chapter 15: politics copyright © allyn & bacon 20051 sociology: a down-to-earth approach 7/e...

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005 1

Chapter 15: PoliticsChapter 15: Politics

Sociology: A Down-to-EarthSociology: A Down-to-EarthApproach 7/eApproach 7/e

Sociology: A Down-to-EarthSociology: A Down-to-EarthApproach 7/eApproach 7/e

James M. HenslinJames M. HenslinChapter Fifteen: PoliticsChapter Fifteen: PoliticsJames M. HenslinJames M. HenslinChapter Fifteen: PoliticsChapter Fifteen: Politics

This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;any rental, lease, or lending of the program.any rental, lease, or lending of the program.



“Power relations wherever they exist,

including those in your own life.”

What is Politics?What is Politics?What is Politics?What is Politics?



Micropolitics

Exercise of Power in Everyday Life

Macropolitics

Exercise of Power Over a Large Group

Micro and Macro PoliticsMicro and Macro PoliticsMicro and Macro PoliticsMicro and Macro Politics



Authority is Legitimate Power

Illegitimate Power is Coercion

Authority and Legitimate Violence

Governments Have Exclusive Rights to Violence

The Collapse of Authority

Revolution

Power, Authority, and ViolencePower, Authority, and ViolencePower, Authority, and ViolencePower, Authority, and Violence



Traditional Authority

Authority Based on Custom

Rational-Legal Authority

Authority Based on Written Rules

Charismatic Authority

Authority Freely and Graciously Given

Threat Posed by Charismatic Leaders




Authority as an Ideal Type

Traditional, Rational-Legal, Charismatic

Not Ideal or Desirable Necessarily

Transfer of Authority

Orderly from One Leader to Another




Monarchies

Democracies

Direct

Representative

Dictatorships and Oligarchies

Totalitarianism

Types of GovernmentsTypes of GovernmentsTypes of GovernmentsTypes of Governments



Political Parties and Elections

Democrats, Republicans, and Third Parties

Primaries and Elections

Centrism and Extremes

U.S. Political SystemU.S. Political SystemU.S. Political SystemU.S. Political System



Elections are Not Winner-Take-All

Based on System of Proportional

Representation

Encourages Non-Centrist Parties

Coalition Governments

Democratic Systems in EuropeDemocratic Systems in EuropeDemocratic Systems in EuropeDemocratic Systems in Europe



Non-Hispanic Whites Most Likely to Vote

African-Americans Next Most Likely

Latinos Least Likely to Vote

Voting PatternsVoting PatternsVoting PatternsVoting Patterns



Social Integration

Alienation and Apathy

Gender and Racial-Ethnic Gap in Voting

Voting PatternsVoting PatternsVoting PatternsVoting Patterns



Special Interest Groups are People Who

Think Alike on a Particular Issue and

Mobilize for Political Action

Lobbyists are People Paid to Influence

Legislation

Lobbyists and Special InterestsLobbyists and Special InterestsLobbyists and Special InterestsLobbyists and Special Interests



Elections are Expensive

Senate Campaign about $5,000,000

House Campaign about $800,000

PACs Contribute and are Owed

PAC Money Buys Votes

PACs in U.S. ElectionsPACs in U.S. ElectionsPACs in U.S. ElectionsPACs in U.S. Elections



Functionalist Perspective: Pluralism

Diffusion of Power Among Many

Checks and Balances

Who Rules the U.S.?Who Rules the U.S.?Who Rules the U.S.?Who Rules the U.S.?



Conflict Perspective: The Power Elite

Ruling Class

Top Business, Political, and Military Leaders

Not a Secret Group, Just Similar Backgrounds and

Orientations

Who Rules the U.S.?Who Rules the U.S.?Who Rules the U.S.?Who Rules the U.S.?



Is War Universal?

Human Aggression and Killing, Yes

War, No

How Common is War?

Humans Long for Peace but Glorify War

War is Very Common and Frequent

War and TerrorismWar and TerrorismWar and TerrorismWar and Terrorism



Why do Nations go to War?

Revenge

Power

Prestige

Unity


Positions

Ethnicity

Beliefs



Cost of War

Toll in Lives

Toll in Dollars

Sowing Seeds for Future Wars




Increased Emotional Distance from Others

Emphasis on Following Procedure

Inability to Resist Pressures

Diminished Sense of Personal

Responsibility

War and DehumanizationWar and DehumanizationWar and DehumanizationWar and Dehumanization



Globalization of Capitalism

Worldwide Flow of Information,

Goods, and Capital

Economic and Political Units that

Transcend National Boundaries

New World Order?New World Order?New World Order?New World Order?

chapter 15: politics copyright © allyn & bacon 20051 sociology: a down-to-earth approach 7/e...

Documents

politics copyright allyn

macro politics slide

politics james

violence slide

henslin chapter

copyright law

coercion authority

authority orderly