Sociology Study Guide Unit 4 Government & Politics

University:
Concordia University Wisconsin
Course:
SOC 1010 | Introduction to Sociology
Academic year:

2022
Views:

118

Pages:

2
Author:

levedzgetmo7f

Government & Politics Let’s talk about power! ● Many define power as the ability to exercise one’s will over others. As mentioned in the communism section, absolute power can corrupt governmental leaders. However, a government’s power isn’t always limited to its citizens. ○ Examples include Germany’s attempt to expand its influence during the Second World War and Britain’s history of colonization. ● But the pursuit of power has not always been for exploitative and abusive purposes. ○ For example, Martin Luther King. Jr and Mohandas Gandhi used nonviolent methods in order to gain enough political power to improve the lives of their respective groups. ● Technological advancements have made it easier to resort to nonviolence in an effort to inspire change. ○ Activists can now use cell phones and the internet to quickly communicate information and plans. The internet’s efficiency in demanding change is the reason why governments such as Myanmar, China, and Russia ban social media platforms and block the internet. Types of government ● Anarchy - The absence of organized government. ● Monarchy - A hereditary government in which a single queen or king rules until they die. ● Oligarchy - A government ruled by a small, elite group. ● Dictatorship - A government ruled by a single person (or very small group). ● Democracy - A form of government that aims to provide all citizens with an equal say in determining policy. Voter participation or lack thereof ● One would think that since African Americans and women have historically been excluded from the right to vote and actively fought to obtain that right, today’s Americans would value their power to vote and constantly exercise that power at every election. However, the opposite is the case. Despite many Americans critiquing political leadership, only about half the population votes in every election ● In some elections, less than half the population casts their ballots. According to the 2011 United States Elections Project, only 37.8% of the population voted in elections. A lack of voter participation can lead to drastically different election results than if more people voted. This is especially the case if one particular group participates more in elections. Different perspectives on government ● Functionalism states that the government has the following purposes: plan and direct society, meet social needs, maintain law and order, and manage international relationships. Followers of functionalism believe the government and politics are a way to impose norms and control conflict. They are opposed to change and instead value agreement and order. ● Conflict theory is about the inequalities in society as well as power differences. Notable figures in this theory are Karl Marx and C. Wright Mills. ○ Marx believed that conflict was the only way for the disadvantaged to achieve equality. ○ Mills expanded on some of Marx’s ideas by creating the concept of the power elite. He believed they were a small group who controlled a lot of society by using the government to create policies that helped to maintain their wealth.