World Cultures

Unit 2: World Governments

D. Authority: the rights to use force or threaten to use force

I. Basic Definitions

A. Government: The organization through which a political unit exercises authority & performs functions

1. Have a system to establish, maintain, & re-establish order

B. Political Power: ability to make & enforce decisions about public goals

C. Politics: way in which power is gained & used to make & enforce public goals

II. Common links of governments

A. Rules of Conduct

1. Keep life/society running smoothly

3. Effect the entire group

2. Require or forbid certain behaviors

4. Types of Rules

a. Folkways: norms governing everyday social behavior, but if they are broken they do not raise much concern

Examples:

Wearing Gender-Appropriate

Clothing

Proper Utensil

Somber Clothes at Funerals

Formal Clothes at Church

Thank you, Hello, & Excuse Me

Gender Colors

b. Norms: are established standards of behavior maintained by a society

Tip the Waiter/Waitress (15%)

Examples:

Have Children

Modest Dress

House Wife

c. Mores: accepted traditional customs, rituals, usages, and expectations of a group of people

Examples:

Meal Times

Holidays

Marriage Ceremonies Greetings

d. Laws: are formal rules that tell people how to behave and to maintain order within a culture

Examples:

Traffic Laws Murder

TheftIllegal Behaviors (Vices)

B. Legitimacy

1. People need to accept their right to use power

2. Done by socialization

i. Education systems

ii. Community organizations

a. teach people to have positive views & loyalty to all aspects of government

C. Law Enforcement

1. Rules need to be enforced if they are to mean anything

2. Most follow willingly, but others need force, punishments

a. Power structure enforces

policejudges soldiers

b. Other types = held by a person or group of people

D. Sovereignty: supreme power or authority of the gov. over its area and people

1. Use force within its borders

a. Democratic nations = people give them this power

2. Escape them only by leaving the area of control

E. Jurisdiction: right or power to make and enforce laws

1. Extends to all people and areas of the gov.

ii. Power: no power to force, only to lead

III. Types of Political Orders

A. Bands: government by community

1. Societies of people surviving by foraging for wild foods in small localized groups

a. 50-60 people: they are the center of authority

b. Legal problems: Community discussion, all members participate, then a group decision

c. Leadership: one person chosen due to personal talent or wisdom

i. Only as long as needed or people have faith in their ability

Examples:

Cave People Societies

4. Leadership: based on skill rather than inheritance (talent to lead)

B. Tribes: governments by families & associations

1. Kinship based society without a full time gov, based on subsistence agriculture

2. Legal authority: families of the local group

a. Family law in domestic matters like divorce, family honor, offense by another family

3. Voluntary associations for defense & policing of the community

Examples:

Native American Tribe

Afghanistan Tribe

a. Tax, local policing, judicial activities, drafting labor for public projects

C. Chiefdoms: Government by officials

1. Society of many villages that allow families to have some authority

2. Official: chief = religious & political head

a. Use of force: matters of importance to the whole (war)b. Authority: major crimes affecting the group

(murder, grand theft)

c. Power: inherited, but group has a say

3. Authority Over

Examples:

Chiefdom in Western Cameroon

Aztecs

3. Ruler: kings, dictators, generals, or appointed ruler

D. States: centralized government with a monopoly on the right to use legal force & control affairs

of local communities

1. Powers

a. Taxes, pass laws, draft people for labor or war

2. Members: thousands to millions in towns, cities & rural areas

Examples:

United States

China

IV. Types of Political & Economic Systems

A. Anarchy: The absence of government

1. Characteristics

a. Believe people are essentially good

b. Society is corrupted by governments, national boundaries, & control

i. Everyone looks after themselves = no laws/government

c. Individuals or small groups make all the decisions

Motto: “everyone for yourself”

2. Problems:

a. Not all people are good

b. Can only last for a brief time

i. Strongest will raise a group of followers & form a government/control

B. Pluralism: political power is divided among a wide range of groups or interests in society

1. Socialism: public ownership of all means of production, services, and communication

b. Wealth & income: evenly distributed by welfare policies

c. Public ownership of all land, factories, means of production

a. Cooperation is the basis of the society

Motto: “all for one and one for all”

Example: Sweden

State provides: education, medical care, retirement,

etc..

Extremely high taxes

People elect a leader: Prime Minister

Fredrik Reinfeldt

c. Economic resources controlled by private individuals or the government

2. Democracy: Rule by the people

a. Recognizes the equality & dignity of all persons regardless of race, religion, gender, or social standing

b. Provides freedoms: speech, press, religion, etc…

Motto: “majority rules”

d. 3 basic types

i. Full Democracy: people all meet to make decisions for the group

ii. Presidential Democracy: President is the head of state and government, with other bodies to help

(EX. USA)

iii. Parliamentary Democracy: Head of State & Government are separate

(EX: France, Russia)

a. Head of State: President, King/Queen (Figure head)

b. Head of Government: Chancellor, Prime Minister (Runs gov)

3. Capitalism: econ system that is present in many different political systems

a. Based on competition and self-interest

b. Most property, raw materials, means of production, labor, & goods are controlled by individuals or groups

c. Capitalists gain wealth by setting prices higher than costs & keep prices and production within demands of the market

Motto: “Woo Hoo, Money”

4. Constitutional Monarchy: People represented by a legislature or constitution

a. Monarch: only a figure head = no real power

Example: Great Britain

Prime Minster heads Parliament = elected by the people

David CameronQueen Elizabeth II

Symbolic Leader

Motto: “We love the tradition, but hate the tyranny”

C. Totalitarianism: demands loyalty from its people & seeks to regulate all private activities

1. Fascism: form of government headed by a dictator

a. Government controls all political, economic, cultural, religious, & social activities

b. People have few or no rights & behaviors are limited

c. Media is controlled by the government: only positive & supportive of gov.

d. Industry is privately owned, but controlled by the gov

e. Extreme forced patriotism, warlike policies, persecution of minorities f. Extreme nationalism: all are inferior to them

Also called: Authoritarian Nationalism, or Military Authoritarianism

Example: Nazi Germany

Motto: “We love our people as long as they do what we tell them”

2. Absolute Monarchy: state controlled by one person with no limits on power

a. Monarch has final word on all governmental decisions

Rare in the modern world

Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah

Vatican City

Pope Francis

Motto: “We love tyranny, because I said so”

3. Communism: government plans and controls all economic activities

a. There is only one political party: communist Party

b. Does not allow public or organized criticism of the party or officials

c. Government owns and controls all industry

d. Considers the well-being of the state as more important than personal rights & liberties

e. Party controls all – media, unions, judges, police, agriculture, etc…

Examples:

North Korea

Kim Jong UnRaúl Castro

Cuba China

Hu Jintao

Motto: “We are all equal, but Party Members are more equal than others”