Elizabeth Forets, age 12, of Eugene, Oregon, for her question:

What is political science?

I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Weigh those deep words one by one and they will reward you with an introduction to political science.

Politics is the engine of government and political science is the systematic study of gov¬ernment. Since no two people are alike, society is a plum cake of differing political opinions. Friendly chats on the topic tend to blaze into fiery squabbles. The friend who knows least may enforce his opinions with a punch on the nose. On a larger scope, political topics tend to generate fury between nations of differing systems of government. The solution is to rise above one's personal opinions, keep cool and observe the working wheels of government in wide, well populated regions. This puts one's first foot in the field of political science.

Government concerns people and is therefore rooted in human nature. Here we find an A factor, a hidden drive to do as we choose regardless of consequences. In the normal human heart, this is offset by a stronger B factor, a desire to share life with a group. Multiply these conflicting drives by millions and you have the raw material of the politics needed to govern a nation. Basically the people agree on a set of ground rules. American refer to a constitution drafted by history's wisest political scientists. We call those young men our Founding Fathers. Our government is sectioned in small local units and larger units to treat wider issues. All these units are linked with the national government. The wheels of politics work at every level and the political scientist studies them all. He uses census data, polls and surveys to assess the pulse of public opinion. He knows the political systems of history, past and, present. When assessing new legislation, he refers to history to help us avoid repeating past mistakes.

Healthy politics is as changeable as the weather. An expert expects changes in legislation to keep pace with industrial inventions and advances. Your bright eyed generation is aware and eager to make changes when its turn comes to govern. Success begins now, with the study of political science, the wheels that make government run. A worthy citizen is well endowed with that B factor and enforced with a background of cool smooth political know how.

An expert knows that political office brings power and that power attracts rascals. Be aware and beware. A rascal may get himself elected by fooling the voters with false promises. This boo boo is followed by a spell of government of the people, by the people, and for the people in power. But even the worst system can be changed by the courage and know how of the people.

Sometimes political experts may endorse rebellion to change intolerable conditions. This solemn situation is defined for all time in our Declaration of Independence, and the Minutemen of colonial America were noble patriots who died in its cause. But beware. Any person can play the role of rebel. He may be merely after some noisy attention, or he may be a destructive type, out to stamp on us all. Political science just loves to analyze him, and experts go to the limit in probing his A and B factors for the record of history.