Sociology Chapter 17- Politics and Government

politics

the social institution that distrubutes power, sets a society’s goals, and makes decisions

power

the ability to achieve desired ends despite resistance from others

government

a formal organization that directs the political life of a society

authority

power that people perceive as legitimate rather than coercive

Max Weber claimed that raw power is transformed into legitimate authority in 3 ways

1. traditional authority 2. rational-legal authority (bureaucratic authority) 3. Charismatic authority

traditional authority

power legitimized by respect for long-established cultural patterns

rational-legal authority

power legitimized by legally enacted rules and regulations; also known a bureaucratic authority

charismatic authority

power legitimized by extraordinary personal abilities that inspire devotion and obedience (i.e. Hitler, Gandhi, Jesus)

routinization of charisma

the transformation of charismatic authority into some combination of traditional and bureaucratic authority

monarchy

a political system in which a single family rules from generation to generation *common in agrarian societies *leadership is based on kinship *during the Middle Ages, absolute monarchs claimed to rule by divine right

democracy

a political system that gives power to the people as a whole *common in modern societies *leadership is linked to elected office *bureaucracy and economic inequality limit true democracy in high-income countries today

authoritarianism

a political system that denies the people participation in government *absolute monarchies and military juntas are examples of authoritarian regimes

totalitarianism

a highly centralized political system that extensively regulates peoples lives *governments allow no organized opposition *they rule by fear

constitutional monarchies

monarchs are symbolic heads of state, actual governing is the responsibility of elected officials, led by a prime minister and guided by a constitution

Political Freedom

in 2010 out of 195 independent countries– 87-politically "free" 60-"partly-free" 48- "not free"

A new global political system?

*multinational corporations have created a new political order because their enormous wealth gives them the power to shape world events *in computer age governments can no longer control the flow of info across their borders

welfare state

a system of government agencies and programs that provides benefits to the population

special-interest group

people organized to address some economic or social issue *advance the political aims of specific segments of the population *employ lobbyists to get members of congress to support their goals

political action committee (PAC)

an organization formed by a special-interest group, independent of political parties to raise and spend money in support of political goals *play a powerful role in electoral politics *channel most of their funds directly to candidates like to support their interests

Voting in the U.S.

2000 presidential campaign, only 1/2 eligible voters, voted 2008 campaign – rose to 63% *typically people with a bigger stake in U>S. society are more likely to vote. (homeowners, parents with young kids, educated, good jobs, good income) * all states but 2 bar prisoners from voting

Affluent people tend to be conservative on ___________issues and liberal on _____________issues.

economic; social

The concept of "government" refers to the formal organization that directs the political life of a society. T or F

True

According to Max Weber, authority is just another word for power

false

Traditional authority gains importance as a society becomes industrialized.

false

Authority refers to power that people perceive as coercive.

false

Traditional authority is one source of strength for patriarchy.

true

Charismatic authority is based on extraordinary personal abilities.

true

Rational-legal authority is also called "bureaucratic authority" because it is legitimized by legally enacted rules and regulations.

true

Weber’s idea of the routinization of charisma is the claim that charisma does not exist in the modern world.

false

In absolute monarchies, hereditary rulers claim a virtual monopoly of power based on divine right.

true

Democracy and rational-legal authority are linked, just as monarchy and traditional authority are linked.

true

More than 90 percent of the world’s people live in nations that are considered to be politically free.

false

An examination of socialist and capitalist systems suggests that political liberty and economic equality almost always go together.

true

Authoritarian governments give people little voice in politics.

true

In a totalitarian political system, one political organization claims total control of society

true

Just as the economy is becoming more and more global, so is the world developing a single global political system.

false

In terms of expenditures per person, federal budget is about the same size today as it was when this nation was founded more than two centuries ago.

false

African Americans tend to be more politically liberal than whites.

true

Gay rights is one example of a social issue.

true

Most people in the United States strongly identify with one or the other major political party.

false

Special interest groups represent liberal interests, while political action committees represent conservative interests.

false

In the 2008 presidential election, rural people tended to support the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama.

false

In the United States, African Americans are much more likely than Hispanic Americans to vote in national elections.

true

In almost all of the states, people serving sentences in prison cannot vote.

true

The pluralist model states that the United States is far less democratic than most people would like to think.

false

The sociologist closely associated with the power-elite model is C. Wright Mills.

true

The Marxist political-economy model suggests that capitalist societies are democratic, giving some political voice to everyone.

false

Political revolutions tend to occur when and where living standards are the lowest.

false

Extensive civil liberties make democratic societies more vulnerable to terrorism.

true

Terrorism is considered to be a new form of asymmetrical warfare.

false

The concept "military-industrial complex" refers to the close association among the federal government, the military, and defense industries.

true

Nuclear proliferation is the process by which the two superpowers engage in an arms race.

false

political revolution

the overthrow of one political system in order to establish another

terrorism

acts of violence or the threat of violence used as a political strategy by an individual or a group *used by a group against a much more powerful enemy *state terrorism is the use of violence by government officials as a way to control the population *who or what is defined as terrorist depends on one’s political perspective *is an unconventional form of warfare

pluralist model

an analysis of politics that sees power as spread among many competing interest groups *claims that political power is spread widely in U.S. *linked to structural functional theory

power-elite model

an analysis of politics that sees power as concentrated among the rich *claims that power is concentrated in a small, wealthy segment of the population *based on the ideas of C Wright Mills *linked to social-conflict theory

Marxist political-economy model

an analysis that explains politics in terms of the operation of a society’s economic system *claims that our political agenda is determined by a capitalist economy, so true democracy is impossible *based on ideas of Karl Marx *linked to social-conflict theory

Revolutions:

*occur during periods of rising expectations and when governments are unwilling to reform themselves *are usually led by intellectuals *must establish a new legitimacy in the eyes of the people

war

organized armed conflict among the people of two or more nations directed by their governments

military industrial complex

the close association of the federal government, the military, and defense industries

nuclear proliferation

the acquisition of nuclear weapons technology by more and more nations

Causes of war:

*people perceive a threat to their way of life *governments want to divert public attention from social problems at home *governments want to achieve a specific political or moral objective *governments can find no alternatives to resolving conflicts

Pursuing Peace approaches include:

*deterrence *high technology defense *diplomacy and disarmament *resolution of underlying conflict

Politics is a social institution that is defined in terms of a society’s
a. distribution of power, goals, and decision making.
b. technology.
c. income distribution.
d. means of production

a

Max Weber defined power as
a. simply a reflection of wealth.
b. the ability to achieve desired ends, despite resistance.
c. the operation of a government.
d. the source of all bureaucracy.

b

Which of the following concepts refers to the formal organization that directs the political life of a society?
a. the political system
b. rational-legal authority
c. the power elite
d. government

d

Preindustrial societies, explained Max Weber, are characterized by having
a. mostly traditional authority.
b. mostly rational-legal authority.
c. mostly charismatic authority.
d. no authority at all.

a

Industrialization decreases the importance of which type of authority?
a. traditional authority
b. rational-legal authority
c. charismatic authority
d. no authority at all

a

As Max Weber saw it, the essential difference between power and authority is
a. authority is more rational.
b. people perceive authority as legitimate, rather than coercive.
c. raw power is always the foundation of justice.
d. power is more efficient in getting the job done.

b

Which of Weber’s types of authority rests on extraordinary personal abilities that inspire devotion in followers?
a. traditional authority
b. rational-legal authority
c. charismatic authority
d. None of these is correct.

c

People who attract followers, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, display
a. traditional authority.
b. rational-legal authority.
c. charismatic authority.
d. power rather than authority.

c

Max Weber said that with charismatic authority, a crisis results with
a. the death of the leader.
b. the fact that few people follow a charismatic leader.
c. the fact that charisma existed only in the ancient world.
d. All of these are correct.

a

What Weber called the "routinization of charisma" involves charismatic authority
a. disappearing entirely.
b. becoming a reflection of a leader’s unique personality.
c. becoming sheer force.
d. transforming into some combination of traditional authority and rational-legal authority.

d

Which of the following concepts refers to a political system in which a single family rules from generation to generation?
a. democracy
b. monarchy
c. totalitarianism
d. oligopoly

b

In which of the following types of societies would you expect to find monarchy as the political system?
a. hunting and gathering
b. industrial
c. ancient agrarian
d. postindustrial

c

In Max Weber’s view, monarchy claims legitimacy based on
a. traditional authority.
b. charismatic authority.
c. rational-legal authority.
d. sheer force.

a

Which of the following concepts refers to a political system in which power resides in the hands of the people as a whole?
a. democracy
b. monarchy
c. totalitarianism
d. aristocracy

a

Which nations in the world today claim to be democratic?
a. all low-income nations
b. no nations
c. most high-income nations
d. all nations

c

For which of the following reasons might you argue that the United States is not truly democratic?
a. There is a lot of economic inequality.
b. Millions of bureaucratic officials are not elected.
c. Rich people have much more influence on our way of life than poor people.
d. All of these are correct.

d

In 2010, about what percentage of the world’s people lived in countries that can be considered politically "free"?
a. 3 percent
b. 23 percent
c. 43 percent
d. 63 percent

c

The concept "political economy" refers to
a. any system in which people are unequal.
b. the interplay of politics and economics.
c. democratic political systems.
d. the most efficient form of government.

b

Capitalist societies base their claim to democracy on
a. people having personal liberty.
b. meeting the basic needs of all.
c. maintaining public order.
d. their high living standards.

a

Socialist societies base their claim to democracy on
a. people having personal liberty.
b. meeting the basic needs of all.
c. maintaining public order.
d. their high living standards.

b

The concept "authoritarian" refers to a political system that
a. is well legitimated.
b. relies on more than one kind of authority.
c. denies most people participation in government.
d. has free elections.

c

A totalitarian political system
a. mixes politics with religion.
b. is completely democratic.
c. is government without any bureaucracy.
d. concentrates power and closely regulates people’s lives.

d

Which of the following nations comes closest to having a political system that is "totalitarian"?
a. Mexico
b. France
c. North Korea
d. Japan

c

Which of the following statements correctly describes how the U.S. population falls on the political spectrum?
a. About 40 percent of people are moderates who fall near the political center.
b. About 40 percent fall on the political left.
c. About 40 percent fall on the political right.
d. About 40 percent claim to have no political opinions at all.

a

Which from the following list would be described as an economic issue?
a. the abortion controversy
b. poverty
c. gay rights
d. the family values debate

b

general, high-income people tend to be _____ on social issues and _____ on economic issues.
a. conservative; conservative
b. liberal; liberal
c. liberal; conservative
d. conservative; liberal

c

People with lower social standing in the United States tend to be _____ on social issues and _____ on economic issues.
a. conservative; conservative
b. liberal; liberal
c. liberal; conservative
d. conservative; liberal

d

The National Rifle Association is an example of a(n)
a. special-interest group.
b. political action committee.
c. intergovernmental organization.
d. All of the above are correct.

a

Which of the following statements about political parties in the United States is true?
a. Democrats have had control of Congress for more than twenty years.
b. Most people claim to be either a strong Republican or a strong Democrat.
c. National political power tends to swing from one party to the other over time.
d. The last five presidents have all been Republicans.

c

In the United States, _____ people tend to vote Democratic, while _____ people mostly vote Republican.
a. rural; urban
b. urban; rural
c. high-income; low-income
d. conservative; liberal

b

In the 2008 presidential election, about what percentage of registered voters actually went to the polls?
a. about 80 percent
b. about 63 percent
c. about 37 percent
d. about 29 percent

b

Which of the following categories of the U.S. population is LEAST likely to vote in national elections?
a. African Americans
b. white, non-Hispanic people
c. Hispanic people
d. All of these categories of people are equally likely to vote.

c

In general, how does income affect the likelihood of voting in the United States?
a. Most high-income people vote; most low-income people do not.
b. People of all income levels are about equally likely to vote.
c. Most low-income people vote; most high-income people do not.
d. Higher income increases the share of people who vote among women, but not men.

a

A pluralist approach to the U.S. political system suggests that
a. power is concentrated in the hands of a few.
b. an anti-democratic bias exists in the capitalist system.
c. power is widely dispersed throughout society.
d. many people do not vote because they are alienated from the political system.

c

A power-elite model of the U.S. political system suggests that
a. power is concentrated in the hands of a few.
b. an anti-democratic bias exists in the capitalist system.
c. power is widely dispersed throughout society.
d. many people do not vote because they are alienated from the political system.

a

The Marxist political-economy model suggests that
a. power is no longer concentrated in the hands of a few.
b. an anti-democratic bias exists in the capitalist system.
c. power is widely dispersed throughout society.
d. many people do not vote because they are satisfied with the political system

b

Which of the following statements is correct?
a. Political revolution almost always produces a left-wing government.
b. Political revolution almost always produces a right-wing government.
c. Political revolution almost always produces a democratic government.
d. Revolution can and does produce many types of government.

d

Which of the following is a factor encouraging political revolution?
a. rising expectation of a better life
b. unresponsive government
c. radical leadership by intellectuals
d. All of the responses are correct.

d

Terrorism refers to
a. the use of military force by a nation state.
b. the use or threat of violence as a political strategy by an individual or group.
c. organized, armed conflict between groups.
d. unorganized, violent conflict between any two parties.

b

In general, terrorism is the strategy favored by
a. a weak organization against a stronger foe.
b. a left-wing organization.
c. a right-wing organization.
d. a strong organization against a weaker foe.

a

Which of the following concepts refers to the use of violence by governments, often against their own people?
a. authoritarianism
b. state terrorism
c. totalitarianism
d. counterterrorism

b

Which statement about terrorism is TRUE?
a. Whether someone is a "terrorist" or a "freedom fighter" is often a matter of definition.
b. Democratic societies are especially vulnerable to terrorism.
c. Identifying and effectively targeting terrorists is usually difficult.
d. All of the responses are correct.

d

Which of all U.S. wars was the most deadly in terms of loss of (U.S.) lives?
a. the Civil War
b. World War I
c. World War II
d. the War in Iraq

a

With respect to war, the text explains that
a. human beings are naturally eager to engage in war.
b. there is nothing in our human biology that makes it natural to go to war.
c. nations usually fight wars simply over wealth.
d. All of the responses are correct.

b

A sociological profile of men and women in the U.S. armed forces today reveals a large share of young people who
a. are of working-class background.
b. are looking to the military for a job.
c.join the military to earn money for college or just to get out of a small home town.
d. All of the above are correct.

d

Terrorism has been called a new kind of warfare because
a. it is less violent.
b. it is "symmetrical," involving two
opponents of roughly equal power.
c. it lacks clearly stated objectives and is not about controlling territory.
d. All of the responses are correct.

c

About how much money does the world as a whole spend annually for military purposes?
a. $15 million
b. $150 million
c. $15 billion
d. $1.5 trillion

d

The arms race refers to efforts by the United States and the former Soviet Union to
a. reduce nuclear arsenals.
b. move to less deadly weapons.
c. increase their military power.
d. work together to wage war on other nations

c

The military-industrial complex refers to
a. the fact that war often destroys a country’s economic infrastructure.
b. the close link between the government, defense contractors, and the military.
c. the fact that the postindustrial economy is increasingly dominated by war production.
d. the fact that the military is the world’s largest industrial corporation.

b

For almost fifty years, what strategy has kept the peace between the world’s nuclear superpowers?
a. deterrence
b. high-technology defense
c. disarmament
d. resolving underlying differences

a

In 2011, a wave of popular uprisings seeking more democratic government swept across which region of the world?
a. sub-Saharan Africa
b. North America
c. South America
d. the Middle East

d