soc3 Flashcards
What are ideological state apparatuses (ISAs), and how do they reinforce class-based hierarchies?
ISAs are institutions like schools, media, and churches that teach people to accept the current system. They keep class hierarchies in place by making people believe the system is fair.
What is symbolic interactionism, and how does it explain the formation of social identity?
Symbolic interactionism says people build their identity through social interactions. We learn who we are by how others react to us and the roles we play.
How is gender performance learned, and which institutions play the primary role?
We learn gender performance from family, schools, media, and peers. These institutions teach us how society expects men and women to act.
How did capitalist development overcome cyclical population collapses in pre-capitalist economies?
Capitalism uses technology and better farming methods to produce more food and goods. This helped prevent the population collapses that happened when food ran out.
What distinguishes market dependence under capitalism from feudal economic relations?
Under capitalism, people must work to earn money to survive. In feudalism, peasants worked the land for lords in exchange for protection and land to live on.
Was North American plantation slavery capitalist? Explain.
Yes, plantation slavery was capitalist because it produced goods like cotton and sugar for profit. Slaves were treated as property to maximize profits.
Why did feudal lordships consolidate into modern states?
Feudal lords joined into larger states to have stronger armies and collect more taxes. This made it easier to control land and people.
What is commodity fetishism, and how does it obscure social relations in capitalism?
Commodity fetishism is when people focus on goods and their prices instead of the workers who made them. This hides the exploitation behind production.
Why did race emerge as a social construct in British North American colonies, and how did it evolve after the Civil War?
Race was created to justify slavery. After the Civil War, laws and segregation kept racial inequality in place.
How did the modernization of states contribute to the rise of capitalism?
Modern states built better laws, taxes, and infrastructure. This helped businesses grow by making trade and production more efficient.
What is a monopoly on the use of legitimate violence, and how is it established?
A state has a monopoly on legitimate violence when it is the only group allowed to use force legally. This is done through police, courts, and armies.
How did the abolition of serfdom and slavery contribute to the transition to capitalist economies?
When serfs and slaves were freed, they had to work for wages to survive. This created a labor force for capitalist industries.
