This document discusses political institutions and the different types of political authority and systems of government. It defines power, the state, and political institutions. It then examines the legitimacy of power and the three types of authority according to Max Weber: traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal. It also discusses coercion. The document goes on to describe different forms of government like democracy, monarchy, and authoritarian systems. Finally, it discusses some key aspects of the American political system such as political parties, interest groups, and political participation.

1. THE POLITICAL INSTITUTION

2. Power - is the ability to control the behavior of
others, with or without their consent.
 State - the primary political authority in
society.
Political institution- the system of roles and
norms that governs the distribution and
exercise of power in society.

3. The Legitimacy of Power
Legitimacy refers to whether those in power are
viewed as having the right to control, or govern,
others.
Authority
-Max Weber referred to legitimate power as
authority
-3 types:
*Traditional authority
* Charismatic authority
*Rational-legal authority

4. Traditional authority - is power that is
legitimated by long- standing custom.
Charismatic authority – is power that is
legitimated by the personal characteristics of
the individual exercising the power.
Rational-legal authority – is power that is
legitimated by formal rules and regulations.

5. Coercion
-when those who govern lack legitimacy,
control often takes the form of coercion
- is power that is exercised through force
or the threat of force

6. Types of Government
 Democratic Systems
-in a democracy, power is exercised
through the people.
- modern democratic systems are
representational democracies – voters elect
representatives who are entrusted with the task
of making political decisions.

7.  Monarchy
- is a type of government in which one person
rules.
- the ruler known as the monarch comes to
power through inheritance
Constitutional monarchy
- Are considered to be democratic because the ultimate
power rests with elected officials

8. Authoritarian Systems
- in a government based on
authoritarianism, power rests firmly with the
state. Members of society have little or no say in
the political decision-making process.
Absolute Monarchy
-is an authoritarian system in which the
hereditary rules hold absolute power.
Dictatorship
-An authoritarian system in which the
power is in the hands of individuals.

9. Junta
-is an authoritarian system in which political
power has been seized from the previous
government by force. Juntas are very common on
Africa.
Extreme form of authoritarianism.
• Totalitarianism- government leaders accept few
limits on their authority. Because totalitarian
government allow little opposition to their
policies, the lives of the individuals in
totalitarian states are rigidly controlled.

10. The American Political System
Max Weber sociologist have devoted
considerable attention to the analysis of Political
system.
Topics of special interest to sociologist studying the American
political system:
 The role of the political parties
 The effect of special interest groups on public policy
 Variation in voter participation
 The question of who actually rules America.

11. Political Parties
-is an organization that seeks to gain
power in the government through legitimate
means. It distinguish themselves from one
another by adopting specific points of view on
issues of interest to voters and by formulating
programs for legislative action.
Interest groups
-is an organization that attempts to
influence the political decision-making process.

12. Political Participation
-public participation is at the heart of the
democratic process. Yet the United States has
one of the lowest rates of voter participation
among the democratic nations of the world.