What is a Political System as defined by David Easton?
According to David Easton, a political system is:
“That system of interactions in any society through which binding or authoritative allocations of values are made and implemented.”
Explanation
David Easton views politics not merely as government or state institutions, but as a system of interactions that performs a specific function in society.
Key Elements of Easton’s Political System
System of Interactions
The political system includes all activities and processes—formal and informal—related to making political decisions.Authoritative Allocation of Values
Values refer to things people want (e.g., resources, rights, welfare, security).
Authoritative means decisions are accepted as binding by society.
Input–Output Model
Inputs: Demands (public needs, pressures) and supports (obedience, participation).
Outputs: Laws, policies, and decisions made by political authorities.
Feedback Mechanism
Outputs affect society and generate new demands and supports, keeping the system dynamic.Environment
The political system operates within social, economic, cultural, and international environments that influence it.
Significance
Easton’s concept broadened the scope of Political Science by:
Emphasizing behavior and processes rather than only institutions.
Helping analyze political stability and change systematically.
👉 In short: For David Easton, a political system is the process by which a society makes and enforces authoritative decisions through a continuous flow of inputs, outputs, and feedback.
What are the key functions of a Political system as defined by Gabriel Almond?
Gabriel Almond explained the functions of a political system by dividing them into Input Functions and Output Functions. According to him, every political system—whether democratic or authoritarian—must perform these functions to survive and remain effective.
1. Input Functions
These functions relate to how demands and support from society enter the political system.
(a) Political Socialization and Recruitment
Political socialization refers to the process by which individuals acquire political values, beliefs, and attitudes.
Political recruitment means selecting and training individuals for political roles and leadership positions.
Agencies involved include family, schools, media, political parties, and pressure groups.
(b) Interest Articulation
It is the expression of demands and interests by individuals or groups in society.
These demands may concern wages, rights, policies, or welfare.
Interest groups, trade unions, political parties, and movements perform this function.
(c) Interest Aggregation
It involves combining various articulated interests into coherent policy alternatives.
Political parties play a major role by formulating programs and policies.
(d) Political Communication
This refers to the flow of information between the government and the people.
It includes communication through media, debates, campaigns, and public opinion.
2. Output Functions
These functions deal with how the political system responds to demands.
(a) Rule-Making
It involves the formulation of laws and policies.
Legislatures and executives mainly perform this function.
(b) Rule-Application
It refers to the implementation and execution of laws and policies.
This function is carried out by the executive and administrative agencies.
(c) Rule-Adjudication
It involves interpretation of laws and settlement of disputes.
Courts and judicial bodies perform this function.
Conclusion
According to Gabriel Almond, a political system functions effectively only when both input and output functions are properly performed. These functions ensure stability, adaptability, and continuity of the political system.
