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The State

The State. The Sociology of Politics in Canada and the Globe. The State. Definition-the State is the institutional arrangement of civil laws and regulations. In Canada, laws and reg’s. enforceable by agents of the federal, provincial and municipal governments. CANADIAN STATE.

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The State

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  1. The State The Sociology of Politics in Canada and the Globe

  2. The State • Definition-the Stateis the institutional arrangement of civil laws and regulations. • In Canada, laws and reg’s. enforceable by agents of the federal, provincial and municipal governments

  3. CANADIAN STATE • The Canadian government- given the authority by its citizens. • Parliament in Ottawa (federal) • Queen’s Park Ontario (provincial) • City Hall –Toronto (municipal)

  4. Functionalist on The State • The political realm is one institution regulating society • Politics and economics are distinct in holding society together • Symbiosis not power maintains the system • The State is a fair and neutral arbitrator between upper, middle and lower class.

  5. State is a regulator Laws and regulations are carved out of political policies or acceptable standards for the common good. See Hanna Arendt, The Human Condition 1958

  6. Marxists on the State • Marxists suggest that there is a direct link between politics and economy • K. Marx was a political economist • Adam Smith was an economist • For Marx, “the ideas of any epoch are the ideas of the ruling class” (ideology)

  7. Marxist on the State: Karl Marx-power is directly linked to social class interests. • Feudalism= aristocracy over peasantry • Capitalism= bourgeoisie over proletariat

  8. CLASS, STATUS and PARTY II. Max Weber=power, status and interaction • Power -the ability to achieve desired ends despite resistance from others.

  9. Power • Power must be distinguished from authority. • Power is the ability to carry out one’s will despite resistance regardless of the basis on which this probability rests.

  10. Authority • Authority is legitimated power. • Its strength lies in the institution. • Authority -complimentary properties of domination and submission.

  11. Forms of Authority- • Ideal types there have been three major formsauthority: • Charismatic, • Traditional, • Rational legal.

  12. Charismatic authority • a.      Charismatic authority- is defined as power legitimated by.. • Extraordinary personal abilities that inspire devotion and obedience. • Ie. Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Martin Luther

  13. Traditional Authority- • Traditional Authority-power legitimated by respect for long-established cultural patterns. • i.e Roman Catholic Church, middle ages • Full of customs, traditions, ritualistic practices .

  14. Traditional authority • -ritual, repetitive behaviour, it is bond by numerous social norms as opposed to formalized rules and laws

  15. Traditional authority declines • Traditional authority declines as pre-industrial societies give way to industrialized social forms.

  16. Traditional authority can remain in rational legal systems… • I.e parental domination over children, • male domination of women.

  17. Rational Legal Authority • Modern authority is legitimated through rational laws and regulations. • Modern authority is carried out through bureaucratic means. • Modern power imprisons man like an iron cage…

  18. IRON CAGE OF BUREAUCRACY • CAPITALISM- once a system of moralistic entreprenuers such as Ben Franklin, • SUBSTANTIVE RATIONALITY-requires though by HUMAN individuals • FORMAL RATIONALITY -impersonal, rigid, unfeeling • WE ARE NOW IMPRISONED BY BUREAUCRACY • ONE HOPE FOR WEBER is “The Charismatic re-birth of new GODS”

  19. 1980’s • THE CANADIAN STATE and Neo-liberalism

  20. 1980s=The Erosion of the Commons… • Individualism over collectivism • Canada supported a bureaucratic State…Dismantled in favour of business interests… • SEE Mel Hurtig, The Betrayal of Canada

  21. The State and Political Economy • The STATE IS: a class basedinstitution giving its interest to the class with economic power. • Political trends can only be understood in terms of broader changes in the economic sphere.

  22. CHANGES TO POLITICAL ECONOMY • In the 1980s as social supports gained following WW2 began to decline. • 1. POST WAR BABY BOOM • 2. 1960s Keynesian • 3. 1980s Neo-liberal • 4. 2000 GLOBALIZATION

  23. The Canadian State • STATISM- historically the driving force in Canada: • I.e Canadian Pacific Railway –built mainly by government (1880’s) • THE STATE- has lost collective power since the 1980s…THE AGE OF NEO-LIBERALISM AND THE NEW RIGHT

  24. History :Canadian State • The Canadian State has always been interventionist, elitist and collectivistic. • History: • Began with 19th Conservative Party • Liberals were historically the Free Traders • Conservatives only later in favour- Mulroney 1980s

  25. New Deal and Post War • HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, WELFARE all part of New Deal, later entrenched during • THE GOLDEN AGE OF CAPITALISM-KEYNESIANISM

  26. 1980s=privatization • Commodification of the commons. • Many Crown Corporations were sold to the capitalistic marketplace. • SEE: The Big Sellout

  27. Social Safety Net…. • The period between 1946 and 1971 is often called the golden age of capitalism. • During Keynesian period what is commonly referred to as the Welfare State expanded rapidly. 1946-1978..

  28. The Canadian State • The Canadian State took the role of provider and protector of Canadian collective • Individual well being and security within a Universal Frame…Universality.. • The Welfare State & the Social Wage.

  29. Wages…The social wagenot hand-outs • The social wage is part of the surplus value produced by the workers, • Provision of social necessities such as health care, education, unemployment insurance, old age pensions.

  30. Reasons for Welfare State • The expansion and consolidation of the EASTERN BLOCK-COLD WAR.. • Soldiers survived Nazi on-slaught • Soilders become workers in peacetime domestic capitalist world • Pressure on governments to help them following their defense of their countries

  31. Reasons for Welfare State • Rapid Growth ofpost-war economies -An accord with workers+-concessions • A belief that the State could be a mediator in class struggle-

  32. A rise in unionism-from 24.2 to 33.7 in ten years • 1960’s gave workers greater power, sustained low unemployment, shorter work weeks, sick pay, disability benefits.

  33. Neo-liberalism- big business agenda, • 1. A came into existence in the 1980s….New Right---  • 2. Neo-liberalism =-the market is the central determinant of social values.  • 3. The individual not the collective is the core unit of society

  34. McQuiag 1992 • NEO-LIBERALISM MEANS: • Strong opposition to government intervention • The massive transfer of wealth and power to the corporate sector.

  35. Neo-liberalism and the Social Wage • For the average Canadian the social wage is in decline: • Low income: in 2001 Canada spent 11% of GDP on helping those in financial need-down from 14.3 in 1992 • Health care spending-fell from 7.3% of GDP in 1992 to 7% in 2001 • Education reduce from 7.7 in 1992 to 5.9% in 2001..

  36. Structural Adjustments • TNC-transnational corporate freedom-abolished FIRA • Employer demand increased productivity • Disciplinary action upon workers increased • Lower wages to deal with global capital

  37. PoliciesThe New Canadian State • Free Trade-global trading blocs, international treaties • Privatization-selling of gov’t corps-ie. Hydro • Deregulation-rules and reg’s to protect citizens and laws restraining capital removed

  38. New Canadian State d. Shift of Gov’tsupport to private charities-food banks • Tax reforms-to benefit the rich and corporations- • Attacks on labour unions-rights decline, minimum wage decline, worker health and safety is weakened

  39. Neo Liberal Canadian State • Decline in civil rights and democracy-repressive state increases-access to information about gov’t declines • Decline in the size and scope of the State-prison systems in its place

  40. Increasing integration with the United States j.Transformation of powers of federalism to provinces which then advance their own neo-liberal agendas..

  41. Types of Citizenship • Political citizenship: the right to run for office and vote. • Civil citizenship: the right to freedom of speech, religion, and justice.

  42. Social citizenship: the right to a minimum level of economic security. • Universal citizenship: the right of marginal groups to full citizenship and the rights of humanity as a whole.

  43. Summary • The State is a key institution in modern societies • Functionalists, conflict theorists and symbolic interactionist differ on their views of the importance of the State • Current issue NEO-LIBERALISM means the loss of Statism=globalization

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