State & Polity, and Social Institutions PDF

Social Institutions  Social Institutions Definition = the major spheres of social life, or society’s subsystems, that form around the major challenges of collective living 1. Human Needs Met by Social Institutions a) mastery of nature b) social order and control c) c...

Social Institutions  Social Institutions Definition = the major spheres of social life, or society’s subsystems, that form around the major challenges of collective living 1. Human Needs Met by Social Institutions a) mastery of nature b) social order and control c) cultural production d) socialization  Social Institutions 2. The Institutions Classic Five: economy polity family religion education Recently Emergent: science, mass media, health care, military, leisure/sport 3. Characteristics Social Institution – a society’s standardized way of doing something State & Polity A. Definitions 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 given them under the polity A. Definitions 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 given them under the polity A. Definitions The State = set of procedures & organizations concerned with creating, administering, enforcing decisions that are binding on inhabitants of a polity Political Party = an organization/alliance/coalition formed to win elective office in legitimate competition with other parties A. Definitions The State = set of procedures & organizations concerned with creating, administering, enforcing decisions that are binding on inhabitants of a polity Political Party = an organization/alliance/coalition formed to win elective office in legitimate competition with other parties B. Social Power and Authority 1. Domination = the exercise of control/influence over others - the ability to get others to do what you want them to do B. Social Power and Authority Two Types of Domination i) illegitimate domination = the ability to carry out your own will despite resistance = threat or use of force POWER ii) legitimate domination = the recognized right to make binding decisions = willing submission AUTHORITY B. Social Power and Authority 3. Types of Authority (Weber) a) traditional authority = adherence to long established cultural patterns b) charismatic authority = devotion to the exceptional character of an individual c) rational-legal authority = belief in the legality of written rules and regulations B. Social Power and Authority 3. Types of Authority (Weber) a) traditional authority = rests in norms of culture b) charismatic authority = devotion to the exceptional character of an individual c) rational-legal authority = belief in the legality of written rules and regulations B. Social Power and Authority 3. Types of Authority (Weber) a) traditional authority = rests in norms of culture b) charismatic authority = rests in the person c) rational-legal authority = belief in the legality of written rules and regulations B. Social Power and Authority 3. Types of Authority (Weber) a) traditional authority = rests in norms of culture b) charismatic authority = rests in the person c) rational-legal authority = rests in the office B. Social Power and Authority 4. Hegemony - Authority is overt, conscious domination - Hegemony is covert, unconscious domination = capacity of elites to establish, as common sense, systems of meanings that apparently justify inequalities C. The State 1. The Character of the State a) provision of public goods b) threat or use of force c) the dilemma C. The State 2. Types of Modern States a) state socialism = control of productive property is centralized in a state bureaucracy vs. socialism = decentralized worker collectives i.e. small-scale local co-operatives C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy = government by the consent of the governed C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy “Government of the people by the people for the people” - Abraham Lincoln C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy “Government of the people by the people for the people” - Abraham Lincoln C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy “Government of the people by the people for the people” - Abraham Lincoln C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy Development of citizenship rights 1) civil rights 18th C = rights of individual in law 2) political rights 19th C = right to hold office C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy Development of citizenship rights 1) civil rights 18th C = rights of individual in law 2) political rights 19th C = right to hold office 3) social rights 20th C = right to minimum standard of living C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy = agreement to collectively give up rights in order to uphold other rights C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy 20th C = “democracy’s century” 1900 2000 # of states 25 119 % of world pop. 12% 59% C. The State 2. Types of Modern States b) democracy Populism Authoritarian populism C. The State 2. Types of Modern States c) non-democratic states i) authoritarianism = any political system that denies popular participation in government ii) totalitarianism = any political system that denies popular participation in government AND extensively regulates the lives of all citizens C. The State 3. Theories of the State a) Pluralism  Social Cleavage (Cleavage = a sharp division or split) U of W Abortion Pro Anti Same-Sex Marriage Pro Anti Immigration Pro Anti Climate Change Pro Anti Action Effect: threatens democracy  Social Criss-Crossing (Criss-cross = a pattern of intersecting) U of M Abortion Pro Anti Same-Sex Marriage Anti Pro Immigration Anti Pro Climate Change Pro Anti Action Pluralism = no clear camps Effect: sustains democracy C. The State 3. Theories of the State a) Pluralism b) Elite Theory C. The State 4. The Decline of the Welfare State Two Theories a) State Overload b) Legitimation Crisis D. The Canadian Polity 1. Political Culture in Canada a) the political right “conservatives” - individual is more important than the collectivity - the best society is the product of individual freedom b) the political left “liberals/progressives” - collectivity is more important than the individual - the best society exists when individuals function as members of a group D. The Canadian Polity 1. Political Culture in Canada D. The Canadian Polity 2. Representative Democracy D. The Canadian Polity 3. Electoral System: Single-Member Plurality System Alternative System: Proportional Representation i) every vote counts ii) seats in parliament reflect actual popular vote iii) smaller parties gain power proportional to vote Canadian 2021 Federal Election D. The Canadian Polity 4. Voting Patterns a) age and social class D. The Canadian Polity 5. Voting Patterns a) age and social class D. The Canadian Polity 5. Voting Patterns a) age and social class b) party similarity D. The Canadian Polity 5. Voting Patterns a) age and social class b) party similarity c) voter disillusionment i) regional alienation  The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) alone has 58 ridings, equal to Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Atlantic Canada COMBINED! D. The Canadian Polity 5. Voting Patterns a) age and social class b) party similarity c) voter disillusionment i) regional alienation ii) voting against, not for iii) voting rates Record federal high = 79% in 1958 Record federal low = 59% in 2008