U N I T 2 POLITICS, POLICIES AND SOCIETY In this Unit you will find a definition and description of different political systems: Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism and Democracy. Social issues like consumerism and globalisation will also be explored. A. POLITICAL SYSTEMS In sociology, the word politics implies both the social structures and the methods used to manage a government or a state. A political system depends on the nationstate. A nation is a group of people with common customs, origin, history and language; a state is a political entity with a legitimate right to use control through the police or military forces. The term nationstate refers to a political entity with a legitimate right to use control over a group of people who share common customs, origin, history and language. Sociologists prefer the term nation-state to country because it is more precise.With reference to the concept of modern nation-states, the three main systems are: totalitarianism, authoritarianism and democracy. Totalitarianism exercises near complete control over its citizens lives and tolerates no opposition. Information is restricted or denied by complete control of the mass media, close monitoring of citizens and visitors, and constant political propaganda focusing on the virtues of the government. Any form of gathering for political purposes opposed to the state is forbidden. Authoritarianism is a political system which employs less control than totalitarianism, but still denies citizens the full right to participate in government. A dictatorship, in which the primary authority rests in one individual, represents one type of authoritarian government. In these systems, the army and political parties support the dictator. Another form of authoritarianism Totalitarianism From left to right: B. Mussolini, Stalin and Francisco Franco 148