CHAPTER 17: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Different ways of classifying political power:

POWER: The ability to exercise one's will over othres (from Weber)

AUTHORITY: Power that has been institutionalized and is recognized by
the people over whom it is exercised.  Three types (from Max Weber):
   
    1. Traditional
    2. Charismatic
    3. Rational-legal

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION: The process by which we acquire our political
attitudes and develop patterns of political behavior (social beliefs,
ideology, personal beliefs)

Are we a LIBERAL society?

  Strong dems (13 pct)
  Not strong dems (22 pct)
  independent/demo (13 pct)   (48 pct total to here)

  Independent (17 pct)
  Independent/republican  (9 pct)
  Not strong repub  (18 pct)
  Strong repub  (9 pct)

(explain why this is mislead: roughly 1/3 identify as "strong conservative)


Voting: NOTE: Whites are more likely to be registered and more likely to
vote; Blacks increasing, and only slightly less likely; hispanics:
Well under half registered, and in 1996, only 26.7 pct of registered hispanic
voters actually voted)

Models of gov't:

1) Elite model:  A "Ruling class" or "power elite rules

2) Pluralism
 -- many groups involved in power sharing
   (labor, women, etc)

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Three kinds of political systems:

CAPITALISM:  ECON SYSTEM in which  means of production are in private hands
and  main incentive for economic  activity is the accumulation of profits.

COMMUNISM:  An econ AND SOCIAL system in which property is communaly 
owned by all and no social distinctions made on basis of
people's ability to produce SOCIALISM--ECON AND SOCIAL system in which 
means of production and distribution are collective.
1
SOCIALISM: An economic system under which the means of production
and distribution are collectively owned

Most industrial societies  today are somewhat mixed with features of each, 
but capitalism predominant.

In capitalism:
 
1) individualism required (selling labor,  controlling profits)
2) State in transformation -- role of state is to as sure smooth 
   accumulation of capital

Explain:

We've shifted since founding of the republic:
Pre-civil war: Agrarian vs.  industrial Civil war: A battle between 
economic systems and policies Post-civil war--industrialized 
transformation,transportation,   etc "Progressive  era":

1895-1925:  Consolidation of goverment power,  growth of business,
gov't acting on behalf of business

"NEW DEAL:"  Depression-era--readjustment of  relationship of
gov't to the people,   "FEDERALISM" (gov't regulation,  etc--

stress *not* liberalism, but "good business"

POST WW II -- prosperity for most, etc
"NEW FEDERALISM" (1960s):  Social struggles, equality,  social
problems emerging---

RETRENCHMENT (current?)--1968 to 1980s:

1990s: "New Propserity"

Y2K: New era, but what??....

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