a whole. They can be reduced to 3 main ones.
First, it is a cognitive function. It is associated with the process of research and penetration into the mechanism of political life and its laws, as well as explanations, descriptions and assessments of various political phenomena and events. At all levels of research, political science mainly provides an increase in knowledge about various spheres of political life, reveals and reveals the patterns and future of political processes. This is the subject of theoretical research that forms the principles of comprehension and cognition of the phenomena occurring in politics. Direct research is also subordinated to this, presenting a given science with factual rich material, specific and detailed information about certain spheres of social life.
Secondly, the function is rational. It is closely related to the cognitive and allows you to comprehensively consider such a phenomenon as the rationalization of social life. Political science provides an interpretation and detailed explanation of complex and sometimes very confusing political processes, reveals their rational mechanism as the interaction of human interests, goals, ambitions, tasks, etc. As a result, political acts and events become clear and accessible to the understanding and consciousness of each individual.
Third, the function is practical. The utilitarian direction of political science lies in the fact that it can produce scientifically reasoned predictions about what development trends await (or can expect) the political life of society. In this case, one usually speaks of the predictive orientation of political science. Political science is able to give:
- a long-term forecast about the range within which the possibilities of the country's political development at the current stage of history can be identified;
- show alternative scenarios of upcoming processes associated with any of the chosen options for a particular political event or action;
- provide a calculation of the probable losses for each of the options, taking into account the side effects.
Most often, political scientists make short-term forecasts, where they look (predict) the development of political situations in the regions or in the country as a whole, the prospects and opportunities of various leaders, associations, parties and other political forces.
Based on the basis of political science research, a state policy is being developed, in which the people of this or that country live. That is, based on the results of these studies, the criteria for significant problems of society as a whole are formed and singled out, the national, defense and social policy of the government is developed, and social conflicts are resolved.
