Sociology

SOCY121
Introduction to Sociology:
Social Institutions

Dr. Thandeka Khowa

Outcomes

At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

define the concepts power, authority, government and state;
describe the following types of authority: traditional, charismatic and rational-
legal;
describe the following types of governments: democratic, authoritarian,
totalitarian and theocratic;
compare and contrast democratic and authoritarian systems of government; and
distinguish between power elite and pluralist models of power sharing.
Readings

• Helliker, K. 2020. Politics and

governance. In: Stewart, P. &
Zaaiman, J. (eds.) Sociology:
A Comprehensive South
African Introduction (2nd
Edition pp. 377-397). Cape
Town: Juta
Why do we
undertake this
study ?
 State plays a central role in
serving the needs of society.
 The sociological study of
politics therefore helps to
understand:
 Social order
 Social change
Key Concepts: Power
What is Power?
ability of individuals or groups to
make their own concerns or
interests count, even where others
resist
Can involve use of force
Accompanied by ideas which
justify the actions
Exists in all social institutions
Used by the powerful to ensure
their own interest
Power and Politics
Marxists: Government serves
interest of dominant capitalist
group
Racial elite theory: Government
controlled by small power elite
Antonio Gramsci:
Hegemony: Most powerful
political group
Power expressed: Coercion and
consent
Authority • 2. Charismatic authority

• Weber identifies three types of authority power • People accept the power of a certain person
that is because they are drawn to the leaders' personal
qualities
1. Traditional authority: • This power usually emerge in crisis and offers
• Accepted on the bases of its legitimacy of its innovative or radical solutions
existence • Charismatic leaders tend to hold power for a short
• Example inherited power of monarchy (kings, duration
queens) 3. Rational-legal authority
• People accept traditional authority because  This power is made legitimate by laws, written
they are invested in the past and feel obligated rules, regulations etc.
to perpetuate it.
 Power is invested in a particular rational system/
• Depends on group respect ideology and not in a person
 Example: Constitution
Key Concepts: State VS Government
What is the State?
• State is all-encompassing.
• Consists of: Legislature, the
executive and judiciary
• Legislature: Parliamentary and
political party systems
• Parliament: elected body
• Executive: Government ministries,
departments and apparatuses
implementing legislation
• Judiciary: Legal and court systems
What is the Government
Refers to the sphere of legislature
Political party with the most
members in parliament forms
government
The state includes the
legislation/government, judiciary
and executive
Government can change but
state can continue to function as
in the past
Key Concepts
State Form:
Different forms of state exists.
Current form: Capitalism
Other forms of state:
Military states
Authoritarian states
Liberal democratic states
Domination and Struggle
State servers' interest of dominant group
Due to division of society into dominated
and dominant groups social struggles
take place
Domination and Struggle cont.
Ongoing struggles make politics
more than just voting in
elections
Nation-States
States linked to national groups
including citizens, which have
their own specific history and
special territory.
Each nation state is linked to
each other in a global system
Segregation, Apartheid and Post Apartheid South
Africa
Segregation and Apartheid:
• South Africa est. 1910
• Since 1910 to 1948 pre-apartheid
segregation period.
• ANC est. 1912 in response to racial
segregation
• 1948 Apartheid started based on
Afrikanerdom racism.
• Throughout 1980s pressure to end
Apartheid started to gain momentum in
South Africa and other countries in the
world
Post Apartheid.
Early 1990’s seen as transitional
years
1994 first nation-wide election
Key factors that shaped the
ANC’s policies and programs
Most progressive constitutions
Global factors
End of the Cold War
Kenyesiannism
Segregation, Apartheid and Post
Apartheid South Africa
 ANC is in alliance: Tripartite alliance with
COSATU and South African Communist Party
 RDP and Gear
• Q: why has the ANC government not been
able to bring about significant socioeconomic
change

 Land issues: redistribution

 Land reform
 Willing seller willing buyer system
 AgriSA
 Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
programme