CHAPTER 19

Politics and Political Institutions

Chapter Outline

The Nature of Politics and Political Institutions

The Nation-State in Crisis

Political Institutions: A Global View

Perspectives on Political Institutions

Military Institutions

Politics, Power, and Authority

Harold Lasswell defined politics as the process of determining who gets what, when, and how.

Power is the ability to control the behavior of others, even against their will.

Authority is institutionalized power—power whose exercise is governed by the norms and statuses of organizations.

Political and Military Institutions of the United States

Weber’s Types of Authority

Authority Example

Traditional Tribal chiefs; absolute monarchs

Charismatic authority Joan of Arc; Mahatma Gandhi

Legal authority Presidents; prime ministers

Citizenship These new citizens at a

swearing-in ceremony have had to demonstrate knowledge of basic English and awareness of the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

Rights of citizenship include: Civil rights Political rights Social rights

Political Parties

Political parties - organizations of people who join together to gain legitimate control of state authority.

Parties that seek legitimate power and accept the rule of other legitimate parties form a loyal opposition.

Revolutionary political parties do not view the state as legitimate and do not seek authority through legitimate procedures.

Democratic Political Systems

Must meet the following conditions: The political culture

legitimizes the democratic system and its institutions.

One set of political leaders holds office.

One or more sets of leaders do not hold office but act as a legitimate opposition.

Small Parties in Representative Systems

Is the tea party a political party or a political movement, or both? Although popular political figures seek its support, the tea party has remained a rather loosely organized conservative social movement rather than a registered political party with an official leadership, but this could change as the next presidential elections near.

A Typology of Regimes

Liberal democracies. Examples: United States, Canada, Great Britain,

France, Brazil, and Japan Emergent democracies.

Examples: Chile, Ivory Coast, Mali, Haiti, Morocco, Tunisia, and the Philippines.

Communist regimes. Examples: China, North Korea, and Cuba are

examples of existing communist regimes.

A Typology of Regimes

Nationalistic socialist regimes. Examples: Iraq, Libya, Tanzania, and Syria.

Authoritarian nationalist regimes. Examples: Nazi Germany or contemporary

Zimbabwe. Military regimes

Examples: Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Myanmar

A Typology of Regimes

Islamic nationalist regimes. Examples: Afghanistan under the Taliban and

Iran. Absolutist regimes.

Examples: Sultanates, emirates, and traditional monarchies such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Swaziland.

Key Political, Economic, Military, and Social Indicators of Instability Demographic pressures–overpopulation, rapid

urban growth, resource depletion Refugees and displaced persons Group grievance—the presence of minorities

with serious grievances Human flight Uneven development—particularly the growth

of a very rich elite and a large mass of extremely poor citizens

Key Political, Economic, Military, and Social Indicators of Instability Economic decline Delegitimization of state—the sense that

pervasive corruption and graft make national leaders unworthy of their positions

Decline of public services Lack of protection of human rights

Key Political, Economic, Military, and Social Indicators of Instability Security apparatus–military and police

institutions that are not professional, are graft-ridden and liable to engage in power struggles

Factionalized elites External intervention–threats from outside the

nation, from neighboring states or ethnic groups

Top Ten Nations Ranked on the Failed States Index

Average Media Consumption, (Persons 18 and over)

Average Media Consumption(Persons 18 and over)

Military socialization

Suppression of previous statuses. Through haircuts, uniforms, and the like, the

recruit is deprived of previous social status. Learning of new norms and rules.

At the official level, the recruit is taught obedience to the rules of the military; through informal socialization, he or she is taught the culture of the institution.

Military socialization

Development of solidarity. Informal socialization and harsh discipline build

solidarity and lasting friendships among recruits; they learn to depend on one another.

Bureaucratic spirit. The recruit is taught unquestioning acceptance of

tradition and custom; orders are taken and given from morning to night.

QUICK QUIZ

1. Power and authoritya. are totally unrelated to each other.

b. have different meanings. Authority is a particular form of power.

c. are closely related, but not the same. Power is force, while authority is obedience.

d. tend only to be found in government institutions; i.e., they are only embodied in the state.

Answer: b

Power and authority have different meanings. Authority is a particular form of power.

2. That most likely to produce social change is ________ authority, while ________ authority is the most likely to resist change.

a. legal / traditional

b. charismatic / legal

c. traditional / charismatic

d. charismatic / traditional

Answer: d

That most likely to produce social change is charismatic authority, while traditional authority is the most likely to resist change.

3. Which is not a component of the military socialization process?

a. the bureaucratic spirit

b. development of solidarity

c. learning new norms and rules

d. maintenance of previous statuses

Answer: d

Maintenance of previous statuses is not a component of the military socialization process.