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A macro-structural orientation does somewhat promote left wing politics. Macro-structure is all about looking at the bigger patterns in society and focusing on taking a step back. You look at the way society functions and interacts with all of its different parts. When you focus on macro instead of micro, you lose the closer and more personal point of view in favor of looking at the grand scheme of things. With micro, there is a high value placed on the individual and its life experiences. Left leaning politics are centered around an equality in society and assistance for the disadvantaged. When you look through the lens of macro-structure, you tend to see things that you would not notice any other way. You see the homeless people, how they
Prior to the Second World War, extreme nationalism in the sense of Fascism ran rampart throughout the world. Japan saw massive influence that eventually lead to their commitment towards the Axis powers. Whilst in a different manner, China witnessed a smaller Nationalist Group (GMD) try to take hold of the government via means of being portrayed as a faux Communist group (CCP). Their attempts would ultimately fail, obviously leading to a strong communist government in China and fascism in Japan. One must consider what factors both countries have in common in their rightist movement via an analysis of their impact or lack thereof on each country.
Gladding, S. T. (2010). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
Political ideas change and adapt their perceptions of the social and political world through the years to cope with all changing aspects of life. Liberalism is no different. It is these changes that allow the idea to maintain its identity. Sometimes it is hard for some political ideas to adapt and change for instance the divine monarchists. Liberalism goes back at least 300years; this means that it has had to change a great deal, the ideas behind the ideology have remained the same though. Liberalism started attacking the monarchy in Britain but soon moved on to social change. This relates back to the heart of liberalism, the concept of the individual. This can be difficult because ‘man is born free, but everywhere in chains’ (- Jean-Jaques Rousseau). Liberalism was a political idea adopted by many countries during the 19th and 20th century and has been the source of many economic and social policies. Liberalism believes that each person should be free to act as they wish, it also believes that each individual deserves respect no matter of race, religion, sexual preference, or social status. Most liberals believe that the government is detrimental to liberalism’s beliefs because it does not allow everyone to be an individual since laws are in place to limit freedom. John Locke advocated this when he attacked the government saying ‘no government allows absolute liberty”. This is true because if no laws were in place then absolute liberty would soon be replaced by anarchy. Liberalism not only influenced equality but it was the basic idea behind the United States of America constitution. This was easy for the American governments to adopt because unlike other countries, it did not have to contend with aristocratic traditions and institutions.
these ideas just as much as they are by the right of the labour party.
One notable area is the close ties between government and the businesses. Conservatives are known for giving tax breaks to businesses and the wealthy. Some speculate this is due to the influence money has in elections. Another overlap between fascism and conservatism is how nationalism is used to manipulate and control the populace. Michael Parenti says in his essay Fascism: The False Revolution, that, “With leader worship and state worship, there 's the glorification of militarism, war and conquest. But these are all basically conservative symbols. There are all these to get people distracted from their own immediate interest, political, economic, class interest, and get them galvanized into this type of thing, the war, the conquest, and militarism. (Parenti 3)”. Wedge issues have been used in the past and will be used in the future. Marx would likely agree with Parenti and make the argument that wedge issues are tools used by the bourgeois to entrap the people within the corrupt system of
After completing the Political Compass test, I would describe my political ideology as slightly to the libertarian left on the scale. However, I am not so far left as to describe myself as totally liberal, more so my numbers fall just short of the center of the grid, with the numbers being Economic Left/Right: -1.25 and Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.82. If someone were to compare my numbers to those on the examples, they would most closely match those of François Hollande, the French President. The chief traits of my ideology are the belief in a limited amount of government control, based solely on the constitution, a government which is maintained mainly for defense of the country, yet it would also be necessary be involved in other areas where protection of the people is required, such as regulation of food quality and health care. Despite my conviction that the current government is too large, I am adamantly against anarchy. A country without any governing body would be in a constant chaotic state. Furthermore, lower taxes, less government spending, strong family values, albeit not necessarily those of a “traditional” family, and a monetary system which is backed by gold or silver are also included in my ideals. While I do not necessarily consider myself “socialist” or “liberal”, many of my views – particularly those about freedom to marry, and conservation of the plane...
Conservative and liberal have different beliefs on most everything. At the most basic level liberals are considered to be open to change while conservatives hold traditional views and prefer the status quo. These differences in base beliefs have an enormous effect on their ideas of the role of government. Liberals believe that the government should provide for and help people. By providing for the people they believe that it will create a level of equality between all classes. Liberals also believe that it is the government’s job to be involved in the nation’s social problems and guide change. For liberals it all culminates in the belief for a larger, more involved government. Conservatives on the other hand believe in a government that focuses on people’s individual responsibility and freedom. By doing so they believe that people will work to better themselves and provide for themselves. Conservatives also believe in a limed government that only provides basic functions for the people. For conservatives it all culminates in the principle of a smaller, less involved government. The basic large versus small government mentality is evident in many of the differencing views of
2.) Fully define & describe Functionalism. How did the thinking at the time move away from structuralism to functionalism? Why did people “give up” on structuralism? What role did early studies of the central nervous system play in changing psychology’s focus from structuralism to functionalism? What role did each of the following thinkers have on the development of functionalism:
Functionalism views society as the stability and assimilation of a range of forces that function within it. While society is a separate entity with a life of its own, there are individual elements contributing to that stability. Functionalism as a sociological theory emphasizes assimilation rather than the dissociation of society. Therefore, the society is seen as a whole that is compromised of parts which give one another their identity and their function. The part, whether that is education, such as a school, or sports, such as a football team, operates in relation to the other parts, and cannot be entirely understood in isolation from the other parts. All the parts are interrelated, and when there is a disturbance in any one of the parts, is when you can see the interdependence. But what is important about this theory is that “there will always be some reorganization and tendency to restore equilibrium” (Wallace and Wolf 17). Functionalist do not believe it’s crucial that the people involved in the society to be aware of this interconnectedness anymore than the brain and heart consciously realize that they work together as an organism.
Neoliberalism is a policy model of social studies and economics that transfers control of economic factors to the private sector from the public sector. ... Neoliberal policies aim for a laissez-faire approach to economic
Society is highly stratified when considering social classes i.e. - upper class, middle class, lower class, and working class citizens. That being said, not everyone has the same access to the superstructure; thus creating tension. The largest problem when considering structure and agency is the constant struggle and negotiation of power inequality. Among the asymmetry of power are two major disparities; class and gender. Thinking as a critical theorist, one must consider the individual’s participation in the public sphere; “The word means a false view of the world that is in the interests of the powerful citizens in order to keep the subordinate classes oppressed” (Habermas, 10). Though the public sphere is virtually a democratic sphere where ideas can circulate and opinions are formed there are certain restrictions when referring to lower classes and women and thus how their agencies as individuals are limited.
Neoliberalism has changed its meaning and definition over the years, but as of right now the Merriam Webster dictionary defines it as “a liberal who de-emphasizes traditional liberal doctrines in order to seek progress by more pragmatic methods.” This all means that the economics aspects of society are much more closed off and in favor of big businesses that tend to exploit consumers and those that work for them. It wants privatize business and allow for there to be free trade. Neoliberalism is also about reducing government involvement and reduce spending to the point where it can open up privatized sectors in the economy. Behind the Seams, Fruits of Injustice, and Maquilapolis all show the evilness of neoliberalism and what it does for
There are many differences between macro and micro-level theories. Micro-level focuses on individuals and their interactions. For example the relationship between adult children and their parents, or the effect of negative attitudes on older people. Some criticize on micro-level theories becuase they focus on what older people do rather than on social conditionsand policies that cuase them to act the way they do. Macro-level focuses more upon social structure, social processes and problems, and their interrelationships. For example the effects of industrialization on older people's status, or how gender and income affect older people's well being. This approach tends to minimize people's ability to act and overcome the limits of social structures. Both micro and macro-leve theories can take one of three perspectives which include: interpretive perspective, normative, and conflict.
1.Explain the three dominant sociological theories discussed in class. How do they impact our understanding/explanation of social phenomena?
Talcott Parson and Robert Merton are the central tenets of structural-functionalist. According to Calhoun “Functionalism (sometime called “structural –functionalism’) refers to the body of theory first developed in the 1930s and 1940s that treats society as a set of interdependent system. Theory rest on an organic analogy that likens a social system to a physical body, in which each subsystem is necessary to maintain the proper functioning of the entire organism. From a functionalist point of view, the key to understanding a social subsystem is thus to trace its function in the working of the whole.”(calhoun489) Structural functional theory describes society to be a complex system with various interdependent parts that work together to maintain stability. Each part of society has each of which have their own functions and work hand in hand to maintain social stability in the world.