SOC101Y Introduction to Sociology Professor Robert Brym Lecture #17 Politics and Social Movements 6 March 13

Tunisian Lawyers Strike January 2011

 Hypothesis 1 (weakest): Twitter revolutions  Hypothesis 2: Youth rebellions  Hypothesis 3 (strongest): Urban working and middle class uprisings Hypotheses Regarding the Democratic Uprising in the Arab World

Major Characteristics of Canadian Democracy Today  Large, persistent, wealth-based inequalities in political influence and political participation  Widespread political apathy  A little left of centre

Voter Turnout, Canadian Federal Elections Voters as percent of eligible voters Voter turnout fell 19.5 percent from 1958 to 2011 and will drop below 50 percent in 2041 if current trends continue. YearAge Cohort Voter turnout is falling mainly because fewer young people vote than in the past. As these 2011 data show, the youngest Canadians are the least likely to vote. Voters as percent of eligible voters

Political Apathy and Cynicism, by Annual Household Income, Canada, 2004

Federal Political Contributors, by Income and Region, Canada, 1988 Contributors/10,000 tax filers Income category Region

LEFTRIGHT  Supports extensive government involvement in the economy;  a strong social safety net of health, education and welfare benefits to help the less well-off;  equal rights for women and racial and sexual minorities;  environmental protection by regulation.  Supports minimal government involvement in the economy;  a small welfare state;  individual initiative in stimulating economic growth;  traditional social and moral values;  a free market approach to the environment. Average Canadian Average American

How do Canada’s political parties vary from left to right? (percent of 2008 vote in parentheses) Note: The Left versus Right index is the percent of each party’s supporters who favour enhanced social spending supported by tax increases minus the percent who favour reduced social spending and tax cuts. (37.6) (10.0) (18.2) (6.8) (26.2) 61% left38% right

Consequences of Working Class Power in 18 Rich Countries, 1946–76 % non- agricultural workforce unionized Socialist share of government % of national income to top 10% of income earners % poor 2 mainly socialist countries 68.5High partly socialist countries 46.6Medium non- socialist countries 28.0Low

War  A war is a violent, armed conflict between politically distinct groups who fight to protect or increase their control of territory.  Wars may take place:  between countries (interstate war)  special type: colonial war, which involves a colony engaging in armed conflict with an imperial power to gain independence  within countries (civil or societal war)

Global Trends in Violent Conflict,

The Risk of War,

Type of Government by Income Category Income Category Percent Note: Democracy = rule by the citizenry; autocracy = absolute rule by a single person or party; intermediate = some elements of democracy (e.g, regular elections) and some of autocracy (e.g., no institutional checks on presidential power).

Forms of Modern Warfare,  The modern state increasingly monopolized the means of coercion.  As a result, regional, ethnic, and religious wars declined, and interstate warfare became the norm;  while conflict became more deadly, civilian life was pacified.

Changing Form of Warfare since World War II  There have been fewer interstate wars and more civil wars, guerilla wars, massacres, terrorist attacks, and instances of attempted ethnic cleansing and genocide perpetrated by militias, mercenaries, paramilitaries, suicide bombers, and so on.  Large-scale violence has increasingly been visited on civilian rather than military populations.

Total and Fatal Terrorist Attacks, All attacks Fatal attacks

Why Warfare Changed after World War II  Decolonization and separatist movements roughly doubled the number of weak, independent states in the world.  The USA, the USSR, China and Cuba often subsidized and sent arms to domestic opponents of regimes that were aligned against them.  The expansion of international trade in contraband provided separatist rebels with new means of support.