The Distribution of Power in Society Key Terms Politics System of distributing power and decision making Power The ability to achieve desired ends despite opposition Authority Use of power perceived as legitimate ID: 586554
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Politics as Institution
The Distribution of Power in SocietySlide7
Key Terms
Politics
– System of distributing power and decision making
Power
– The ability to achieve desired ends despite opposition
Authority
– Use of power perceived as legitimate
The State
– The highest political authority within a given territory
Government
– Set of people engaged in directing the
state
(As opposed to “little-g”
government,
which is the political direction and control exercised over the actions of members of any particular group)Slide8
Theories of Political Power
Pluralist Model
Analysis of politics that views power as dispersed among many competing interest groups
Power Elite Model
View that political power is concentrated among the wealthy and political eliteSlide9
The Structure of
The United States’ Political System:Slide10
Branches of Federal Government
Executive
Prez
,
Veeper
, Cabinet, Agencies
Legislative
House of Reps (435 members), Senate (100 members)
Judicial
District Federal Courts (circuits)
US Supreme CourtSlide11
Winner-Take-All System
Rule with 50% + 1 of votes cast
Sociological significance of “winner-take-all”
Narrows the political spectrum
Diminishes impact of “third” parties (E.g. Green, Reform, Libertarian, Socialist, etc.)Slide12
XSlide13Slide14Slide15
(China)
(Syria)
(Israel)
(Canada)
(S.A.)
(U.K.)
(Italy)
(Germany)
(Australia)
(European Council)
(U.K.
Labour
Party)
(India)
(Spain)
(Venezuela)
(Zimbabwe)
(Palestinian Authority)
(Greek Opposition Leader)
(France)
Current World LeadersSlide16
Two Major Parties
Democrats
Republicans
What’s the difference?
Democrats are more likely to regulate finances and mitigate extremes,
while Republicans generally want more “free market” principles.
Generally speaking, most non-economic domestic issues (LGBTQ rights, abortion, gun laws, etc.) are
wedge issues
.
And regarding foreign policy, these two parties are virtually identical.
Some argue that
these two groups are
m
erely two factions
of the same business party.Slide17
Do we live in a democracy?
If so, when did the U.S. become one?Slide18
Democracy?
Black men denied the vote until 1870
Women denied the vote until 1920
18-20 year-olds given right to vote in 1971
Today: 4.7 million current and former felons denied the right to
vote
Most workplaces—where we spend 50% or more of our waking hours, five days a week—are completely undemocratic tyrannies.Slide19
Our Government is a “representative republic.”Slide20
Is Our Government Representative?
12.6% of U.S. is Black
44 Blacks in House (all Democrats) = 10.1%
0 Blacks in Senate = 0%
16.3% of U.S. is Latino
26 Latinos in House = 6%
2 Latinos in Senate = 2%
51% of U.S. is Women
74 Women in House = 17%
17 Women in Senate = 17%
5% of U.S. is Asian or Pacific Islander
11 Asian/Pacific Islanders in House = 2.5%
2 Asian/Pacific Islanders in Senate = 2%
0.9% of U.S. is Native
1 Natives in House = 0.2%
0 Natives in Senate = 0
%
Black
43 in House = 9.9%
2
in Senate = 2%
Latino
33 in House = 7.6%
4
in Senate = 4%
Women
81 in House = 18.6%
20 in Senate = 20%Asian or Pacific Islander
12 in House = 2.75%1 in Senate = 1%Native American2 in House = 0.4%
0 in Senate = 0%Gov. data from Congressional Research Service, Oct. 31, 2013https://
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42964.pdfPop. Data from 2010 census
The 112th Congress
The 113th CongressSlide21
More Progress Toward Representation
113
th
Congress
First
openly gay Senator
First openly bisexual Representative
3 Buddhists (2 in House, 1 in Senate)
1 Hindu in the House
2 Muslims in the House
White men are in the minority of House Democrats for the first time in historySlide22
Is Our Government Representative?
About 1% of U.S. population are millionaires
Nearly 50% of Congress are millionairesSlide23
Institutional Intersections – Politics and…
Education
Public funding for higher education has declined to 35.7% (currently) from 74% in 1991
Result: higher tuition for students
Economics: Big Money Politics
“Money Primary”
Campaign contributions –
fecinfo.com
Citizens United
: prohibits the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions.
Who’s your lobbyist?Slide24
Where do YOU fall on the political spectrum?Slide25Slide26