Exam 1 Flashcards
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Political Science
formal institutions and acts of governing
Political Sociology
explores the politics that happen in social settings - family, at work, civil associations
What is the central question for political sociology
How can we explain the emergence, reproduction, and transformation of different forms of political ordering
What are three conditions for the durable exercise of power?
- There must be a difference of preferences. “One actor’s ‘will’ must be distinct from that of another actor”
- There is an uneven distribution of resources or of the ability to influence
- There is a lack of opportunity to exit for those having power exerted on them
Is social closure used by powerful groups or less powerful groups?
Powerful groups. The powerful worked to exclude the less powerful from shared benefits while the underdogs organized to claim what was denied to them.
Exclusion
people at the top can shut down the less powerful from advancing or making decisions
Usurpation
The people at the bottom can form an exclusive group to make collective decisions (unions)
Power
The probability that one actor within a social relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will despite resistance, regardless of the basis on which this probability rests.” (capacity to do something that is separate from actually doing that thing)
Social cage
o Involves the containment of humans behind clear fixed confined social and territorial boundaries
o The context in which power, social closure, voice, loyalty, and exit take place
o People will enter social cages to improve/ease their lives in some way.
Social differentiation
- Social groups in the social cage are non-homogenous (different)
- Differential preferences (people want different things. Worker wants higher wages, fewer hours, the employer wants lower wages and more hours)
- inequality/rank/unequal distribution of resources
- No (easy) exit.
The state
“a differentiated set of institutions and personnel embodying centrality, in the sense that political relations radiate outward to cover a territorially demarcated area, over which it claims a monopoly of binding and permanent rule-making, backed up by physical violence” (Mann)
o Constructed by elites to protect/increase advantages
Civil society
= city = citizenship = civilian
Social closure
entails some specific group within the social cage organizing in a way that shifts the benefits of the distribution of power.
Loyalty
abiding by the social order no matter the conditions
Voice
comprises all political speech and action
“The political”
a domain of freedom to reflect upon the distribution and legitimacy of power
Political domination
The relationship between the state and the people who live within it.
How do politically dominant powers maintain their dominance?
By legitimizing authority and controlling administrative staff.
What are the three types of authority that justify power?
Traditional Authority – Based on long-standing customs (e.g., patriarchy).
Charismatic Authority – Based on devotion to a leader’s personal qualities.
Legal-Rational Authority – Based on laws and formal rules.
Why is administrative staff important in maintaining political dominance?
Organized domination requires control of both personnel (executive staff) and material resources for administration.
How does Weber define “the state”?
The state is an entity with a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical violence within a defined territory.
What makes the state different from other organizations?
It is the only institution that can legally use force to enforce laws and maintain order.
What are the three ways the state justifies its political domination?
- Traditional Domination – Based on historical continuity and societal norms.
- Charismatic Domination – Based on personal devotion to a leader.
- Legal Domination – Based on rational laws and institutional rules.
What qualities make an effective politician, according to Weber?
Patience, perseverance, and a willingness to work toward incremental progress.
Why do people follow charismatic leaders?
Because they believe in the leader’s abilities, not because of tradition or legal authority.
What are some challenges politicians face?
- Securing a steady income from politics.
- The slow, difficult process of achieving political goals (“boring of hard boards”).
- Balancing passion with realistic perspectives.
Who ruled before and during the French Revolution?
The monarchy, made up of aristocrats, held power before and during the revolution but was eventually overthrown.
Who were the aristocracy?
The wealthy elite who had significant political influence.
What is the bourgeoisie?
The business-owning class, split into:
Industrial bourgeoisie – Factory owners, capitalists.
Petty bourgeoisie – Small business owners, artisans.
What is the middle class?
Bureaucrats and professionals who worked in government or administration.
Who were the proletariat?
Wage laborers exploited by capitalism, key players in revolution.
What is the lumpenproletariat?
The unemployed, criminals, and marginalized people, often used by the ruling class to prevent uprisings.
Who were the peasants?
Small farmers who were not part of the industrial economy. They shifted alliances based on economic conditions.
What happened after the monarchy was overthrown?
Napoleon took power and changed the government structure.
What did the bourgeoisie want?
To replace feudalism with capitalism and free markets.
What did the proletariat want?
A democratic republic and better working conditions.
How did Napoleon III change politics?
He became emperor and continued the shift toward a centralized modern state.
What was the long-term result of the 1848 revolution?
It helped establish capitalism and the modern French nation-state.
How does the state maintain social class divisions?
By enforcing laws and policies that benefit the ruling class.
What role does bureaucracy play in state formation?
Maintains government positions, separate from the people holding them.
Ensures power remains centralized and stable.
What is political centralization?
Concentrating power in the state, replacing feudal rule.
Why is executive power important in class struggle?
It was created unintentionally through class struggles but became a tool of control.
How does feudalism maintain power?
By repeatedly collecting wealth (like taxes), ensuring long-term control.
What are the effects of capitalism on society?
Creates social classes.
Alters work, family, and daily life.
How does capitalism relate to the state?
The modern state emerged alongside capitalism, securing conditions for its growth.
Five Theories of State
Class, Pluralist, Elitist, Institutional Statist, Foul - up
Who rules in class theory
The Dominant Class
Who rules in pluralist theory
The People
Who rules in Elitist theory
The Rulers
Who rules in the Institutional Statist
Institutions pattern political activity
What is different about Foul- up theory
Foul-up theory states that the other theories are putting too much emphasis on state cohesion. The state is made up of multiple competing parts presenting a unified front.
What theories have State Autonomy?
Elitist and Institutional Statist
What theories DO NOT have State Autonomy?
Class and Pluralist
All but which theories have State Cohesion?
Foul- up
Class theory
that the state serves the interests of the social classes, specifically the capitalist class.
Pluralist theory
only explains modern and democratic states, it emphasizes competition among groups with different interests
True elitism theory
that states are controlled by the elites who only care about their own interests.
Institutional statism theory
that the state shapes the power dynamics, not the classes or the elite.
Cock up or foul up theory
that states are fragmented and dysfunctional due to competition and errors.
What is nationalism?
Nationalism is pride in one’s nation, often expressed through holidays, national anthems, and pledges of allegiance.
Why did nationalism develop in the colonies of European empires?
Nationalism emerged in response to colonial oppression, fostering a drive for self-rule and reclaiming indigenous identity.
What were some consequences of nationalism?
Positive: Led to the overthrow of colonial rule and the rise of sovereign nation-states.
Negative: Created challenges in governance, economics, and global integration.
How can nationalism be a form of social closure?
It can exclude minority groups by defining national identity based on culture, ethnicity, or economic priorities.
What is an empire?
A system of indirect rule, where the imperial core controls territories by working with local elites.
How do empires maintain control?
Through personal ties, economic benefits, and cultural differences, rather than direct governance.
What is a hub-and-spoke system?
A structure where the empire (core) has separate relationships with each periphery, which do not connect to each other.
What is a nation-state?
A state that rules through direct governance, based on shared cultural and political membership.
How do nation-states enforce control?
Force (military, police)
Influence (nationalism, hegemony)
Managing lives (biopolitics, bureaucracy)
What is the monopoly on violence?
The state is the only legitimate user of force, such as jailing criminals or waging war.
What is popular sovereignty?
The idea that political power comes from the people, as seen in voting and democracy.
What is despotic power?
The ability of the state to make decisions despite public opposition, e.g., drafting citizens for war.
How do nation-states “map” people?
They track individuals through records like birth certificates, voting history, and medical files.
How do empires rule?
Indirectly, through existing local elites and uneven rights across different groups.
How do nation-states rule?
Directly, enforcing unity through shared identity, nationalism, and bureaucracy.
What kind of membership do empires have?
Uneven, based on cultural differences and colonial hierarchies.
What kind of membership do nation-states have?
Shared cultural and political identity, reinforced through nationalism.
What are the four main themes of Marxist approaches to power?
Class domination, links among economy-politics-ideology, power is fragile, and strategy/tactics for change.
How does Marxist power differ from Weberian power?
Marx focuses on class domination and power through the means of production, while Weber sees power as multidimensional (including social status and political affiliation).
What is Weber’s perspective on power?
The state organizes political domination, and power struggles extend beyond economic class.
What role does the state play in Marxist political sociology?
The state secures conditions for economic class domination by managing capitalism’s failures, organizing capitalist interests, and mitigating economic exploitation.
How does Marx describe the state?
As a tool of the ruling class to impose capitalist ideologies.
What are the three Marxist perspectives on how the state functions?
Instrumentalist: The state is a tool any class can control (e.g., electing a communist leader could overthrow capitalism).
Structuralist: The state is inherently pro-capitalist, so electing a communist leader wouldn’t change capitalist domination.
Strategic-relational: Focuses on how class struggles shape state actions.
What is a major criticism of Marxist theories?
They focus too much on class and neglect other forms of domination, such as race and gender.
