Aristotle called it the “master science” because it influences all aspects of human life.
Earnest Barker termed it architectonic, as he perceived it as the foundation from which other practical sciences emerged. It was born in the intellectual capital of the past - ancient Greece.
Political Science continued to evolve along with human society. Even as other practical sciences kept on building legitimacy, political science acted as the basic structure, holding all of them together.
The state is the backbone of society and political science begins and ends with the state (Garner).
Political Science is the systematic study of governance by the application of empirical and generally scientific methods of analysis.
As traditionally defined and studied, political science examines the state and its organs and institutions. The contemporary discipline, however, is considerably broader than this, encompassing studies of all the societal, cultural, and psychological factors that mutually influence the operation of government and the body politic.
Political Science explains and guides public policies formulation, implementation and evaluation. It can be said that statecraft handles all practical aspects of society and human life. It is with reference to this centrality in public sphere, that Aristotle called political science a master science.
Not only is it one of the oldest disciplines, it remains widely and deeply relevant in the present times.
Perhaps, in the complex globalised polity of today, this master science is needed more than ever.