Social Institutions

Social Institutions

The Government

The Government

Politics And Authority

Politics And Authority

Politics And Power

Politics And Power

The Economy

The Economy

Capitalism And Socialism

Capitalism And Socialism

Ideal Types Of Political-Economic Systems

Ideal Types Of Political-Economic Systems

The MediaThe Media

Functions Of Mass Media

Functions Of Mass Media

GatekeepingGatekeeping

An Organized and Established Social

System That Meets One Or More Of A Society’s

Basic Needs

What S

ocie

ties

What S

ocie

ties

Need To

Survive

Need To

Survive

• • Replace Its Members

Replace Its Members::

Groups do this through procreation,

Groups do this through procreation,

conversion, or immigration

conversion, or immigration

• • Teach New Recruits

Teach New Recruits::

Groups do this through education,

Groups do this through education,

indoctrination, or informal interaction.

indoctrination, or informal interaction.

• • Produce/Distribute Goods

Produce/Distribute Goods::

Groups must satisfy members’ needs or face

Groups must satisfy members’ needs or face

discontent and disorder.

discontent and disorder.

• • Preserve Order:

Preserve Order:

Groups protect their members from both

Groups protect their members from both

internal and external threats.

internal and external threats.

• • Provide A Sense Of Purpose:

Provide A Sense Of Purpose:

Groups help members understand their value

Groups help members understand their value

to the society, providing motivation for them

to the society, providing motivation for them

to continue as members of it..

to continue as members of it..

Funct

ion O

f

Funct

ion O

f M

ajo

r In

stit

uti

ons

Majo

r In

stit

uti

ons

• • PoliticsPolitics::Maintains law and order, passes

Maintains law and order, passes

legislation, and forms military

legislation, and forms military

groups for internal/external defense.

groups for internal/external defense.

• • The Economy

The Economy::Organizes a society’s development,

Organizes a society’s development,

production, distribution, and

production, distribution, and

consumption of goods and services.

consumption of goods and services.

• • MediaMedia::Enables and influences

Enables and influences

communication between individuals

communication between individuals

and group, socializes members and

and group, socializes members and

enforces social norms, promotes

enforces social norms, promotes

consumption of goods and services

consumption of goods and services

Politics And AuthorityPolitics And Authority

Max Weber

Power is the ability to

achieve your will even

against the resistance of

others.

Authority is power which

followers consider

legitimate

TraditionalRational-LegalCharismatic

GovernmentGovernment: The organization that exercises authority and steers decision-making in a specific community. It holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of force against what it perceives as external and internal threats to its territory.

MonarchiesMonarchies – headed by a single person who inherits the position

Traditional/Absolute: leaders control unconditional powerConstitutional: leaders have a mostly symbolic role

Dictatorships Dictatorships – headed by self-appointed leaders

Oligarchies Oligarchies – headed by a small group of “elite” individuals– headed by a small group of “elite” individuals

DemocraciesDemocracies – headed by leaders selected through electionsDirect democracy: citizens directly vote their willRepresentative democracy: citizens elect delegates who “vote

their will”VOTER TURNOUT IN RECENT FEDERAL VOTER TURNOUT IN RECENT FEDERAL

ELECTIONSELECTIONSLegislative PresidentialUnited States (2010) 42% United States (2008) 70%Cuba (2008) 97% France (2012) 80%Germany (2009) 71% Russia (2012) 69%United Kingdom (2010) 66% Mexico (2012) 63%

Politics And PowerPolitics And PowerPluralist (R Dahl)Political power is fragmented among many competing groups constantly negotiating to get their way.

Power Elites (C Mills)Political power is concentrated in the hands of a small dominant group of business, government, and military leaders.

Class Domination (W Domhoff)Political power is concentrated in the hands of the rich who own or control a large share of the nation’s economic resources

LobbyistsLobbyists

LegislatorsLegislators

Local LeaderLocal Leaders

Unorganized, Exploited Unorganized, Exploited MassesMasses

Corporate RichCorporate RichExecutive BranchExecutive BranchMilitary LeadersMilitary Leaders

Politics And EconomicsPolitics And EconomicsCAPITALICAPITALI

SMSMEconomic Economic

system that system that emphasizes emphasizes

privateprivate ownership of ownership of the means of the means of production. production. Incentive? Incentive?

Personal ProfitPersonal Profit

SOCIALISSOCIALISMM

Economic Economic system that system that emphasizes emphasizes

publicpublic ownership of ownership of the means of the means of production. production. Incentive? Incentive?

Public GoodPublic Good

Capitalist DemocracyCapitalist Democracypolitical liberty, political liberty, private ownership, private ownership, some state some state intervention in intervention in economyeconomy

United StatesUnited States

Authoritarian Authoritarian CapitalismCapitalismfew political liberties, few political liberties, private ownership, private ownership, some state-run some state-run enterprisesenterprises

ChinaChinaDemocratic SocialismDemocratic Socialismpolitical liberty, public political liberty, public ownership, high state ownership, high state intervention in intervention in economyeconomy

NorwayNorway

State SocialismState Socialismfew political liberties, few political liberties, largely centralized largely centralized state-run economystate-run economy

North KoreaNorth Korea

CAPITALISCAPITALISMM

SOCIALISSOCIALISMM

DEMOCRATIDEMOCRATICC

AUTHORITARAUTHORITARIANIAN

The Functions Of Mass MediaThe Functions Of Mass Media

Agent Of SocializationAgent Of Socialization

Enforcer of Social Enforcer of Social NormsNorms

Conferral of StatusConferral of Status

Promotion of Promotion of ConsumptionConsumption

““Narcotizing Narcotizing Dysfunction”Dysfunction”

Providing so much coverage that we Providing so much coverage that we become numb and fail to act on the become numb and fail to act on the

informationinformation

GatekeepingGatekeeping