THE SOCIAL INSTITUTION THAT DISTRIBUTES POWER, SETS A SOCIETY’S AGENDA, AND MAKES DECISIONS

1. THE SOCIAL INSTITUTION THAT DISTRIBUTES POWER, SETS A SOCIETY’S AGENDA, AND MAKES DECISIONS

2. AUTHORITYPOWER THAT PEOPLE PERCEIVE AS LEGITIMATE, NOT COERCIVE • TRADITIONAL • LEGITIMIZED THROUGH TRADITION • RATIONAL-LEGAL • LEGITIMIZED THROUGH LAW • CHARISMATIC • LEGITIMIZED THROUGH PERSONALITY

3. HUNTING AND GATHERING • LIKE FAMILY: SPECIALIZED ROLES • AGRARIAN SOCIETIES • SMALL ELITE GAINING POWER • POLITICAL STATES • RESTRICTED GOVERNING • MODERN NATION-STATES • MODERN TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT ABOUT LARGER-SCALE POLITICAL SYSTEMS REFERRED TO AS NATION-STATES

4. THE MONARCHYRULE BY A SINGLE FAMILY OVER GENERATIONS • TYPICAL OF AGRARIAN SOCIETIES • MODERN EXAMPLE: BRITAIN • ABSOLUTE MONARCHY • RULERS MONOPOLIZING POWER • CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHIES • MODERN-DAY MONARCHIES • MORE FIGURE HEAD THAN RULER • POLITICAL PRINCIPLES RULE • ELECTED OFFICIAL ACTUALLY RULES

5. POWER IS EXERCISED BY PEOPLE AS A WHOLE THE POWER OF THE BALLOT BOX ENSURES SOME AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION! • REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY • AUTHORITY IN HANDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS • RATIONAL-LEGAL REASONING HAS TIES TO DEMOCRACIES • USE OF EXTENSIVE BUREAUCRACIES • EXTENSIVE USE OF NEVER ELECTED PETTY BUREAUCRATS

6. AUTHORITARIANISMDENIES POPULAR PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT • ABSOLUTE MONARCIES • HEAVY CONTROL • LITTLE OR NO VOICE IN GOVERNMENT FOR MOST PEOPLE • GOVERNMENT IS OFTEN INDIFFERENT TO PEOPLE’S NEEDS • GOVERNMENT HAS NO LEGAL PROCESS TO REMOVE LEADERSHIP • EXAMPLES: SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT • “SOFT AUTHORITARIANISM” • HEAVY-HANDED GOVERNMENT OFFERING A “GOOD LIFE” TO PEOPLE (Singapore)

7. WALLS CAN BE BUILT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN, AS WELL AS TO PROTECT THEM FROM EXTERNAL INFLUENCES. EXTENSIVE REGULATION OF PEOPLE’S LIVES • CLOSE MONITORING OF PEOPLE • MASSIVE AND PROTECTED EFFORTS TO COLLECT HUGE AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION ON POPULACE • PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO GOVERNMENT WISHES AND ARE DENIED BASIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS • GOVERNMENT INDOCTRINATION BEGINS AT AN EARLY AGE

8. POLITICS IN AMERICACONCERNS AND ISSUES • CULTURAL TIES • AMERICA’S BILL OF RIGHTS • THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM • LIBERAL TO CONSERVATIVE • ECONOMIC ISSUES • DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS • SOCIAL ISSUES • “THE VALUE ISSUES DEBATE” • MIXED POSITIONS • RACE AND MONEY TALK • PARTY IDENTIFICATION • WHY JUST TWO PARTIES?

9. POLITICAL PARTY IDENTIFICATION by Proportion of Respondents 44.2 2.1 20.1 33.6 PERCENT DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN INDEPENDENT OTHER PARTY/NO RESP. General Social Surveys, 1972-2000

10. GETTING POSITIONS HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD • SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS • POLITICAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SOME ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL ISSUE • THE NRA, AARP, AFL-CIO, ETC. • POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES • ORGANIZATIONS FORMED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, INDEPENDENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES, TO PURSUE POLITICAL AIMS BY RAISING AND SPENDING MONEY

11. SOME THEORETICAL ANALYSISEXPLAINING POLITICAL POWER YOU MEAN, I REALLY DON’T HAVE A REAL SAY IN MY OWN GOVERNMENT? • PLURALIST MODEL • POWER IS DISPERSED AMONG MANY COMPETING INTERESTS GROUPS • THE POWER-ELITE MODEL • “REAL” POWER IS CONCENTRATED AMONG THE VERY RICH IN AMERICA • CAN THE WEALTHIEST IN AMERICA EVER ENCOUNTER PRESSURE TO NOT ACT IN THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS? • POLITICAL-ECONOMY MODEL • POWER IS DIVIDED ALONG THE LINES OF A POLITICAL ECONOMY • BIAS IS ROOTED WITHIN THE NATION’S SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS • REVOLUTION IS THE ONLY ANSWER

12. THE OVERTHROW OF A POLITICAL ORDER IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A NEW ONE • RISING EXPECTATIONS • WHEN QUALITY OF LIFE IS IMPROVING, PEOPLE WANT MORE AND ARE LESS WILLING TO WAIT • UNRESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT • DEGREE OF WILLINGNESS AND ABILTY TO REFORM TO MEET DEMANDS OF PEOPLE • RADICAL LEADERSHIP BY INTELLECTUALS • REVOLUTION IS OFTEN “UNIVERSITY CENTERED” • ESTABLISHING NEW LEGITIMACY • GUARDING AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO COUNTER THE REVOLUTION REVOLUTIONS SHARE COMMON TRAITS

13. TERRORISM • VIOLENCE, OR THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE, EMPLOYED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR A GROUP AS A POLITICAL STRATEGY • STATE TERRORISM • USE OF VIOLENCE, GENERALLY WITHOUT SUPPORT OF LAW, AGAINST INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS BY A GOVERNMENT OR ITS AGENTS

14. War AND peace • WAR –ORGANIZED, ARMED CONFLICT AMONG PEOPLE OF TWO OR MORE NATIONS, DIRECTED BY THEIR GOVERNMNETS

15. FACTORS PROMOTING WAR • PERCEIVED THREATS • THREATS TO PEOPLE AND TERRITORY • SOCIAL PROBLEMS • INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND FRUSTRATION • POLITICAL OBJECTIVES • SHOW OF FORCE AND PROTECTING ONE’S OWN PROPERTY • MORAL OBJECTIVES • RALLYING PEOPLE AROUND MORALITY • ABSENCE OF ALTERNATIVES • LIMITED OPTIONS

16. COSTS ARE OFTEN FOUND WELL BEYOND THE BATTLEFIELDS AND LONG AFTER THE WAR • $5 TRILLION SPENT ANNUALLY • $1,000.00 FOR EVERY PERSON ON EARTH • ANOTHER BILLION HERE, ANOTHER MILLION THERE... • HOW MUCH SUFFERING GOES ON BECAUSE NEEDED FUNDS MUST BE DIVERTED? WOULD IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IF THE FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER NEEDS? • THE POLITICS OF WAR • MILITARY INDUSTRAIL COMPLEX • THE CLOSE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE MILITARY, AND THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY • FOLLOW THE MONEY AND THE CAREERS OF PENTAGON OFFICIALS AFTER THEY LEAVE THE MILITARY AS SEE WHERE THE TWO END UP! • NUCLEAR WEAPONS • ARE THINGS ESCALATING AGAIN WITH THE CHANCE OF SUCH WEAPONS BEING USED BY 3RD WORLD MILITARIES? • PAKISTAN AND INDIA

17. REDUCING CHANCES FOR WAR AND INCREASING CHANCES OF PEACE • DETERRENCE • BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN SOCIETIES • HIGH-TECHNOLOGY DEFENSE • STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE • DIPLOMACY AND DISARMAMENT • KEEP TALKING ABOUT REDUCING ARMS • RESOLVING UNDERLYING CONFLICT • INCREASE SPENDING ON PROMOTING PEACE RATHER THAN BUILDING UP MILITARY