1. Chapter 10: Politics and
Government
The Real World:
An Introduction to Sociology, 4th Ed.

2. What Are Social
Institutions?
• Social institutions are systems and
structures that shape the activities of
groups and individuals in society.
• You can’t “visit” a social institution—
it is a structure, not a place. Politics,
education, and religion are
examples of institutions.

3. What Is Politics?
• Politics: the methods and
tactics of managing a nation or
state, as well as administering
and controlling its internal and
external affairs

4. What Is Politics?
(cont’d.)
• Government: the formal,
organized agency that
exercises
power and control in modern
society, especially through the
creation and enforcement of
laws

5. What Is Politics?
(cont’d.)
• Power is the ability to impose
one’s will on others.
• Authority is the noncoercive,
legitimate exercise of power.

6. Types of Political
Systems
• Authoritarianism is a system of
government by and for a small
number of elites that does not
include representation of
ordinary citizens.

7. Types of Political
Systems (cont’d.)
• A dictatorship is one form of
an authoritarianism system;
usually a dictator does not gain power
by being elected or through
succession but rather seizes power
and becomes an absolutist ruler.

8. Types of Political
Systems (cont’d.)
• Totalitarianism is the most
extreme and modern form of
authoritarianism, in which the
government seeks to control
every aspect of citizens’ lives.

9. Types of Political
Systems (cont’d.)
• A monarchy is government by
a king or queen, with succession
of rulers kept within the family.
• Absolute monarchies typically have
complete authority over their subjects.
• Constitutional monarchs are royal
figures whose powers are defined by
a political charter and limited by a
parliament or other governing body.

10. Types of Political
Systems (cont’d.)
• A democracy is a political
system in which all citizens
have the right to participate.

11. Pluralist Theory vs. Power
Elite
• Pluralism: a system of political
power where a wide variety of
individuals and groups have
equal access to resources and
power.

12. Pluralist Theory vs. Power
Elite (cont’d.)
• C. Wright Mills coined the term
power elite — a relatively small
number of people who control the
economic,
political,
and military
institutions
of a society.

13. What Is Politics? (cont’d.)
• Many people worry about the
influence of money in politics.
Special interest groups are
organizations that raise and
spend money to influence
elected officials or public
opinion.

14. What Is Politics? (cont’d.)
• In addition to special interest
groups, the mass media also
impacts politics. For instance,
many people form their beliefs
based on information from
opinion leaders.
• Opinion leaders are high-profile
people who interpret events
and influence the public.