Social Institutions Overview

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Questions and Answers

What term describes the exercise of control or influence over others?

Domination (correct)

Power Sharing

Governance

Authority

Which of the following is NOT considered one of the classic five social institutions?

Education

Healthcare (correct)

Religion

Family

What role do political parties primarily serve in a political system?

Administering social programs

Winning elective office through competition (correct)

Creating binding decisions

Ensuring public order

Which concept refers to the standardized way of doing something within a society?

Social Institutions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines the state within a political context?

Procedures and organizations enforcing binding decisions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an emergent social institution?

Military Signup and view all the answers

What is defined as any action involving the use of power to shape collective goals?

Politics Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of a political party?

To win elective office Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes an authoritarian political system?

Denies popular participation in government Signup and view all the answers

Which type of political system not only denies popular participation but also regulates the lives of citizens extensively?

Totalitarianism Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that various social divisions can threaten democracy?

Social Cleavage Signup and view all the answers

In the context of pluralism, what effect does social criss-crossing have?

Sustains democracy Signup and view all the answers

What is a fundamental belief of political conservatives in Canada?

Society flourishes through individual freedom Signup and view all the answers

What captures the core tenet of political liberals/progressives in Canada?

Collectivity is more important than individual autonomy Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a potential issue with the welfare state according to the decline theories?

State overload due to excessive demands Signup and view all the answers

Which theory of the state emphasizes the role of elite groups in maintaining power?

Elite Theory Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines democracy?

Government by the consent of the governed. Signup and view all the answers

What significant development occurred in the 18th century regarding citizenship rights?

The recognition of civil rights as the rights of individuals in law. Signup and view all the answers

Which rights are associated with the 20th century and are considered social rights?

Rights guaranteeing a minimum standard of living. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'authoritarian populism' refer to in the context of democracy?

A political approach that combines authoritarian governance with populist rhetoric. Signup and view all the answers

During which century did democracy see a significant increase in the number of states practicing it?

20th Century Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about political rights is accurate?

Political rights refer to the rights to hold office recognized in the 19th century. Signup and view all the answers

What agreement is essential for the functioning of a democracy?

Collectively giving up certain rights to uphold others. Signup and view all the answers

As of the late 20th century, what percentage of the world population lived in democratic states?

59% Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Social institutions are the major spheres of social life, or society's subsystems, that are structured around the challenges of collective living.

Mastery of nature
Social order and control
Cultural production
Socialization

The Institutions

Classic Five: economy, polity, family, religion, education
Recently Emergent: science, mass media, health care, military, leisure/sport

Social institutions are a society's standardized way of doing things, encompassing communities, cultures and families from the individual to the society level.

State & Polity

Politics: any action involving the use of power to shape the collective pursuit of collective goals (who gets what, when, and how).
Government: a group of people who wield power under the polity.
State: a set of procedures and organizations concerned with creating, administering, and enforcing decisions that bind inhabitants of a polity.
Political Party: an organization, alliance, or coalition formed to win elective office through legitimate competition with other parties.

Domination: the exercise of control/influence over others.
- Illegitimate domination: the ability to carry out one's will despite resistance, using threat or force (power).
- Legitimate domination: the recognized right to make binding decisions (authority).
Types of Authority (Weber):
- Traditional authority: adherence to long-established cultural patterns.
- Charismatic authority: devotion to the exceptional character of an individual.
- Rational-legal authority: belief in the legality of written rules and regulations.
Hegemony: covert, unconscious domination; the capacity of elites to establish systems of meanings as common sense, justifying inequalities.

The State

The Character of the State:
- provision of public goods
- threat or use of force
- the dilemma
Types of Modern States:
- State Socialism: centralized control of productive property in a state bureaucracy.
- Democracy: government by the consent of the governed. This includes the development of citizenship rights:
  - Civil rights (18th century): rights of the individual in law.
  - Political rights (19th century): right to hold office.
  - Social rights (20th century): right to a minimum standard of living. Democracy also involves an agreement to collectively give up rights to uphold other rights.
Populism: Describes a political system of significant public/popular support.
Authoritarian Populism: A type of political system.
Non-democratic States:
- Authoritarianism: any political system that denies popular participation in government.
- Totalitarianism: any political system that denies popular participation in government and extensively regulates the lives of all citizens.

Theories of the State

Pluralism: a theory describing societal characteristics.
Elite Theory: a theory defining societal characteristics.

The Decline of the Welfare State

Two Theories
- State Overload:
- Legitimation Crisis:

Political Culture in Canada

The political right ("conservatives"): individual is more important than the collectivity, the best society results from individual freedoms.
The political left ("liberals/progressives"): collectivity is more important than the individual, the best society results when individuals function together.

Electoral System: Canada

Single-Member Plurality System: A voting system.
Alternative System: Proportional Representation: a voting system in which the votes/seats in parliament reflect popular vote and smaller parties proportionally gain power.

Voting Patterns

Age and Social Class
Party Similarity
Voter Disillusionment:
- Regional Alienation
- Voting against (instead of for)
- Voting Rates: record federal high in 1958 with 79%, record federal low in 2008 with 59%.

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Description

This quiz delves into the fundamental spheres of social life known as social institutions. It covers various types of institutions, their characteristics, and the human needs they fulfill through structured social practices. Test your understanding of concepts like polity, family, and education within societal frameworks.