Social Institutions: Politics SOC 101 Chapter 12

What Is a Social Institution? An organized sphere of social life, or societal subsystem, designed to meet human needs Major social institutions include the economy, politics, the family, religion, education, and medicine

Focus on Politics Politics or “the polity” is the social institution that distributes power, sets a society’s agenda, and makes decisions

What Is Power? Ability to achieve desired ends despite resistance from others

What Is Authority? Authority is legitimate power. This is power that people accept as right.

What Is Coercion? It is illegitimate power that people do not accept as just.

Weber’s Typology Max Weber identified three sources of authority: traditional, rational-legal, and charismatic.

Traditional Authority It is based on custom or tradition. Pre-industrial societies Declines as societies industrialize

Rational-Legal Authority It is power legitimized by rationally enacted law

Charismatic Authority Based on an individual’s outstanding traits which attract followers Examples - Joan of Arc, Gandhi, Hitler

Global Political Systems Generally, they fall into four categories: monarchy, democracy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism

Monarchy A type of political system in which a single family rules from generation to generation Common in preindustrial societies – only 28 today Examples – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait

Democracy A type of political system which gives power to the people as a whole Freedom House lists 85 nations as free (2000) with respect for civil liberties

Authoritarianism A political system that denies popular participation in government Examples – Iraq, Ethiopia

Totalitarianism A highly centralized political system that extensively regulates people’s lives Emerged during the 20 th century Examples – Nazi Germany, U.S.S.R., North Korea Examples span the political spectrum From fascist regimes to communist regimes

Politics in the United States Political culture emphasizes individualism Rise of the welfare state – a range of government agencies and programs that provides benefits to the population Today, one official to serve every 14 citizens (about 20 million government employees)

The Political Spectrum Ranges from extremely liberal on the left to extremely conservative on the right Most people are not consistently either liberal or conservative Examples: social conservative vs. fiscal conservative

Party Identification It is weak in U.S. A recent survey (1999) found: 47% identified themselves as Democrats, 34% as Republicans, 17% as independents

Voter Apathy U. S. citizens are less likely to vote today than they were a century ago In 2000, only half of registered voters voted How do you account for voter apathy?

Theoretical Analysis of Politics Three competing models of power have emerged: the pluralist, the elite, and the Marxist The pluralist model sees power as dispersed among many competing interest groups

David Riesman’s Pluralist Theory of Power He argues that power is dispersed. Sees two levels: 1. “Veto groups” - or interest groups 2. The public - sought as an ally by interest groups; often uninvolved

Mills’ Power Elite Theory Power elite is composed of top political, economic, and military leaders. Views power as a pyramid with three levels.

Domhoff’s Elite Theory He argues that the upper class is a ruling class that dominates decision- making. Warren Buffett

The Marxist Model An analysis that explains politics in terms of the operation of a society’s economic system It views power as concentrated

Which Theory is Correct? Answer is not yet conclusive. Further research is needed.

Power Beyond the Rules Political revolution is the overthrow of one political system in order to establish another Revolutions share a number of traits: 1. Rising expectations 2. Unresponsive government 3. Radical leadership by intellectuals 4. Establishing a new legitimacy

Davies’ J-Curve Theory of Revolution Revolution is likely to occur when a prolonged period of economic and political advancement is followed by a sharp downturn

Terrorism Acts of violence or the threat of such violence used by an individual or a group as a political strategy

Closing Activity 1. Why is terrorism so important in the modern world? True-False Items: 2. Rational-legal authority is based on written rules. 3. Charismatic authority tends to be more stable than traditional authority.