Power

• Power

  The authority, capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others OR people or institutions who have been given control over people, situations or events
• Government

  • Laws, civilians
• Judiciary system


  • Sentencing civilians who have been found guilty of committing a crime
• Parents

  • Over their children
• Coercion


  Involves the use of force. We obey an individual or group because we feel that we have no choice e.g. the threat of violence or torture e.g. blackmailed
• Authority


  Is exercised over us when we willingly obey someone because we think it is the right thing to do e.g. listening to our parents when were are being told off, headteacher excluding student for carrying a knife
• Types of authority

  • Traditional
  • Legal rational
  • Charismatic
• Traditional authority


  Domination is based on custom and tradition. We accept the rule based on custom e.g. monarch, parents
• Legal rational authority

  We obey their rule as they hold a significant position in an organisation e.g. Theresa May, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak
• Charismatic authority

  We obey an individual because they have extraordinary characteristics which we aspire to be e.g. Nelson Mandela, Malala, Greta Thunberg
• Positives of power

  • Can make changes in the organisation, nationally or internationally
  • Higher standard of living
  • More likely to have a legacy
• Negatives of power


  • Bad mental health due to amount of responsibility e.g. Headteacher Ruth Perry due to OFSTED rating
  • Poor work/life balance
• Functionalists' view on power

  • If certain people are in power it is due to their hard work/talent which is discovered via selective role allocation
  • Some people have to be in power in order for there to be order in society and for society to run smoothly and not be chaotic. This may lead to inequality but for the 'greater good' it needs to take place
  • People have the same opportunities to be in power - society is meritocratic and egalitarian
  • Believe that government is a recognised body of power and will obey as it is believed they want the best for the country
• Marxists' view on power

  • Believe power is negative
  • Power influences every aspect of society
  • Power is imbalance as the minority (bourgeoisie) have more power than he majority (proletariat) and they make important decisions which aid a small percentage of the population e.g. bourgeoisie aid bourgeoisie in terms of laws, opportunities
  • Taught to accept hierarchy and obey from a young age especially if you are working class, through primary socialisation and secondary socialisation
  • Believe everyone isn't given the same opportunities as some social groups are given more of an advantage and privilege than others hence they are given a head start thus meritocratic and egalitarian
  • Believe that the government serves the interest of ruling (capitalist class) e.g. white collar crime
• Feminists' view on power

  • Conflict theory - power is imbalanced as men have more power than women. Society is patriarchal
  • This discriminates women in terms of promotions, booking a year off to look after their children, women being in CEO positions (glass ceiling), the equal pay loophole etc
  • The government has excluded women from the political process. This exclusion has contributed to the society viewing them as lower
• New Right Thinkers' view on power

  • Believe that men and women both have power but in different roles.
  • Men - power in society
  • Women - power at home
  • The government is good at keeping order but it needs to minimise their role and only be involved in 4 areas; defence, law and order, protecting individuals and works that private companies will not do as it is not profitable.
  • They shouldn't be involved in the production, distribution and trade of good and it allows profit to be made and for a boost in economy rather than it being regulated and controlled
• Globalisation

  The process by which businesses and other organisations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale
• Pros of globalisation

  • More employment opportunities
  • Increase in fair trade and communication services
  • Can get the best talent globally to fit the country's supply and demand model
  • Creates wealth
  • Creates a higher living standard
• Cons of globalisation

  • Countries become deregulated in terms of laws, health and safety
  • Cannot have international trade union protection
  • Exploitation of developing countries e.g. diamond trade, coffee trade, sweatshops
  • Your own culture can be lost in the western culture
• Totalitarianism


  • System of government where society is controlled by a small powerful group (elite)
  • Ordinary people lack any control over government decision-making
  • There are no free elections
  • Government rules by coercion rather than consent
  • Forced to obey the government due to its control (police, courts,army)
  • Any opposition organisations are crushed by force
• Democracy


  • System of government which allows ordinary people to have some control over government decision-making
  • Representatives are elected to represent opinions of people - MPs - also known as parliamentary democracy
  • Features: right to vote, right to protest,judiciary free from government control
• Dictatorship


  • When one individual has complete power and rules a country
  • People have little choice and are ruled by force
• Dictatorship


  • Hitler - a type of dictatorship
  • Kim Jon Un
  • Zimbabwe
• Social movement


  A large group of people who are organised to promote or resist some social change and achieve a particular goal e.g. Black Lives matter, #metoo
• Chauvinism


  The belief that women are less intelligent than men
• Only 8% of CEOs are women - not given top jobs
• Misconduct


  Unacceptable behaviour e.g. #metoo movement, SA in workplace
• Profiteering


  Making excessive amounts of money from an individual e.g. gender pay gap (17%), prostitution, Delphy and Leonard (unpaid labour)
• The building industry (construction) can be said to be patriarchal because it is a male dominated job as man are seen as more stronger - According to Perez in 'Invisible women' most sexual harassment happens in construction
• BBC scandal - men and women news reporters were being paid differently despite the same amount of experience and being on the same show
• According to Ann oakley, there are no symmetrical families or joint or conjugal roles in the household because when it comes to certain issues men will have the final say e.g. fiances
• If the children are not well-behaved or the house isn't clean or tidy the woman is failing in her prime role -leads to double/triple shift
• ⅗ times women are more likely to be abused or killed by a male relative or family friend according to crime rates - honour killing of Tulgay Goren by her father Mehmet Goren
• Patriarchal culture


  • Media portrays the idea that women should try to please their man and heighten their beauty and sexuality
  • As long as media has been distributed the pornography business has grown from posters, magazines and DVDs
  • Lead roles are mostly given to men than women
• Sexuality


  • According to society men prefer women who are pure and virginal
  • Don't like the idea of women have many boyfriends let alone having sexual partners
  • However, men can have as many girlfriends and sexual partners as they like
• If women choose to have an active sex life she is looked down upon. - slag,whore, promiscuous
• If men choose to have several sexual partners they are elevated by society - the man, player, the don
• Male violence towards women

  • Men use their weight and height to harm or intimidate women
  • According to crime rates in 2016 - 92% of domestic violence is by men
  • According to BBC a call is received by the police regarding domestic violence every 60 seconds
• In 2013 a moral panic was created around domestic violence which led to a season
• 2013 - Claire's law