Chapter 14: Politics and Government

Power and Authority

Politics involves the distribution and exercise of power within a society, while the polity refers to the political institution through which power is distributed and exercised. Power is the ability to have one’s will carried out despite resistance, and legitimate authority is power considered just and appropriate by those over whom it is exercised.

• Traditional authority: Rooted in long-standing beliefs and practices of a society.

• Rational-legal authority: Derives from law and is based on the legitimacy of a society’s laws and rules.

• Charismatic authority: Stems from an individual’s extraordinary personal qualities and their influence over followers.

Example: Monarchies often rely on traditional authority, while modern democracies rely on rational-legal authority.

Types of Political Systems

Political systems vary in how power is distributed and exercised among citizens and leaders.

• Democracy: Citizens govern themselves directly or indirectly. In direct democracies, people make decisions directly; in representative democracies, they elect officials to represent them. Voting is a defining feature.

• Monarchy: Power resides in a single family, passed from generation to generation. Absolute monarchies claim divine right and exercise significant power; constitutional monarchies have ceremonial roles with real power held by elected officials.

• Authoritarianism: Power is held by an individual or group, restricting popular participation and repressing dissent.

• Totalitarianism: More repressive than authoritarianism, these systems attempt to control all aspects of citizens’ lives.

Example: The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, while North Korea is a totalitarian state.

Theories of Power and Society

Sociologists analyze how power is distributed in society through different theoretical perspectives.

• Pluralist theory: Political power is dispersed among several competing groups (veto groups). No one group dominates in the long run. This is a functionalist perspective.

• Elite theories: Power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, families, or organizations. C. Wright Mills’s power elite refers to leaders from government, business, and the military who control society for their own interests. This is a conflict perspective.

Comparison: Pluralist theory assumes equal competition among groups, while elite theories argue that a small ruling class holds disproportionate power.

Politics in the United States

Political Ideology and Parties

Political ideology refers to views on social, political, and economic issues. Political parties are organizations that support specific positions and seek to elect candidates to represent those positions.

Distribution of Political Ideologies

Americans identify as liberal, moderate, or conservative in varying proportions. These ideologies are closely linked to party affiliation.

Political Participation

Political participation is essential for democracy. The most common form is voting, but it also includes campaigning, donating, and contacting officials. Voter turnout in the U.S. is lower than in many other democracies.

• Political alienation: Lack of faith that voting makes a difference.

• Correlates of participation: Higher resources, psychological engagement, and interpersonal networks increase participation.

Example: Older, wealthier, and more educated citizens are more likely to vote.

Barriers to Voting

Felony disenfranchisement and voting restrictions disproportionately affect marginalized groups, especially Black Americans. Recent legal changes have further restricted voting rights in some states.

Special-Interest Groups and Lobbying

Political action committees (PACs) and lobbying groups influence the political process by raising and spending money on campaigns and issues. There is debate over whether this influence is beneficial or harmful to democracy.

• PACs argue they inform officials and support like-minded candidates.

• Critics argue they buy influence and undermine democratic processes.

War and Terrorism

War

War can be international (between nations) or civil (within a nation). Sociologists debate whether war is rooted in biology or culture, with evidence suggesting cultural and social factors are more significant.

• Costs of war: Heavy financial and human costs, including diversion of resources from social needs.

Terrorism

Terrorism is defined by the use of violence, the goal of instilling fear, and the desire for political, social, economic, or cultural change. Types of terrorism include:

• Vigilante terrorism: Private citizens against other private citizens.

• Insurgent terrorism: Private citizens against their own government or institutions.

• Transnational terrorism: Citizens of one nation against targets in another nation.

• State terrorism: Government violence to frighten and suppress its own citizens.

Scholars argue that terrorism often has structural roots and is a rational response to grievances. Efforts to stop terrorism include law enforcement/military approaches and structural-reform approaches, with the latter favored for addressing root causes.

Key Terms

• Politics

• Polity

• Power

• Legitimate authority

• Traditional authority

• Rational-legal authority

• Charismatic authority

• State

• Government

• Political system

• Democracy

• Monarchy

• Authoritarianism

• Totalitarianism

• Pluralist theory

• Elite theories

• Power elite

• Political ideology

• Political party

• Political alienation

• Felony disenfranchisement

• Political action committees (PACs)

• International war

• Civil war

• Terrorism

• Vigilante terrorism

• Insurgent terrorism

• Transnational terrorism

• State terrorism