Week 6 & 7 Readings  

Week 6

Associations and Democracy 1

Lipset et al.
  • ITU: International Union of Typesetters
    • Democratic system
  • Mass society: a society without a multitude of organizations independent of state power has high dictatorial and revolutionary potential
    • Maintains:
    • Oligarchy
  • Men who are most involved in formal/informal relationships with other printers are more likely to be active and interested in union politics
  • Active associationism = linked with an increase in knowledge, interest, and involvement in union politics
  • Liberals are more motivated to participate in political activities
  • Characteristics
    • Status: highly educated but blue-collared workers → ambiguous
    • Become friends with other printers because can’t find people with similar status
    • Job satisfaction: really liked their jobs
    • Spend more time with co-workers
    • Substitute system: substitutes are hired each day, if don’t have work they socialize together
    • More time unemployed = more active in the occupational community
    • Working hours: mostly on weekends and at night
    • Cannot hang out with other people so they hang out with each other
    • Night workers = more active in associations

Associations and Democracy 2

Berman
  • Weimar Germany
    • High levels of associationism
    • Ineffective government

    → Fragmented German society instead of unifying it

    → Facilitated Hitler’s rise to power

    → Weakened democracy

  • The middle class suffered greatly from the Great Depression and became frustrated with the government’s failures
  • Nazis recruited highly activists individuals and exploited their skills to expand the party’s appeal and consolidate its power
    • They helped to design propaganda + political events
  • Nazis infiltrated existing associations to eliminate potential opponents
  • Flourishing civil society doesn’t lead to liberal democracy
  • The political context is important

Week 7

Religion and Democracy

Woodberry
  • Protestantism influenced the rise of stable democracy around the world through missionaries
    • Spread religious liberty
    • Mass education
    • For literacy
    • Women + men
    • Mass printing + newspapers
    • Voluntary organizations + associations
    • Promoted civil society
    • Colonial reforms
  • It is important to consider religious beliefs because they profoundly shape society