Politics as Institution

Politics as Institution

The Distribution of Power in Society

Key Terms• Politics – System of distributing power and decision making• Power – The ability to achieve desired ends despite

opposition• Authority – Use of power perceived as legitimate• The State – The highest political authority within a given

territory• Government – Set of people engaged in directing the state

– (As opposed to “little-g” government, which is the political direction and control exercised over the actions of members of any particular group)

Theories of Political Power

• Pluralist Model– Analysis of politics that views power as dispersed

among many competing interest groups• Power Elite Model– View that political power is concentrated among

the wealthy and political elite

The Structure ofThe United States’ Political System:

Branches of Federal Government

• Executive– Prez, Veeper, Cabinet, Agencies

• Legislative– House of Reps (435 members), Senate (100

members)• Judicial– District Federal Courts (circuits)– US Supreme Court

Winner-Take-All System

• Rule with 50% + 1 of votes cast• Sociological significance of “winner-take-all”– Narrows the political spectrum– Diminishes impact of “third” parties (E.g. Green,

Reform, Libertarian, Socialist, etc.)

X

(China)(Syria)(Israel)

(Canada)(S.A.)

(U.K.)(Italy)

(Germany)(Australia)

(European Council)(U.K. Labour Party)

(India)

(Spain)

(Venezuela)

(Zimbabwe)

(Palestinian Authority)

(Greek Opposition Leader)(France)

Current World Leaders

Two Major Parties

• Democrats• Republicans

What’s the difference?Democrats are more likely to regulate finances and mitigate extremes,

while Republicans generally want more “free market” principles.

Generally speaking, most non-economic domestic issues (LGBTQ rights, abortion, gun laws, etc.) are wedge issues.

And regarding foreign policy, these two parties are virtually identical.

Some argue thatthese two groups aremerely two factions

of the same business party.

Do we live in a democracy?If so, when did the U.S. become one?

Democracy?

• Black men denied the vote until 1870• Women denied the vote until 1920• 18-20 year-olds given right to vote in 1971• Today: 4.7 million current and former felons

denied the right to vote• Most workplaces—where we spend 50% or

more of our waking hours, five days a week—are completely undemocratic tyrannies.

Our Government is a “representative republic.”

Is Our Government Representative?

• 12.6% of U.S. is Black– 44 Blacks in House (all Democrats) =

10.1%– 0 Blacks in Senate = 0%

• 16.3% of U.S. is Latino– 26 Latinos in House = 6%– 2 Latinos in Senate = 2%

• 51% of U.S. is Women– 74 Women in House = 17%– 17 Women in Senate = 17%

• 5% of U.S. is Asian or Pacific Islander– 11 Asian/Pacific Islanders in House = 2.5%– 2 Asian/Pacific Islanders in Senate = 2%

• 0.9% of U.S. is Native– 1 Natives in House = 0.2%– 0 Natives in Senate = 0%

• Black– 43 in House = 9.9%– 2 in Senate = 2%

• Latino– 33 in House = 7.6%– 4 in Senate = 4%

• Women– 81 in House = 18.6%– 20 in Senate = 20%

• Asian or Pacific Islander– 12 in House = 2.75%– 1 in Senate = 1%

• Native American– 2 in House = 0.4%– 0 in Senate = 0%

• Gov. data from Congressional Research Service, Oct. 31, 2013– https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42964.pdf

• Pop. Data from 2010 census

The 112th Congress The 113th Congress

More Progress Toward Representation

• 113th Congress– First openly gay Senator– First openly bisexual Representative– 3 Buddhists (2 in House, 1 in Senate)– 1 Hindu in the House– 2 Muslims in the House– White men are in the minority of House

Democrats for the first time in history

Is Our Government Representative?

• About 1% of U.S. population are millionaires

• Nearly 50% of Congress are millionaires

Institutional Intersections – Politics and…

• Education– Public funding for higher education has declined to 35.7%

(currently) from 74% in 1991– Result: higher tuition for students

• Economics: Big Money Politics– “Money Primary”– Campaign contributions – fecinfo.com– Citizens United: prohibits the government from restricting

independent political expenditures by corporations and unions.

– Who’s your lobbyist?

Where do YOU fall on the political spectrum?