LEARNING OBJECTIVES

0Know key themes for the new topic

0Understand how politics can interlink with other topics covered in the course

0Be able to differentiate between different types of power and authority

0Understand the role of the state and different sociological perspectives on the state

So….what will we cover in this unit?

0 Power ….what is it an who has it?

0 Political processes…..what factors influence the way people vote?

0 Political pressure….can individuals and groups make a difference?

0What is the welfare state……how has government tried to deal with problems such as unemployment, poverty and the ageing population?

0Are your relationships political…..home, school or at work?

What is power?

Max Weber 1864-1920

0An individual or group has power when they are able to get what they want despite the opposition of other people.

According to Weber we have power when we influence someone even against their will.

Coercion

Coercion

0Use of force

0We obey an individual or group because we feel we have no choice

0We are forced to obey against our will

0 Includes the threat of physical violence, torture

0Example - kidnapping

Authority

Authority

0Willingly obey because it is the right thing to do

0 Force is unnecessary as we agree to obey

0Example – a teacher exercises authority over her/his students in the classroom when they willingly complete homework and hand it in on time

Karl Marx 1818-1883

0Power is closely linked to social class relationships

0 Power is held by the bourgeoisie

0They use their economic power to exploit the working class

Three types of authority…

0Traditional

0Legal rational

0Charismatic

Traditional

0We accept the authority of an individual or group because it is customary to do so

0The monarch in GB exercises authority based on tradition

Legal Rational

0 We obey due to the position they hold in an organisation

0 The democratically elected leader of a nation has legal rational authority

0 A head teacher of a school has been chosen to lead and has been given authority over staff and students

Charismatic

0 Personal qualities that inspire us

0 Charismatic leaders are seen as exceptional people

0 The authority of some religious leaders is based on their charisma

0 Charismatic political leaders such as Nelson Mandela who lead the struggle against apartheid

What type of authority?

0A teacher

0A police officer

0A village elder

0The pope

What type of authority do they hold? Can a person hold more than one type of authority?

Independent Study

0 Create a diagram to explain the term democracy

0 You need to include the difference between direct and indirect democracy

0 Define two different uses of the term citizenship

0 Create a diagram to show the three sections of the State and their roles in the regulation of society

0 Outline the differences between the consensus and conflict views of the state.

What is…..

democracy

Legal rational

traditional

coercion

charismatic

What is….

citizenship

Conflict view

Pluralist view

state

Power and Weber