What is Political Sociology?
The ability of people, or groups, to gain access to government and use its power to influence society
Politics
Rules, laws, and services provided by a government
Policy
Networks of people, and organizations, that represent particular interests or positions
Political Parties
The right to vote
Suffrage
Governing style that relies on strict obedience to leaders
Authoritarianism
countries where people share a national language or culture
Nation States
Using the force of government to collect funds that are sued to pay for services
Taxation
People influence the state and its policies by voting for representatives who then decide which policies to approve
Laws that barred African Americans from holding certain jobs
Black Codes
Influencing politics in official and sanctioned ways
Institutional Politics
Contacting elected representatives to argue for a particular position
Lobbying
States where a large part of the budget is spent on social services
Welfare States
Governments that are fairly permissive in economic affairs
Liberal States
Efforts to influence politics outside of the official and accepted system
Contentious Politics
People who believe normal methods of exerting political influence are insufficient or illegitimate
Activists
Having the only legitimate claim to use force
Monopoly of Force
Widespread methods of regulating behaviors that are not written into law
Informal Policies
Analysis attempts to judge whether politics are good or bad
Normative Analysis
Structure where control of a social movement is local and members don't answer to a central leadership
Grassroots
Social movements that lead to the fall of governments
Revolutionary Movements
How states are made, acquire power, and use power to further their goals through policy
Axis of Politics
predicts that government policies will reflect the balance of power between various interest groups
Pluralism Theory
Government in which various factions are part of state entities that determine social policy
Corporatist State
Individuals, and organizations, that organize protests and work to change public opinion on issues
Social Movement Sector