1. Politics under a sociology microscope concerns social interactions among individuals and groups and their impact on the larger political and economic order.

2.  Power is the ability to exercise one’s will over another being.  Power relations involve large organizations, small groups, or even people in an intimate relationship such as in a marriage.  Power is seen both on the global and national stage as corporations vie to control access of resources on both fronts and manage the distribution of capital.

3. Who Holds the Power in your household?

4. Force-Actual or threatened use of coercion to impose one will over others. Influence – Exercise of power through the process of persuasion. Authority – Institutionalized power that is recognized by the people over whom it is exercised. Most authority is through the gaining of elected or publicly acknowledged positions. A person’s authority is often limited to certain powers that are entitled to their position.

5. Weber identified three different types of ideal authority:  Traditional  Rational-Legal  Charismatic Weber did not insist that only one type of authority exists for each society, but that a mixture of these authorities are at play in most societies.

6.  Legitimate power is conferred by custom and accepted practice.  Rests in custom rather then personal characteristics, technical competence, or written law.  Power is accepted because that is the way things have always been done. Traditional authority becomes absolute when the ruler has the ability to determine laws and policies unchallenged.

7.  Power that is created by legitimate law. Power is received from written rules and regulations of the political system.  Leaders that are chosen are thought to have specific areas of competence and authority, but by no means are considered endowed with divine powers given from a higher being.

8.  Power that is made legitimate by a leader’s exceptional personal or emotional appeal to his or her followers.  Charisma allows a person to lead or inspire without relying on set rules or traditions.  Leaders who use charismatic authority often gain power by breaking established institutions and advocating dramatic change in social structure.

9. What authorities are seen in the United States? Elaborate

10. There are five types of governments that exist: 1) Oligarchy 2) Monarchy 3) Dictatorship 4) Totalitarianism 5) Democracy

11.  A form of government that is headed by one member of the royal family.  Leader is seen as being blessed with divine power.  Rulers in a monarchy gain their power from tradition.  Today most monarchs have little power.

12.  A few individuals share power and make decisions.  Power can be gained by elections or by force, usually between military rulers.  Some argue that democracy at its base is a oligarchy ruled by “ Elite Leaders” in big business, government, and the military.

13.  One person has all the power, including the ability to create and enforce laws that he/she seems fit.  Rule is usually acquired and reinforced by coercion and force.  Most dictators seize power rather then elected, however some dictators have received their power through elections but refused to surrender their power.  Dictators usually have charisma and are majorly popular in the nation however some dictators are also hated by the people they control.  Most dictators stay in power due to the fear they establish in the people that they rule over.

14.  The government virtually controls and keeps surveillance over all aspects of life.

15. Democracy originated in Greece and means “The Common People Rule” There are two different types of democracy: 1) Representative Democracy 2) Direct Democracy Direct democracy is impractical and impossible in largely populated nations such as the United States therefore the most common democracy seen today is a representative democracy.

16.  Voters elect individuals with similar views who speak for the people and cast votes on issues that appeal to the voters that elected them.  Representative democracy works best when every citizen casts a ballot for someone to represent them.  When people fail to exercise their right to vote the entire country is not being heard as majority.

17. Is a representative democracy really democracy at its root?

18. If not explain what type of government representative democracy falls under.

19.  Over the last 100 years voter turnout has declined drastically from 80% to a little more then 60%.  The U.S. is ranked 114 th in voter turnout. No other industrialized nation has ever recorded a lower turnout.  Voter turnout is low among members of racial and ethnic minorities.

20.  Political strength is lacking in women, both at the polls and in elected seats.  Only 16 out of 100 senators are women as of 2007.  It has been seen that female canidates are seen differently in the media then male canidates, one reason why people believe women have not been successful at the polls.  The U.S.ranks 84 th out of 189 nations in the proportion of women serving as national legislation as of 2007.  To combat this many countries have established laws that set aside a certain amount of seats for women. 32 countries as of right now have some sort o women quota.

21. Wait a second …. Voting is free and allows you to have a say in your government. What are some reasons that explain why many people do not vote?

22.  Karl Marx believed that 19 th century democracy was faulty. He believed that industrial societies were controlled by a small amount of people who owned factories and controlled natural resources.  Marx believed that society was ruled by a small group of individuals that had similar political and economic interests.

23.  Mills describes a small group of military, big business, and government leaders who control the fate of the United States.  The difference between Karl Marx and Mill’s theory is that Mills believed that the economically powerful coordinate their manuevers with the military and political establishments to serve their interests.