Political and Economic Systems Chapter 15

1. Political and Economic Systems Chapter 15

2. After studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following: Distinguish between authority and coercion. Understand the basic functions of the state. Know the basic features of capitalism. Distinguish between capitalism, socialism, and democratic socialism. Describe the basic features of political democracy. Contrast the functionalist and conflict theory views of the state. Describe the major features of the American political system.

3. Politics • The process by which power is distributed and decisions are made.

4. Politics, Power, and Authority Max Weber (1958a)-Power The ability to carry out one person’s or group’s will, even in the presence of resistance or opposition from others.

5. Political Authority • Power is an important part of many types of relationships that covers a broad spectrum of interactions. • At one pole is authority—power that is regarded as legitimate by those over whom it is exercised, who also accept the authority’s legitimacy in imposing sanctions or even in using force if necessary.

6. Coercion • Power that is regarded as illegitimate by those over whom it is exerted.

7. Three Kinds of authority identified by Weber (1957

8. Legal-Rational Authority Authority that is derived from the understanding that specific individuals have clearly defined rights and duties to uphold and implement rules and procedures impersonally.

9. Traditional Authority • Authority that is rooted in the assumption that the customs of the past legitimate the present—that things are as they always have been and basically should remain that way.

10. Weber noted that a charismatic leader—who is most likely to emerge during a period of crisis—will emerge when followers: • Perceive a leader as somehow supernatural • Blindly believe the leader’s statements • Unconditionally comply with the leader’s directives • Give the leader unqualified emotional commitment.

11. Charismatic Authority • Authority that derives from a ruler’s ability to inspire passion and devotion among followers.

12. Government and the State Functions of the State State is the institutionalized way of organizing power within territorial limits.

13. Those functions that the state performs: • establishing laws and norms • providing social control • ensuring economic stability • setting goals • protecting against outside threats.

14. Types of States

15. Autocracy • Ultimate authority and rule of the government rest with one person, who is the chief source of laws and the major agent of social control.

16. Totalitarianism • One group has virtually total control of the nation’s social institutions.

17. Typically, under totalitarian rule, several elements interact to concentrate political power. • A single political party • The use of terror • The control of the media • Control over the military apparatus • Control of the economy • An elaborate ideology

18. Democracy • Comes from the Greek words demos, meaning “people,” and kratia, meaning “authority.” • Refers to a political system operating under the principles of constitutionalism, representative government, majority rule, civilian rule, and minority rights. • Constitutionalism • means that government power is limited.

19. A basic feature of democracy is that it is rooted in representative government. • Representative government • The authority to govern is achieved through, and legitimized by, popular elections.

20. Functionalist and Conflict Theory Views of the State • Functionalists • Maintain that the state emerged because society grew so large and complex that only a specialized, central institution could manage society’s increasingly complicated and intertwined institutions

21. The Economy and the State

22. Capitalism An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production, and in which resource allocation depends largely on market forces.

23. According to Smith, capitalism has four features: Private property Freedom of choice Freedom of competition Freedom from government interference.

24. Socialism Economic system in which the sources of production—including factories, raw materials, and transportation and communication systems—are collectively owned.

25. The Capitalist View of Socialism • No Incentive to Increase Production • Waste of Resources • Over-regulation and Inflexibility • Corruption of Power

26. Democratic socialism Convergence of capitalist and socialist economic theory in which the state assumes ownership of strategic industries and services, but allows other enterprises to remain in private hands.

27. Political Change Institutionalized Political Change Rebellions Revolutions

28. Institutionalized Political Change • Democracies, the institutional provision for the changing of leaders is implemented through elections. • Dictatorships and totalitarian societies, if a leader unexpectedly dies, is debilitated, or is deposed, a crisis of authority may occur. • In dictatorships, illegal, violent means must often be used by an opposition to overthrow a leader or the government, because no democratic means exist whereby a person or group can be legally voted out of power.

29. Rebellions Attempts—typically through armed force—to achieve rapid political change that is not possible within existing institutions.

30. Revolutions • Attempts at rapidly and dramatically changing a society’s previously existing structure. Political Revolutions • Relatively rapid transformations of state government structures that are not accompanied by changes in social structure or stratification Social Revolutions • Rapid and basic transformations of a society’s state and class structures.

32. Voting Behavior Characteristics Percentage Voting 2006

33. Characteristics of members of the 111th Congress Senators Representatives

34. The Role of the Media • In the beginning stages of presidential nomination campaigns, for example, a candidate’s goal is typically to do something that will generate news coverage and stimulate campaign contributions. • The media decide which of many possible interpretations to give to campaign events. • The media exercise discretion in how favorably candidates are presented in the news. • Newspaper editors and publishers may officially endorse a candidate.

35. Special-Interest Groups • Lobbying • Attempts by special-interest groups to influence government policy. • Political Action Committees Special-Interest groups called political action committees (PACS) • organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates.