| authority |
power that is perceived by others as
legitimate |
| autonomous state
model |
a theoretical model of the state that
interprets the state as developing interests of its own,
independent of other interests |
| bureaucracy |
a type of formal organization characterized
by an authority hierarchy, a clear division of labor, explicit
rules, and impersonality |
| charismatic
authority |
authority derived from the personal appeal of
a leader |
| democracy |
system of government based on the principle
of representing all people through the right to vote |
| dictatorship |
form of government where power resides in the
rule of one person who acquires power through force and
maintains it usually through having control of the military |
| gender gap |
term referring to the differences in women’s
and men’s political attitudes and behavior |
| government |
those state institutions that represent the
population and make rules that govern the society |
| interest group |
a constituency in society organized to
promote its own agenda |
| interlocking
directorate |
organizational linkages created when the same
people sit on the boards of directors of a number of different
corporations |
| iron law of
oligarchy |
process wherein a small elite become
increasingly powerful as bureaucratic leaders become enchanted
with their elite status and make decisions that protect their
power |
| military–industrial
complex |
term used to describe the linkage between
business and military interests |
| monarchy |
form of government characterized by having a
head of state who rules for life and where authority tends to be
inherited |
| pluralist model |
a theoretical model of power in society as
coming from the representation of diverse interests of different
groups in society |
| political action
committees (PACs) |
groups of people who organize to support
candidates they feel will represent their views |
| power |
a person or group’s ability to exercise
influence and control over others |
| power elite model
|
a theoretical model of power positing a
strong link between government and business |
| propaganda |
information disseminated by a group or
organization (such as the state) intended to justify the power
of dominant groups |
| rational-legal
authority |
authority stemming from rules and
regulations, typically written down as laws, procedures, or
codes of conduct |
| revolution |
the overthrow of a state or the total
transformation of central state institutions |
| state |
the organized system of power and authority
in society |
| traditional
authority |
authority stemming from long-established
patterns that give certain people or groups legitimate power in
society |