Soc week 2 "The modern state"

Max Weber’s analysis of bureaucracy suggests that it centralizes power and limits democratic participation. Why is Giddens less pessimistic?

While states do exert bureaucratic power, they are still constrained by global economic structures, multinational corporations and financial institutions. 

In what ways does bureaucracy enhance the state’s ability to act autonomously,

it is constrained by economic structures and capitalism (Taxation, laws, census).

In what ways does bureaucracy undermine the state’s ability to act autonomously

it can develop their own interests and lead to potential corruption.

Discuss the different viewpoints on the state, particularly Marxist perspectives

Karl Marx speaks as if the state were the direct instrument of class rule, controlled in an immediate way by the capital class.

Miliband: The first implies both that the dominant class is a unitary social formation, and that this class manipulates the state at will. the state appears as manipulated by the ruling class.

Poulantzas: the state has what he calls a relative autonomy from the capitalist class, which itself is characteristically internally divided.

Offe: The state is actually sandwiched between two inherently antagonistic or 'contradictory' influences. Social welfare and capitalist interest.

How do the different viewpoints on the state differ in understanding the state's role in society?

They differ in the understanding of state autonomy, class relations, and the state's role in maintaining capitalism.

Giddens discusses the concept of the state's 'relative autonomy'. What does this mean

Refers to the state having some independence in decision making, but still has constraints (economic forces, political pressures, international factors). The state has a certain degree of independent power, but no more than a certain degree;

how does “relative autonomy” play out in the context of class dynamics in capitalist societies?

States may initiate policies counter to the short-term interests of certain capitalistic groupings, in order to defend the longer-term interest of perpetuating the system as a whole.

what is a macro-structural force?

• a large-scale, systemic influence that shapes society, institutions, and individual behavior. In the context of the state, it means that the state is not just a passive entity but an active force embedded within and shaping broad social, economic, and political structures. It operates within power dynamics, reinforcing or altering economic systems, social hierarchies, and political norms.

Example of macro-structural force?

the state is involved in: Regulating markets (capitalist or socialist structures); Enforcing laws that shape class relations; Defining citizenship and national identity.

What is a neutral arbitrator

A neutral arbitrator is an entity that fairly mediates between conflicting parties without bias or self-interest.

Example of neutral arbitrator

Enforce labor laws without siding with corporations or workers; Design tax policies that do not favor the wealthy or disadvantage the poor; Uphold democratic rights without suppressing opposition groups.

What are the implications of viewing the state as a macro-structural force rather than a neutral arbitrator in socioeconomic struggles?

The state is separate from societal struggles, rather than the state actively maintaining or changing the structure of society.

What is de-commodification

 removing social relationships from the marketplace, organising them by criteria other than the economic.

what stake do the different classes have in promoting it or opposing it?

• Capitalists profit from selling goods and services in the market, so they generally oppose de-commodification because it reduces dependence on private businesses.

• The working class depends on wages to survive, and market fluctuations, unemployment, or health issues can leave them vulnerable.