Formal Agency of Social Control - Military Flashcards
Functionalism view on military
Functionalism would argue that the military allows society to remain together and adds to the solidarity of any society. The military is a respected form of social control since it allows people to go about their daily lives freely without fear of death. Although this theory is not really respected in today’s society since it fails to take into account how the military actually can cause fear and conflict in society.
Marxist view on Military
Argue that military only encourages more class division with the government (ruling class) controlling the military, thus bringing about inequality in society amongst the different classes and encouraging conflict and hatred
Although could be argued that Marxist theory has over exaggerated class system and military actually doesn’t play such an important role in society unless war and conflict occurs
Althusser a French Marxist who studied the power of the capitalist state
Althusser argued that the State enjoys ‘hard power’ based on the threat of violence; the police and the military together make up the Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)
However, Althuser believed no state could survive by controlling the population with force alone
There is also ‘soft power’ based on making people believe that the State cares about them and that they ought to obey it; this is the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) that operates through religion, education and the media
Thus the military is part of the RSA and ISA in controlling citizens if need be
