Models of Politics

1
Models of Politics

• Addendum to Political Sociology

2
Looking Back

• Comparing C. Wright Mills and Parsons
• Liberal versus Conservative
• Functional versus Conflict Models
• Distinction based on function served
• Shared beliefs and values versus interests,
  particularly elite interests
• But structurally, models were the same
  functional/teleological models

3
Now Political Sociology

• Still have functional/conflict theories
• Pluralist
• Ruling elite
• Now have two new theories with new models
• Dialectical
• Interactive

4
Dialectical
Levels of Analysis
institution
organization
individual
partisanship
parties
republicanism
capitalism
classes
protest
5
Functional
-

shared beliefs and values (or interests)
republican government
-
external threat
6
Interactive
authorities
constituents
7
Beyond Models

• All political theories tend to focus on politics,
  although some root politics in culture or
  economics focus
• Most sociological theories today are liberal or
  conservative, but there are now radical theories
  as well
• As indicated with functional model, liberals and
  conservatives can use this model

8
Food for Thought

• Dialectical models can be conservative Hegel
• Dialectical models can focus on culture Radical
  Feminism
• Functional models can focus on economics
  Rational Choice
• Can functional models be radical?
• Can dialectical models be liberal?