POSC 1000U Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Social Contract, Behaviorism, Liberal Democracy
Document Summary
Power comes in various forms leadership, influence, economic, military, protest institutions. Power is the capacity to influence and control behaviors of persons and: can be obtained through coercion or persuasion. Without power no government can make and enforce laws, provide security, regulate the economy, nobody could wage a war. Basic concepts of politics: three components of power. Authority command of the obedience of society by the government. Legitimacy can flow from norms society accepts exercise of political power authority implies legitimacy. Legitimate authority legal/moral right of gov"t to control a specific territory: order, levels in which order exists. Tends to refer to an existing or desired arrangement on how institutions based on certain principles (liberty, equality, security and prosperity, etc. ) are organized. Social contract implied agreement amongst individuals. Government people and institutions that make and enforce the rules for larger community. Republic form of gov"t in which sovereignty resides.
