8.3 Theories of Power

• Authority is the legitimate right to exercise power
• According to pluralism, a single group dominates all decisions.

  False
• Pluralism argues that political processes are widely accessible
• Elite theory suggests that a small, privileged elite controls most aspects of society.
• The power elite in elite theory may include political, economic, and military leaders.

  True
• Domination by a Power Elite means a small, influential group controls most decisions
• Match the concept with its corresponding theory:

  Diversity of Groups ↔️ Pluralism

  Lack of Accessibility ↔️ Elitism
• Authority is the legitimate right to exercise power
• According to Pluralist Theory, what do interest groups compete for?

  Influence on government policies
• Pluralist Theory contrasts with elitist views like Marxism
• What are the two contrasting perspectives on the distribution of power in society according to pluralism and elitism?

  Dispersed vs. concentrated
• Class struggle in Marxist Theory refers to the ongoing conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat due to unequal distribution of resources.


  True
• Match the power theory with its key emphasis:

  Marxism ↔️ Class struggle

  Pluralism ↔️ Dispersed power

  Feminism ↔️ Gender-based inequality

  Elitism ↔️ Concentrated privilege
• What is the term for the system of male dominance institutionalized across social, economic, and political spheres in Feminist Theory?

  Patriarchy
• Feminist theorists emphasize the concept of intersectionality, which examines how gender interacts with other social identities like race, class, and sexuality
• What does power refer to in sociology?

  Influence or control
• Power always requires consent from those it affects.

  False
• Authority is always accepted by those it affects.

  True
• What is the central idea of pluralist theory?

  Power is distributed
• Pluralist theory emphasizes the diversity of competing interest groups
• Which theory contrasts with pluralism by suggesting power is controlled by a small elite?

  Marxism
• Match the concept with its implication:

  Diversity of Groups ↔️ Power is dispersed

  Accessibility of Influence ↔️ Wide participation in policy

  Lack of Domination ↔️ Groups succeed on different issues
• Order the key concepts of pluralist theory and elitist theory:

  1️⃣ Diversity of Groups (Pluralism)

  2️⃣ Focus on a Single Dominant Class (Elitism)

  3️⃣ Wide Access to Political Processes (Pluralism)

  4️⃣ Limits Access to a Privileged Few (Elitism)

  5️⃣ Lack of Domination (Pluralism)

  6️⃣ Power Concentrated in a Single Entity (Elitism)
• What is the central idea of elite theory?

  Power is concentrated
• What does Elite Theory suggest about power in society?

  It is concentrated in a privileged Power Elite
• Access to power is open to everyone in Elite Theory

  False
• What does Pluralist Theory suggest about power in society?

  It is distributed among competing groups
• What is the sociological definition of power?

  Ability to influence others
• Authority always requires consent from those affected


  True
• Match the key concept with its corresponding theory:

  Diversity of Groups ↔️ Pluralism

  Economic Control ↔️ Marxism
• In Marxist Theory, which class owns the means of production?

  Bourgeoisie
• Marxist Theory emphasizes ongoing class struggle due to unequal distribution of resources


  True
• Marxist Theory of Power suggests that power is concentrated in the hands of the bourgeoisie, while the proletariat are exploited and marginalized
• Pluralism explicitly addresses gender power dynamics in its analysis of power distribution.

  False
• How does Marxism prioritize class over gender in analyzing power relations?

  Focuses on economic control