Government and the Economy

Topic

Government and the Economy

Instructions

For this discussion, we will look at authority and try to bring the different types of authority into less abstract, more realistic terms.  We will then analyze the US in terms of two perspectives: the conflict perspective and the functionalist perspective.

1.) Please discuss the three types of authority mentioned in Chapter 10.  Think of a country (or a person/place within a country) that best exemplifies each type of authority.  Since the author uses your parents as an example of traditional authority, I ask that you do not use that as your example.

2.)  How can the U.S. political system be understood using both a functionalist idea of pluralism and the conflict idea of the power elite model? Please carry this discussion over to include the state of our country today- is our current state of affairs best understood in the terms of conflict theory or functionalism? Explain.

Answer preview

Authority is defined as the accepted power that people normally agree to follow. Notably, individuals listen to authority leaders since they have a feeling that these people are worthy of respect. Generally, individuals perceive the demands and goals of an authority leader as useful and reasonable. Chapter 10 has mentioned three kinds of authority which include traditional power, charismatic power and rational-legal power. Traditional authority power is accepted since that has been traditionally the case. For a long period, the legitimacy of traditional power exists since it has received acceptance. For example, the United States has been using the traditional authority power to pass laws about the foreign policy.

Word count: 460