Final Flashcards
(143 cards)
Contention
oThe pursuit of collective goods largely outside of formal political institutions ( linked to revolts/ social movements)
Social Revolution
Revolution that changes social and political structures; how power and resources are distributed in society
* Marx: social revolutions change class structure
* Class: groups linked together by economic interest or activity
Political Revolution
Revolutions that primarily alter political institutions rather than social and economic structures
* Not typically considered one of the “great” social revolutions
* Changed political regime, but not social structure
* Different from coup d’état
Social Movements
o Ongoing, organized, and sustained collective action oriented towards a goal of social change
o Often considered as a healthy part of civil society
Participants are connected via social networks- structures of social ties and connections among individuals
o Organizations created to help maintain and lead social movement activity over time are called social movement organization
Iron law of oligarchy
organizational leadership necessarily created its own interest
Political Violence
o Politically motivated violence beyond state control; operates beyond state sovereignty, neither war nor crime, seeking to achieve some political objective though the use of force
State’s monopoly of violence or force over territory
But such monopoly is not perfect within and without state boundaries
Institutional Political Violence
institutions may encourage or cause violence
Ideational Political Violence
ideas may justify promoting the use of violence
Individual Political Violence
Psychological or Strategic factors may lead people to carry out violence
Insurgencies
contention with formalized military conflict
Organized, armed actors contesting state power
Insurgents often claim to make revolutions
Guerrilla tactics are common in insurgencies
civil war
sustained military conflict between domestic actors
Its typically between insurgents and the state, but it can be between non-state actors
terrorism
a tactic that violence directed against non-military targets
Narrower definitions may include:
* Victims are civilians
* Violence is to instill fear in population
* Violence is intended to bring political change
It is typically conducted by non-state networks of actors
Why Do revolutions/Contention/Social Movements Happen? (Relative Deprivation and social disequilibrium)
Theory: major changes cause social strain or conflict increases demand for revolution
* Social political equilibrium changes equilibrium disrupted revolution
Relative deprivation: having or feeling that one has less than some reference group
This can include one’s own group over time
Why Do revolutions/Contention/Social Movements Happen? (Resource Mobilization and Political Opportunities)
Focuses on ability to mobilize resources and utilize political openings
* Demand for revolution matters less than opportunities to organize or revolt
Theory: state breakdown creates political opportunity for revolution
* State loses power to stifle dissent
* Elites may conflict and split from one another
Theory: Organizational Resources matter
* Urban workers close together can mobilize
* New communications and media matters
* Financing of revolution matters
Rational Choice Theory
As a rational actor should you join the revolution
Theory: rationality of joining a revolution depends upon upping individual benefits, lowering risks, etc.
Culture or framing explanations (contention/revolts)
Theory: ability to frame revolution in meaningful way shapes success
Framing: the way in which a given situation is described and understood, with implications for how it might be addressed
Culture is key to how people frame issues
* Idea of revolution itself
* Nationalism
* ideology
Political culture
o A set of beliefs or a meaning system that people hold about politics and related matters
o Often associated with beliefs, values, norms, orientations, attitudes
Modernity
o Often refers to a type of society, typically one having experienced economic development and a relatively strong modern state, and is associated with a particular set of socio-cultural norms, attitudes, and practices
Modernization
process by which society becomes more modern
Political attitudes
o Can be broadly understood as views towards politics, political affairs, and state policies
o Regarding the pace and scope of change in the balance between equality and freedom
o Types: radical, liberal, conservative, reactionary
Ideology
o Highly organized systems of ideas about politics to systematically coordinated and cognitively salient set of beliefs focused on politics or set of political values regarding the fundamental goals of politics
Liberalism
individual freedoms, representative democracy, and market economy
Fascism
authoritarian ideology favoring militarism and right-wing national
anti-democratic
Socialism
emphasizes economic equality. To be pursued through state action
emphasizes group over individual