Sovereignty, Authority & Power

1. Sovereignty, Authority & Power What is a ‘state’? States, Nations & Regimes Democracies, Authoritarian Regimes & Military Regimes

2. Power is territorially organized into states • Max Weber (German scholar) defined state as: • The organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory • The state determines who can and cannot use weapons of force, and it set rules to how violence is used • States sponsor armies, navies, and/or air forces • But citizens are often limited in their use of force • Institutions: • Stable, long-lasting organizations that help turn political ideas into policy • Common institutions: bureaucracies, legislatures, judicial systems & political parties • Institutions help keep a state long-lasting; leaders change, but institutions don’t • States exercise sovereignty: ability to carry out actions or policies w/in their borders independently from interference from inside or outside forces • A state unable to exercise sovereignty lacks autonomy • States with less autonomy are sometimes exploited by larger, stronger, more stable states • The states referred to are typically industrializing countries and exist in the southern hemisphere Introduction

3. States promote: • General welfare: health, safety, safe transportation, communication systems, economic stability • Nation: • Group of people bound together by common political identity • Nationalism: • Sense of belonging and identity; can be translated to patriotism or pride & loyalty • Individual differences exist w/in nations, but “nation” provides overwhelming identity for majority of citizens • Regime: • The rules that a state sets and follows in exerting power • Country’s institutions & practices carry over across time, leaders or issues States, Nations, Regimes

4. Democracy is type of regime that bases its authority on the will of the people • Indirect • Elected officials representing the people • Direct • Individuals have immediate say over many decisions that the gov’t makes • Most democracies are indirect (due to large populations) • Three major branches (typically) • Executive, legislative, judicial • Some are Parliamentary: • Citizens vote for legislative representatives; representatives vote for select leaders of the executive branch • Some are Presidential: • Citizens vote for legislative AND executive branch leaders • Two branches function w/ separation of powers • Democracies vary in the degree to which they regulate economy, but businesses, corporations and/or companies generally operate independently from gov’t Democracies

5. Parliamentary Presidential • Parliamentary sovereignty governs decision-making • In theory: legislature makes the laws, controls finances, appoints and dismisses prime minister and debates public issues • Reality: strong party discipline, cabinet initiates policy (Tony Blair criticism) • Majority party in legislature typically votes for bills proposed by leadership • No separation of powers exist (Prime Minister and Cabinet are members of the same majority party) • Separation in the executive branch: Head of Gov’t and Head of state • Queen is head of state (symoblizes power) • Prime Minister is head of gov’t (every day task of running gov’t • Roles of head of state and head of gov’t are given to same person- President • President is directly elected by the people and serves as Chief executive • Checks & balances between legislative, executive & judicial • As a result: • Power is diffused • Policy-making is slowed down • Each branch MUST have an independent base of authority recognized and respected by politicians & the public • Nigeria and Mexico have presidential system, but branches are not truly independent of one another Democratic Types

6. Presidential: Parliamentary:

7. Decisions made by political elites w/out much input from citizens • These regimes may be ruled by single dictator, monarch, small group of aristocrats, or single political party • Economy is tightly controlled by ruling elite • Regime Types: • Communism as altered by V. Lenin • Corporatism • Gov’t officials interact w/ business & labor leaders before policy is set • Patron-client systems • Reciprocal favors and services provided to supporters Authoritarian Regimes

8. Totalitarianism Military Regimes • If people accept authority of authoritative leaders, then gov’t is legitimate • Totalitarianism has negative connotations- used to describe often detested and/or corrupt regimes • Totalitarian gov’t seek to control all facets of peoples’ lives- economy, politics and social • Totalitarian gov’ts use force/violence as a techniqe for destroying any obstacles to their governance • Prevalent in Latin America, Africa & parts of Asia • States w/ instability are ripe for military intervention • Rule usually begins w/ a coup d’ etat (forced takeover) • Coup may or may not have widespread support • Military leaders often restrict civil rights, liberties and keep political parties from forming • A specific ideology is usually lacking • Leaders often lack charisma and lack traditional source of authority Totalitarianism & Military Regimes

9. Power is territorially organized into states • States exercise sovereignty • Institutions help keep a state stable and functionary • Democracy is based on will of the people • Most democracies are indirect • Two types of prevailing democracies: Parliament & Presidential • Authoritarian and Totalitarian regimes are not one in the same • Totalitarian regimes use force to compensate for lack of legitimacy • Military regimes lack legitimacy and found in states with instability and/or internal violence Lecture Highlights/Key Points