Sociology Chapter 13 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the definition of power?

The ability of individuals to further their interests. (correct)

Government's legitimate use of power.

A political system ruling over a territory.

The undisputed political rule of a state.

What is authority?

Government's legitimate use of power.

What is a state?

A political system that rules over a territory.

What is a nation-state?

A type of state characteristic of the modern world. Signup and view all the answers

What does sovereignty mean?

The undisputed political rule of a state over a territory. Signup and view all the answers

Who are citizens?

Members of a political community with rights and duties. Signup and view all the answers

What is nationalism?

Beliefs and symbols expressing identification with a national community. Signup and view all the answers

What does local nationalism refer to?

Belief that communities sharing a cultural identity should have political autonomy within smaller units. Signup and view all the answers

What are civil rights?

Legal rights held by citizens in a given national community. Signup and view all the answers

What are political rights?

Rights of political participation held by citizens of a national community. Signup and view all the answers

What are social rights?

Rights of social and welfare provision held by all citizens in a national community. Signup and view all the answers

What is a welfare state?

A political system in which the government provides its citizens with welfare benefits. Signup and view all the answers

What is democracy?

A political system that allows its citizens to participate in political decisions. Signup and view all the answers

What is direct democracy?

A form of participatory democracy that allows citizens to directly vote on laws and policies. Signup and view all the answers

What is participatory democracy?

A system of democracy in which all members of a group collectively participate in major decisions. Signup and view all the answers

What are constitutional monarchs?

Kings or queens who are figureheads, with political decisions resting with other leaders. Signup and view all the answers

What are liberal democracies?

Systems of democracy based on parliamentary institutions and a free market system. Signup and view all the answers

What is an interest group?

A group organized to pursue specific interests in the political arena. Signup and view all the answers

What is democratic elitism?

A theory claiming democratic participation is limited to the regular election of political leaders. Signup and view all the answers

What does power elite refer to?

Small networks of individuals who hold concentrated power in modern societies. Signup and view all the answers

What is state overload?

The theory that modern states will be overloaded with complex administrative decisions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a legitimation crisis?

The failure of the political order to generate enough involvement of citizens to govern properly. Signup and view all the answers

What is revolution?

A process of political change involving mobilizing a mass social unit to overthrow an existing regime. Signup and view all the answers

What are social movements?

Large groups of people seeking to enact or stop social change. Signup and view all the answers

What does historicity mean?

Using an understanding of history to try to change history. Signup and view all the answers

What is the field of action?

The arena within which social movements interact with established organizations. Signup and view all the answers

What is a new social movement?

Set of social movements developed since the 1960s focusing on private life and economic issues. Signup and view all the answers

What is civil society?

Realm of activity that lies between the state and market. Signup and view all the answers

What does ethnie refer to?

Groups that share ideas of a common ancestry, cultural identity, or link to a homeland. Signup and view all the answers

What does nations without states mean?

Instances where a nation does not have political sovereignty over the land they claim. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Power and Authority

Power refers to the ability of individuals to pursue their interests and affects relationships among individuals.
Authority is defined as the legitimate use of power by governments.

Political Entities

The state is a political system that governs a specific territory.
A nation-state has sovereign power in a defined area, with a population that identifies as a cohesive national group.

Sovereignty and Citizenship

Sovereignty denotes the undisputed political control of a state over its territory.
Citizens are members of a political community with associated rights and duties.

Nationalism

Nationalism encompasses beliefs and symbols that express identification with a national community.
Local nationalism refers to the desire for political autonomy among communities sharing a cultural identity.

Rights and Welfare

Civil rights are legal rights held by citizens within a national community.
Political rights pertain to citizens' participation in governance.
Social rights are those dedicated to social welfare for all citizens.
A welfare state refers to a political system that provides welfare benefits to its citizens.

Democracy

Democracy allows citizens to participate in political decisions or elect representatives.
Direct democracy enables citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.
Participatory democracy encourages collective decision-making among all group members.

Governance Structures

Constitutional monarchs act as figureheads while real political power lies with elected leaders.
Liberal democracies are founded on parliamentary institutions and a free-market economy.

Interest Groups and Democratic Participation

Interest groups are organized entities that advocate for specific causes through political lobbying.
Democratic elitism argues that in large democracies, public participation is limited to electing political leaders.

Political Power Dynamics

The power elite refers to a small group of individuals with concentrated power in society, as defined by C. Wright Mills.
State overload theorizes that modern states may become overwhelmed by complex administrative tasks.
A legitimation crisis occurs when a political order fails to sufficiently engage citizens in governance.

Revolutions involve mass mobilization that overthrows existing regimes, often using violence.
Social movements are large groups advocating for or against social change, typically in conflict with established organizations.
Historicity involves leveraging historical understanding to influence present and future societal changes.
The field of action is where social movements interact with organizations, guided by member perspectives.

New social movements have emerged since the 1960s, focusing on social and economic issues, promoting new ways of thinking and acting.
Civil society is the sphere of activity located between the state and the market, including families and educational institutions.

Ethnicity and Nations

Ethnie describes groups sharing ideas of common ancestry and cultural identity connected to a homeland.
Nations without states refer to groups that seek sovereignty but do not have political authority over their claimed territories.

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Description

Test your understanding of key concepts in sociology with these flashcards from Chapter 13. Explore important terms such as power, authority, state, and nation-state to deepen your grasp of political systems and human relationships.