SOC101: Introduction to Sociology (2020.A.01)

Read this chapter for a review of government and politics. As you read each section, consider the following topics:

• After reading about Prince William and Kate, make a list of how their political power differs from that of the President of the United States.
• Take note of the differences between power and authority. Identify and describe, on a separate piece of paper, the three types of authority.
• Take note of the common forms of government, including monarchy, oligarchy, dictatorship, and democracy. Cite examples of each.
• Take note of the significance of "one person, one vote” in determining American policy. How does voter participation affect politics in the United States? Explore the influence of race, gender, and class issues on the voting process.
• Focus on how functionalists, conflict theorists, and interactionists view government and politics.

Key Terms

absolute monarchies
governments wherein a monarch has absolute or unmitigated power

anarchy
the absence of any organized government

authority
power that people accept because it comes from a source that is perceived as legitimate

charismatic authority
power legitimized on the basis of a leader's exceptional personal qualities

constitutional monarchies
national governments that recognize monarchs but require these figures to abide by the laws of a greater constitution

democracy
a form of government that provides all citizens with an equal voice or vote in determining state policy

dictatorship
a form of government in which a single person (or a very small group) wields complete and absolute authority over a government or populace after the dictator rises to power, usually through economic or military might

monarchy
a form of government in which a single person (a monarch) rules until that individual dies or abdicates the throne

oligarchy
a form of government in which power is held by a small, elite group

one person, one vote
a concept holding that each person's vote should be counted equally

patrimonialism
a type of authority wherein military and administrative factions enforce the power of the master

politics
a means of studying a nation's or group's underlying social norms as values as evidenced through its political structure and practices

power
the ability to exercise one's will over others

power elite
a small group of powerful people who control much of a society

rational-legal authority
power that is legitimized by rules, regulations, and laws

representative democracy
a government wherein citizens elect officials to represent their interests

totalitarian dictatorship
an extremely oppressive form of dictatorship in which most aspects of citizens' lives are controlled by the leader

traditional authority
power legitimized on the basis of long-standing customs