Module 8

Question 1

Max Weber: Power

Answer 1

-“The ability to exercise one’s will over others”
~Power affects more than personal relationships: it shapes larger dynamics like social groups, professional organization, corporations, governments, and nation-state interactions.
~A dominant nation-state often uses its clout to influence or support other governments or to seize control, influence, and even rule other notion-states.
*Soft power
**Getting a country to jump on board with a treaty.
*Hard power
** Actual force used (Wars)

Question 2

Coercion

Answer 2

-Treat or use of violence to force compliance
~Costly, difficult, and requires surveillance and suppression.
~Vulnerable to instability

Question 3

Legitimate Authority

Answer 3

-Power recognized as rightful by those over whom it is exercised
~Based on consent by those who are governed

Question 4

Ideology

Answer 4

-Refers to a set of ideas, beliefs, and values that are used to understand the world
~Ideology can be understood as a comprehensive way of looking at things
~”Total systems of thought held by society’s ruling groups that obscure the real conditions and thereby preserving the status quo.” Karl Mannheim

Question 5

Types of political ideology you should know

Answer 5

• Conservatism
• Liberalism
• Fascism
• Neoliberalism

Question 6

Conservatism

Answer 6

-Often values hierarchy

Question 7

Liberalism

Answer 7

-We need to free up stuff from the hierarchy

Question 8

Fascism

Answer 8

-A product that comes from crisis

Question 9

Neoliberalism

Answer 9

-We need to get the government totally out of the economy
-We destroy or undermined the governing meninism in which people at least in principle can participate to the extent to the society democratic
~To create the perfect storm

Question 10

Nation-states

Answer 10

-Governments have sovereign power within defined territorial areas, and populations are citizen who know themselves to be part of single nations

Question 11

Nations

Answer 11

-People with a common identity that ideally includes shared culture, language, and feelings of belonging to a specific territory

Question 12

State

Answer 12

-A political apparatus ruling over a given territorial order, whose authority is backed by law and the ability to use force
~Distributes power and resources. Sets society’s goals and makes decisions, provides formalized laws and is backed by military force.
~Has monopoly over the use of violence
-Reflects more homogeneity that what really exists
-Exist within a larger interstate system

Question 13

Characteristics of the State

Answer 13

-Political System
-Sovereignty
-Citizenship
-The Welfare
State
-Nationalism
~All lead to Nation-States

Question 14

Democracy

Answer 14

-A political system that allows mass participation by its citizens to engage in the political decision making process or to elect representatives to government bodies
~The rule by the people
~Elements of a democratic political system

Question 15

Elements of a democratic political system

Answer 15

• Universal adult suffrage
• All adult can vote
• Competitive and open elections
• Anyone can come in and participate
• More than 1 political party
• Alternative sources of information
• Free press

Question 16

Authuritarianism

Answer 16

-A system that denies popular participation in government and has limited/denied rights. Coercion often utilized
~Some societal institutional autonomy
~Populist authoritarianism: characterized by assertive leadership valuing security over civil liberties
*Dominant group frames itself as the victim and romanticize the past
*Committed to order over justice

Question 17

Totalitarianism

Answer 17

-Highly centralized political system that extensively regulates peoples lives. No political participation/rights. No limit to state power
~Strong ideological control

Question 18

Citizenship

Answer 18

-Members of political community, who have both rights and duties associated with that membership
~Horizontal membership

Question 19

Horizontal membership

Answer 19

-All citizenship of a nation-state are seen as equals and have equal treatment under the state.

Question 20

Civil rights

Answer 20

-Legal rights held by all citizen in a given national community
~Bill of Rights

Question 21

Political rights

Answer 21

-Rights of political participation, such as the right to vote in local and national elections, held by citizens of a national community.

Question 22

Social right

Answer 22

-Rights of social and welfare provision held by all citizens in a national community, including for example, the right to claim unemployment benefits and sickness payments provided by the state

Question 23

Sovereignty

Answer 23

-The undisputed political rule over a given territorial area by a government
~”Failed states”

Question 24

The Welfare State

Answer 24

-The government’s contributions to the promotion and protection of citizens and their wellbeing
~Examples of benefits provided by the welfare state
*Social Security
*Labor Laws
*State colleges and universities
*Minimum wage
*Public Education

Question 25

Nationalism

Answer 25

-A set of beliefs and symbols, expressing identification with a national or political community
~Examples
*Nazi Germany, US after 9/11, etc
~Currently we are witnessing a global resurgence of nationalism that is anit-globalization and antiimmigrant

Question 26

Patriotism

Answer 26

-The feeling of attachment, commitment, and allegiance to the nation

Question 27

Jingoism

Answer 27

-Extreme and belligerent patriotism, often xenophobic and chauvinistic, coupled with a aggressive and forceful foreign policy

Question 28

Functionalist Approach: Pluralist Theory

Answer 28

-Enohasizes the role of diverse and potentially competing interest groups play in the political process, none of which dominates the entire political arena
~Competing interests balance out power and keep it from becoming centralized
~To achieve a majority of votes, parties must be responsive to diverse interests groups

Question 29

Critique

Answer 29

-Assumes all interests are heard with equal importance and have specific interests groups representing all interests

Question 30

Conflict Perspective: The Power Elitw

Answer 30

-Small networks of individuals who hold concentrated power in modern societies
~Occupy the highest levels of power decide formally and informally key decisions affecting both foreign and domestic policies
~Those holding the highest positions in the three institutional areas all share similar social backgrounds and networks
~Composed mainly of white Anglo-Saxon Protestants’ from wealthy families who have attended the same prestigious universities, etc.

Question 31

Who are the Power Elite?

Answer 31

• The federal government
• Corporations
• The military

Question 32

Critique

Answer 32

-Assumes elites always have the same interests and work together

Question 33

The Military Industrial Complex: A Case Study of The F-35

Answer 33

-Current price tag for the F-36: $392 billion
~”The program encompasses 1000 suppliers in 45 states supporting 133,000 jobs and more in other countries
~Originally estimated to cost $200 Billion
-Lockheed Martin Corp: #1 defense contractor (Business Insider 2012). It is the largest military aircraft manufacturer in the world.
~Ars sales: $35.7 billion
~Total Profits: $2.9 billion
~For 2014, Lockheed was award $19.7 billion in DOD contracts, accounting for nearly 10% of the total DOD contracts
~US government is the company’s primary customer.

Question 34

Civic engagement

Answer 34

-Participating in community life, discussions or activities that work to improve the conditions of the community to better all
~Elements of civic engagement
*Reading a newspaper
*Voting
*Participating in a voluntary association
**Neighborhood associations, church group, bowling league, etc.
~Aids in the development of trust among others as well as developing a sense of a greater of “collective good”
*Increases one’s ability to work with others from different social backgrounds

Question 35

Politics and voting trends

Answer 35

-Decline in political ID
~1964: 51% id as Democrat, 25% as Republican, and 23% as independent
~2014: 32% as Democrat, 23% as Republican, and 39% as Independent
-Growing distrust of politics and government
~Fueled by a declining levels of trust among citizens and lower levels of civic engagement
-Voting patterns and class differences
~77% of Americans believe that the economics system is unfair and power is concentrated to too few hands

Question 36

Interest groups

Answer 36

-A group organized to pursue specific interests in the political arena., operating primarily by lobbying the members of legislative bodies.

Question 37

Why is Voter Turnout so Low in the US?

Answer 37

-Presidential elections
~1960- 64%
~2000-54%
-Midterm elections
~around 40% or less of the electorate turn our to vote

Question 38

Voter turnout in the US is the lowest among the rich, industrialized democratic nations

Answer 38

• Among major industrial democracies, the US spends the lowest proportion of its total economy on government at the federal, state, and local levels: roughly one-third of its GDP
• Americans expect less and get less from its government