Why study political theory

Is political theory only for politicians, bureaucrats, teachers of politics, lawyers and judges, or activists and journalists? No. There are four reasons for all of us to study it:

1. It is relevant to many future careers. Many students will later join one of these professions. And just as everyone learns basic arithmetic though few become mathematicians, everyone benefits from basic political ideas.

2. We are all going to be citizens who vote and decide public issues. To act responsibly, we need basic knowledge of the political ideas and institutions that shape our world.

• In the information society, we must be reasonable and informed to take part in gram sabhas or share views on websites and polls. Arbitrary preferences are not effective; thoughtful, mature views can use new media to express common interests.
• An educated and vigilant citizenry makes those in politics more public-spirited.

3. It helps us examine our own prejudices. Freedom, equality and secularism are not abstract: we meet discrimination in families, schools, colleges and malls. We ourselves may have prejudices against people of a different caste, religion, gender or class.

• When we feel oppressed, we want redress, and if it is delayed we may think violent revolution is justified. When we are privileged, we may deny that oppression exists, even as people who work in our homes struggle for dignity.
• Political theory encourages us to examine our ideas and feelings about political things. Looking at them carefully makes us more moderate.

4. It trains us to argue well. We have opinions about right and wrong, just and unjust, but often do not know whether they are reasonable. Only when we argue do we look for reasons. Political theory exposes us to systematic thinking so we can polish our opinions and argue in an informed way for the common interest. Skills of debating rationally and communicating effectively are great assets in a global information age.

Example (new): two classmates arguing about whether the school canteen should serve only healthy food can move from 'I just think so' to weighing freedom of choice against the school's duty of care: that move is what political theory trains.