SOC101YSOC101Y

Introduction to SociologyIntroduction to SociologyProfessor Robert BrymProfessor Robert Brym

Lecture #16Lecture #16Politics and Social MovementsPolitics and Social Movements

6 March 136 March 13

Today’s TopicsToday’s Topics

Politics “by the rules”Electoral politics

Politics “beyond the rules”Social movementsWar

Voter Turnout, Voter Turnout, Canadian Federal ElectionsCanadian Federal Elections

Voters as percent of eligible voters

Voter turnout fell 19.5 percent from 1958 to 2011 and will drop below 50 percent in 2041 if current trends continue.

Year Age Cohort

Voter turnout is falling mainly because fewer young people vote than in the past. As these 2011 data show, the youngest Canadians are the least likely to vote.

Voters as percent of eligible voters

Federal Political Contributors, Federal Political Contributors, by Income and Region, Canadaby Income and Region, Canada

Contributors/10,000 tax filers

Income category

Region

Political Apathy and Cynicism, Political Apathy and Cynicism, byby

Annual Household Income, Annual Household Income, Canada, 2004Canada, 2004

Major Characteristics of Major Characteristics of Canadian Democracy TodayCanadian Democracy Today

1. Large, persistent, wealth-based inequalities in political influence and political participation

2. Widespread political apathy, especially among youth

3. Somewhat left of centre

LEFTLEFT RIGHTRIGHT

Supports extensive government involvement in the economy; a strong social safety net of health, education and welfare benefits to help the less well-off; equal rights for women and racial and sexual minorities; environmental protection by regulation.

Supports minimal government involvement in the economy; a small welfare state; individual initiative in stimulating economic growth; traditional social and moral values; a free market approach to the environment.

Average Canadian Average American

How do Canada’s political parties How do Canada’s political parties vary from left to right? (percent of vary from left to right? (percent of

2008 vote in parentheses)2008 vote in parentheses)

Note: The Left versus Right index is the percent of each party’s supporters who favour enhanced social spending supported by tax increases minus the percent who favour reduced social spending and tax cuts.

(37.6)

(10.0)

(18.2)

(6.8)

(26.2)

61% left 38% right

Organization is PowerOrganization is Power

Consequences of Working Class Consequences of Working Class PowerPower

in 18 Rich Countries, 1946–76 in 18 Rich Countries, 1946–76% non-

agricultural workforce unionized

Socialist share of

government

% of national income to top

10% of income earners

% poo

r

2 mainly socialist countries

68.5 High 21.8 4.3

7 partly socialist countries

46.6 Medium 23.6 7.8

9 non-socialist countries

28.0 Low 28.3 10.8

Non-conventional Political Action, Non-conventional Political Action, Canada, 1981-2006 Canada, 1981-2006

(percent “done” and “might”)(percent “done” and “might”)

Percent

Statistically significant increase

Relative Deprivation TheoryRelative Deprivation Theory

Time

Rewards

Rewards expected

Rewards received

Intolerable gap

People feel relatively deprived when they experience an intolerable gap between the social rewards they think they deserve and the social rewards they expect to receive. Social rewards are widely valued goods, including money, education, security, prestige, etc. Accordingly, people are most likely to rebel against authority when rising expectations (brought on by, say, rapid economic growth and migration) are met by a sudden decline in social rewards (due to, say, economic recession or war).

Resource Mobilization Resource Mobilization TheoryTheory

Resource mobilization theory is based on the idea that social movements can emerge only when disadvantaged people can marshal the means necessary to challenge authority. Foremost among the resources they need to challenge authority is the capacity to forge strong social ties among themselves. Other important resources that allow disadvantaged people to challenge authority include jobs, money, arms, and access to means of spreading their ideas.

Weighted Frequency of Weighted Frequency of Strikes,Strikes,

Canada, 1946-2008Canada, 1946-2008

Str

ikes

/100

,000

non

-agr

icul

tura

l wo

rker

s

1946

Year

20081974

Percent of Non-Agricultural Percent of Non-Agricultural Workers Unionized, Canada, 1925-Workers Unionized, Canada, 1925-

20092009Percent unionized

Year

How Social Movements How Social Movements Changed, 1700-2000Changed, 1700-2000

1700 1900 2000

Characteristics of social movements

Small, local, violent

Large, national, less violent

Large, international, less violent

Cause of change Growth of state

Globalization

WarWar

A war is a violent, armed conflict between politically distinct groups who fight to protect or increase their control of territory.

Wars may take place: between countries (interstate war)

special type: colonial war, which involves a colony engaging in armed conflict with an imperial power to gain independence

within countries (civil or societal war)

Global Trends in Violent Global Trends in Violent Conflict, 1946-2007Conflict, 1946-2007

The Risk of War, 2008-10The Risk of War, 2008-10

Type of Government by Income Category

Income Category

Percent

Note: Democracy = rule by the citizenry; autocracy = absolute rule by a single person or party; intermediate = some elements of democracy (e.g, regular elections) and some of autocracy (e.g., no institutional checks on presidential power).

Forms of Modern Warfare, Forms of Modern Warfare, 1700-19451700-1945

The modern state increasingly monopolized the means of coercion.

As a result, regional, ethnic, and religious wars declined, and interstate warfare became the norm.

While conflict became more deadly, civilian life was pacified.

Changing Form of Warfare Changing Form of Warfare since World War IIsince World War II

There have been fewer interstate wars and more civil wars, guerilla wars, massacres, terrorist attacks, and instances of attempted ethnic cleansing and genocide perpetrated by militias, mercenaries, paramilitaries, suicide bombers, and so on.

Large-scale violence has increasingly been visited on civilian rather than military populations.

Total and Fatal Terrorist Total and Fatal Terrorist Attacks, 1970-2007Attacks, 1970-2007

All attacks

Fatal attacks

Why Warfare Changed Why Warfare Changed after World War IIafter World War II

Decolonization and separatist movements roughly doubled the number of weak, independent states in the world.

The USA, the USSR, China and Cuba often subsidized and sent arms to domestic opponents of regimes that were aligned against them.

The expansion of international trade in contraband provided separatist rebels with new means of support.