Politics & Sociology

1. Politics & Sociology Chapters 13 & 9

2. The Political Institution • The nature of the social contract- Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau • Start in the state of nature • Give up some rights to guarantee security and protection of core rights • Political institution- the system of roles and norms that governs the distribution and exercise of power (the ability to control the behavior of others, with or without their consent) in society • Power is exercised by the STATE-the primary political authority

3. Perspectives • Functionalists- analyze the political institution in terms of the functions of the state, ex. The creation and enforcement of laws, provision of services • Conflict theorists- focus on how the political institution brings about social change, ex. How people compete for power, favor wealthier segments of society

4. Is power legitimate? • Legitimacy- whether those in power are viewed as having the right to control, govern others • Is power being exercised with the consent of the governed • Illegitimate when it is exercised without the approval of the people or against their will

5. Authority • Max Weber called legitimate power AUTHORITY • Traditional authority is power based on a long standing customs, often hereditary • Rational-legal authority where formal rules and regulations provide the basis for government, written constitution and set of laws • Charismatic authority- based on personal characteristics of the individual exercising the power, Ghandi, Adolf Hitler, Mao, Castro

6. Coercion • The opposite of authority • Power that is considered illegitimate by the people being governed • Use of force and/or fear, restrictions on press/speech, use of military to maintain power

7. Types of government • Democracy- power is exercised through the people, popular sovereignty • Direct democracy- ancient Greece • Representative democracy- US • Constitutional monarchy- GB • Democratic socialism-leaders elected, government owns some factors of production- Norway, Sweden

8. Democracy conditions • Industrialization- not automatically linked but most democratic societies are democracies • Access to information-democracy requires well informed voters • Limits on power-clear limits placed on scope of powers, often limited by different branches • Shared values- some agreement on basic values or difficult to compromise

9. Authoritarian systems • Power rests firmly with the state • Absolute monarchy- hereditary, Saudia Arabia • Dictatorship- a single individual • Junta- small group has seized government by force • Totalitarian most extreme- Germany/Hitler, Stalin/Soviets

10. Why do people accept? • Erich Fromm, Escape From Freedom • People want to escape feelings of isolation and powerlessness, by submitting, people achieve a sense of security • ‘authoritarian character’

11. American political system • Dominated by 2 major political parties • Consists of 3 branches of government • Includes interest groups and PACs which influence government decisions • Has proportional representation, debate over who holds power • Includes public participation, although relatively low turnout

12. Who rules America? • Power-elite model, C. Wright Mills • Political power is exercised by and for the privileged few in society, government, military, businesses draw from small elite percentage of the American population • Pluralist model- the political process is controlled by interest groups that compete with one another for power. Stops concentration of power in hands of too few, but admit to problems of poverty, etc.

13. Are there social classes? • Dimensions of social stratification: • Wealth-income & property, unequal distribution • Power-ability to control behavior of others • Prestige-respect, honor • Socioeconomic status combines factors like educational level, occupational prestige, residence with economic factor of income

14. Determining social class • How many classes are there? How determine? • Reputational method- individuals in community asked to rank other community members • Subjective method- individuals are asked to determine their own social rank • Objective method- sociologists define social class by income, education, and occupation

15. Upper class • About 1% of population • Old money v. new money • Prestigious schools, raised atmosphere of wealth

16. Middle Classes • Upper middle class 14%- college or university, business executives, and professionals • Lower middle class 30%- high school or college, lower level managers, skilled craftsman • Working class 30%- high school, factory and clerical workers, lower level sales

17. Working Poor & Underclass • Working poor 22%- some high school, laborers, service workers • Underclass 3% some high school, low paying jobs, unemployed, generational welfare recipients • Mobility? Movement between social strata or classes • Horizontal mobility- movement within a stratum • Vertical mobility- between classes • Intergenerational mobility- American Dream

18. Political institution & popular culture • Two types of political movies: 1. corruption exposed, 2. wouldn’t it be nice if things were more like… • Examine institutions and the political process • Overtly political or are all movies political? • Birth of a Nation

19. Idealism on trial • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington • All the King’s Men

20. Campaigns • Evolution in tactics: media, transportation, internet • Campaigns

21. How view President? • Fictional • Historic

22. Conspiracies & Satires