POWER, POLITICS, GOVT

1. Power

1.1. the ability to impose one's will upon other people's behaviors

1.2. HOW IS POWER USED? used to build cities, promote arts, feed the poor, looting subjects' wealth, turning captives into slaves, committing mass murder

1.3. FORMAL AUTHORITY - comes from person's position EXPERTISE - comes from person's specific skills COERCION - using force or harm REWARD - one's ability to offer rewards PERSUASION - able to influence

1.4. authority

1.4.1. the power to give orders and enforce laws

1.5. legitimacy

1.5.1. the quality of being accepted as an authority

1.6. social contract theory

1.6.1. an agreed upon idea that the ruled obey the rule in exchange for protection of rights

2. Government

2.1. polity

2.1.1. a constitutional government in which everyone has a share in political power

2.2. public goods

2.2.1. services for the public from the government through taxes

2.3. NATION-STATES: an independent territory where everyone share a common culture & currency - Territorial integrity - Stable population - Code of laws - National sovereignty - National identity

2.4. BUILDING BLOCKS Coercion - ways in which government use its power to force citizens to behave certain ways Collecting revenue (taxes)

2.5. PURPOSES: public order, protection, public goods

2.6. institutions organized to establish and carry out public policy

3. Politics

3.1. what is politics?

3.1.1. when people work to influence the decisions made by groups

3.2. what is an institution?

3.2.1. an organization that provides a public service or sets of rules

3.3. characteristics of political activity

3.3.1. 1) is purposeful & involves collective action 2) involves competition so is often described as a game 3) most political competition is peaceful but can turn deadly