Politics and Economy

Power:

The ability to achieve and influence decisions within a political system, whether others agree or not

• Government - a formal organization that exercises authority and makes rules for a society, pushing policies and enforcing laws to maintain order and provide public services

• Governments demand compliance from the population → They need the population to listen and follow the rules to function

• Weber’s idea:

  German sociologist Max Weber said that most governments do not use open threats (like violence) to control people all the time

  • Instead, they try to get people to accept their authority willingly

• Foundations of compliance:

  How do governments get people to obey?

  • They use laws, traditions, beliefs, and the idea that their power is “legitimate” (seen as right or acceptable)