USCP - Lesson 3Q4

• Politics

  Activities through which people make, preserve, and amend the general rules under which they live. It involves the dynamics of conflict resolution and cooperation, as well as the exercise of power.
• Aristotle: '"Politics is a noble activity in which men decide the rules they will live by and the goals they will collectively pursue"'
• Power


  The ability to do something in order to achieve the desired outcome
• Political Organization


  Any organization that involves itself in the political process, including political parties, non-governmental organizations, advocacy groups, and special interest groups
• Types of Political Organization

  • Band
  • Tribe
  • Chiefdom
  • State
  • Nation
• Band


  • Usually small, consist of 20-50 individuals who are usually related to one another by virtue of kinship
  • Nomadic
  • Egalitarian
  • No class differentiation
  • No formal leadership
  • Band Fissioning or Band Splitting
• Tribe


  • More complex and larger than a band
  • Shift from basic form of livelihood to a multiple ways of living
  • Organized through Pantribal Associations (councils, tribal leaders, elders, etc.)
  • Commonly headed by village headman with limited power
• Chiefdom


  • Has a more defined political organization
  • Have a more or less permanent, full time leader with real authority to make major decisions
  • Leader referred to as "chief"
  • Has formal leadership
  • Power is inherited by blood or achievements
• State


  • Independent political entity with clear geographical boundaries
  • Highest form of political organization
  • Sovereignty - supreme power, ultimate and legitimate power of the state
  • Has 4 elements: population, territory, government, and sovereignty
• Nation


  A group of population that shares the same culture, language, traditions, habits, and history
• Authority


  Power to make binding decisions and issue commands. It is necessary for a leader to have authority binding and worthy of obedience is its legitimacy.
• Legitimacy


  A moral and ethical concept that bestows one who possesses power the right to exercise such power since such is perceived to be justified and proper.
• Types of Authority (according to Max Weber)

  • Traditional Authority
  • Charismatic Authority
  • Rational-legal Authority
• Traditional Authority


  A form of leadership legitimacy that highlights the right of a leader to rule based on the inheritance of the title
• Charismatic Authority


  Authority emanates from charisma of the individuals
• Rational-legal Authority


  Achieved by a leader through the process of following established codes and procedures, governing the allocation and distribution of power and resources within the society
• Non-market Institutions


  • Reciprocity
  • Transfer
  • Redistribution
• Reciprocity


  Voluntary giving or taking of objects without the use of money in the hopes that, in the future, they could be given back
• Types of Reciprocity


  • Generalized Reciprocity
  • Balanced Reciprocity
  • Negative Reciprocity
• Generalized Reciprocity

  Giving something without the anticipation of an instant return
• Balanced Reciprocity


  Giving something with the anticipation of an immediate return
• Negative Reciprocity


  Occurs when the exchange of something already involves taking advantage of someone or the situation
• Transfer


  Entails a redistribution of income that is not matched by actual exchange of goods and services
• Redistribution


  A combination of reciprocity and transfer. It involves a centralized collection of goods from members of a group and redistributing the goods to the same member of the group
• Market Institutions


  • Market Transaction
• Market Transaction


  Involves parties who sell their goods and services in exchange for cash from consumers or customers
• Markets and state


  The government regulates the prices of basic commodities and sets the Suggested Retail Price (SRP)