Power, Authority, and Violence  Power: ability to carry out your will, even over the resistance of other  Authority: Power that people consider as rightly exercised over them (legitimate)  Coercion: Power that people do not accept as rightly exercised over them (illegitimate)

Scenario  You are walking downtown with just enough cash to buy a digital TV that is on sale for $250 so that you can have a nice TV for your freshman dorm room. On the way, a man holds you up at gun point and demands all of your money. Frightened for your life, you give him your $250. Still shaken from being held up, you speed home, hitting a speed of 85 miles an hour in a 65 mph zone. Just then, you see red and blue lights in your rearview. Though you explain your case, the officer writes you a ticket and a note for a court appearance. You plead your case to the judge, but she rules that you must pay $50 for court costs and $10 for every 5 miles over the speed limit that you drove. You pay the $250 fine.  Whose power is legitimate? Whose power is illegitimate?

Traditional Authority  Based on Customs  Right way is determined by how things have always been done  Declines with industrialization  Parents always have traditional authority over children

Rational-Legal Authority  Based on written rules  Constitution, or other document, sets forth rules from which power is derived

Gettysburg Address  “Government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”  Does Lincoln’s quote still apply to American politics? Why/Why Not?  Write response.  Discuss with neighbors.

Charismatic Authority  Authority derived from personality or likeability of a person  Why is charismatic authority dangerous? Write response, then discuss with neighbors.  Authority does not come from tradition or written law

Transfer of Authority  Orderly transfer of power is vital to social stability ○ Systems of Rational-Legal Authority have clearly defined systems (typically elections) that determine successor ○ Systems of Traditional Authority typically transfer power through family lines ○ Systems of Charismatic Authority- No rules of succession. Power is put up for grabs.

Who rules the United States?  Functionalist Theory  To protect themselves from oppression, people formed government  Pluralism spreads power amongst interest groups and prevents any one group from gaining power to oppress  Separation of Powers prevents one level from becoming too powerful  Checks and balances prevents one branch from becoming too powerful  Groups must work together to achieve goals, which minimizes conflict

Who Rules the United States?  Conflict Perspective Decisions that most impact the lives of Americans are made by the power elite ○ Power Elite- US corporations, military, and politicians who make major decisions All three groups of the power elite realize capitalism is essential to the welfare of the country US Corporations control national policy

With which theory do you agree?  Do you think that the conflict theory or the functionalist theory is more accurate? Explain!  Discuss with you neighbors.

Dumb Things Politicians Say.       