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Politics as Institution Politics as Institution

Politics as Institution - PowerPoint Presentation

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Politics as Institution - PPT Presentation

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

senate house power political house senate political power government politics vote congress asian pacific representative parties authority system members

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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

XSlide13
Slide14
Slide15

(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?Slide25
Slide26