1 / 9

Political Realities

Political Realities. Lesson 7: Human Political Systems. Politics. Politics refers to a wide set of social practices including: Selecting a leader to make decisions and accomplish tasks This can be a government or an individual Also maintains social order and deals with outsiders

indra
Télécharger la présentation

Political Realities

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. PoliticalRealities Lesson 7: Human Political Systems

  2. Politics • Politics refers to a wide set of social practices including: • Selecting a leader to make decisions and accomplish tasks • This can be a government or an individual • Also maintains social order and deals with outsiders • Another key function of politics is to distribute power

  3. Power • Many definitions: • The book states – “power is a generalized capacity to transform” • Our definition – • “The ability to achieve a goal despite resistance.” • Thus, if you have power, you have the ability to exercise your will over others

  4. The Forms of Power • Authority • Socially approved use of power • Power can exist without authority • Direct and Indirect • Direct power (or coercive) involves using force • Indirect power (or persuasive) involves argument and ideology

  5. Hegemony • Hegemony is a form of indirect power • Antonio Gramsci • Observed that groups cannot constantly maintain power through force • Power has to be maintained through ideological means • Hegemony is an ideological form of power • Explains the right to rule • Justifies inequality

  6. Forms of Political Organization • Bands • Small scale groups • Food foragers • Egalitarian • Who is their leader? • Tribes • Smaller units of people linked together • Food producers • Some social distinctions • Who is their leader?

  7. Forms of Political Organization • Chiefdoms • Much larger groups • Egalitarianism completely eroded • Who is their leader? • States • Clearly defined geographic territory • Defends from external threat with a military and internal disorder with a police force • Rigid hierarchy • Controlled by a government

  8. Bureaucracy • Max Weber’s 6 key elements of bureaucracy • Specialization • Hierarchy • A Public Office • Rules and Regulation • Technical Competence • Impersonality • Do they always work perfectly?

  9. Exam Review Questions • What is the function of politics as a social institution? • What is the definition of the following forms of political organization? • Bands • Tribes • Chiefdoms • State • What is a nation? How does this differ from a state? • What types of leaders does Marvin Harris identify in “Life Without Chiefs”? • What is bureaucracy? • What are Weber’s six theoretical components? • What did Antonio Gramsci call the indirect power that he identified?

More Related