With illustrations, explain David Easton's conception that politics is the authoritative allocation of valued resources in society.

David Easton's conception of politics as the authoritative allocation of valued resources in society can be illustrated through the following example:

Imagine a society where there is a limited amount of food available. In this society, the government plays a key role in determining how this food is distributed among the population. The government may establish policies and regulations that dictate who gets access to the food, how much they receive, and under what conditions.

In this illustration, the government acts as the authoritative body that controls the allocation of the valued resource (food) in society. Through its decisions and actions, the government influences who benefits from the resource and to what extent. This process of decision-making and resource distribution is at the core of politics, according to Easton's conception.

Furthermore, Easton emphasizes that the allocation of resources is not limited to tangible goods like food. It also includes intangible resources such as power, influence, and opportunities. In a political system, these resources are distributed and contested among different individuals, groups, and institutions, shaping the dynamics of society.

Overall, Easton's conception highlights the central role of politics in determining how valued resources are distributed and accessed in society, and how this process influences power relations, social dynamics, and the overall functioning of a political system.

David Easton's conception of politics focuses on the authoritative allocation of valued resources in society, which he visualizes as a political system. In this system, inputs are demands and supports from the environment, which are processed by the system to produce outputs, or decisions and actions. These outputs are then fed back into the environment, where they can affect future inputs.

Inputs

- Demands: These are claims made by individuals or groups on the political system, such as demands for more education funding or better healthcare.
- Supports: These are positive evaluations of the political system by individuals or groups, such as approval of the government's handling of the economy.

Processing

- Decision-making: This is the process by which the political system makes decisions about how to allocate valued resources.
- Implementation: This is the process by which the political system puts its decisions into action.

Outputs

- Decisions: These are the specific choices made by the political system, such as the decision to increase education funding or to build a new highway.
- Actions: These are the specific actions taken by the political system to implement its decisions, such as hiring more teachers or starting construction on a new highway.

Feedback

- The outputs of the political system can affect future inputs, either by generating new demands or by changing the level of support for the system.
- For example, a decision to increase education funding could lead to increased demands for even more funding in the future.
- Alternatively, a decision to cut social welfare benefits could lead to decreased support for the government.

System boundary

- The political system is separated from the environment by a boundary.
- The environment includes all the factors that can affect the political system, such as the economy, the culture, and the international system.
- However, only those factors that cross the boundary and enter the political system can be considered inputs.

Here is an illustration of Easton's conception of politics:

[Image of a political system with inputs, processing, outputs, and feedback]

Inputs

- Demands: The arrows pointing into the political system represent demands from the environment.
- Supports: The arrows pointing into the political system represent supports from the environment.

Processing

- Decision-making: The box labeled "Decision-making" represents the process by which the political system makes decisions.
- Implementation: The box labeled "Implementation" represents the process by which the political system puts its decisions into action.

Outputs

- Decisions: The arrows pointing out of the political system represent decisions made by the political system.
- Actions: The arrows pointing out of the political system represent actions taken by the political system to implement its decisions.

Feedback

- The arrows pointing back into the political system represent feedback from the environment.
- This feedback can affect future inputs either by generating new demands or by changing the level of support for the system.

System boundary

- The dashed line around the political system represents the system boundary.
- Only those factors that cross the boundary and enter the political system can be considered inputs.