The State (Ch. 10)

Question 1

the state

Answer 1

• organizing structure of complex, advanced societies
• controls war, trade, economy, distribution of wealth/taxation, etc.
• social control: sole source of right to use violence, creation and enforcement of law
• emerged in industrial period through regulation of economy and private lives
• partially autonomous: appears democratic

Question 2

interest group

Answer 2

• similar to social location
• in POLITICAL terms, an informal group of people who have shared concerns (age, religion, race, occupation, gender, etc.)

Question 3

liberal/plural model of the state

Answer 3

• State in middle, branches out equally into…
• family
• government
• criminal justice system
• education system
• military
• healthcare
• taxation/distrib. of wealth

Question 4

power

Answer 4

• ability to do something despite resistance of others

- 4 types: traditional authority, charismatic authority, rational/legal authority, and ideological authority

Question 5

traditional authority

Answer 5

• culturally-based ascribed power

- ex. religious leaders, the queen, etc.

Question 6

charismatic authority

Answer 6

• personality-based power

- ex. Obama, Trudeau, etc.

Question 7

rational/legal authority

Answer 7

• law/fairness-based

- ex. police

Question 8

ideological authority

Answer 8

• social/knowledge-based power

- ex. brands, products

Question 9

basic qualities for democracy (and the reality of democracy)

Answer 9

• freedom of thought and action
• political/economic power regulated by gov.
• respect for/protection of difference
• equal opportunity of condition
• IN REALITY: is limited to political sphere (rather than economic), as democracy is limited by economic power of owning class

Question 10

change model of the state

Answer 10

• dominant class: corporate and political interests at the top… underneath that is:
• legal laws/authority
• state institutions
• ideologies (culture socialization)

Question 11

3 functions of the state

Answer 11

1. accumulation
2. legitimation
3. coercion

Question 12

accumulation

Answer 12

• maintains conditions for capital society
• advance economy and capitalism
• maintain social order

Question 13

legitimation

Answer 13

• legitimizes class structure to maintain authority and social order
• ex. “Tough on Crime”: criminalizing activities of poor people to remove examples of where capitalism failed
• ex. prisons: marginalized/racialized people are primarily arrested

Question 14

coercion

Answer 14

• repressive state apparatus
• use violence, fear, and concensus to manufacture consent
• ex. police (arrests, execution, incarceration, etc.)
• ex. legal systems/laws, social services (charter, democracy)