Sociology 201 Study Guide

1. Weber’s Three Types of Authority * Traditional authority-based in custom, hallmark of tribal groups. Custom dictates basic relationships. Birth dictates social level. * Rational Legal Authority-based on written rules. Refers to matters that have been agreed to by reasonable people and written into law(or regulation of some sort). May be as broad as a constitution for rights of all members of a society or as narrow as a contract between two people. Ruler’s word is subject to law. * Charismatic Authority- People are drawn to a charismatic individual because they believe that individual has been touched by God or has been endowed by nature with exceptional qualities. (Joan of Arc, Adolf Hitler) 2. Types of Modern Government * Democratic-“Power to the People” Everyone has the same basic rights by virtue of citizenship. Right to vote and be heard. Revolutionary Idea. * Authoritarian/Dictatorship- An individual seizes power and then dictates his will to the people. * Oligarchy- A small group seizes power of the people. * Totalitarianism- almost total control over a people by the government. 3. Voting patterns in the U.S. * The older you are the more likely to vote. Slightly Fewer males vote than females. More whites than AA, then Asian Amer., then Latinos. More educated you are the more likely you are to vote. More married people vote than divorced. Slightly more employed vote than unemployed. The richer you are the more likely you are to vote. 4. Special Interest groups, PAC’s, Lobbyists * Special Interest Groups- consist of people who think alike on a particular issue and who can be mobilized for political action. Major force in U.S. politics. * Lobbyists- people who are paid to influence legislation on behalf of their clients. Major force in U.S. politics. * PAC’s (Political Action Committees)-solicit contributions from many, and then use that large amount to influence