THE STATE
Definition-the State is the institutional arrangement of civil laws and
regulations.
In Canada, laws and reg’s. enforceable by agents of the federal, provincial and
municipal governments
CANADIAN STATE
The Canadian government- given the authority by its
citizens.
1.
Parliament in Ottawa (federal)
2.
Queen’s Park Ontario (provincial)
3.
City Hall –Toronto
(municipal)
FUNCTIONALIST ON THE STATE
The political realm is one institution regulating society
Politics and economics are distinct in holding society
together
Symbiosis not power maintains the system
The State is a fair and neutral arbitrator between upper,
middle and lower class.
STATE IS A REGULATOR
Laws and regulations are carved out of political policies
or acceptable standards for the common good.
See Hanna Arendt, The Human Condition 1958
MARXISTS ON THE STATE
Marxists suggest that there is a direct link between
politics and economy
1.
K. Marx was a political economist
2.
Adam Smith was an economist
3.
For Marx, “the ideas of any epoch are the ideas of
the ruling class” (ideology)
MARXIST ON THE STATE:
Karl Marx-power is directly linked to social class interests.
Feudalism= aristocracy over peasantry
Capitalism= bourgeoisie over proletariat
CLASS, STATUS AND PARTY
II.
Max Weber=power, status and interaction
Power -the ability to achieve desired ends despite
resistance from others.
POWER
Power must be distinguished from authority.
Power is the ability to carry out one’s will despite
resistance regardless of the basis on which this
probability rests.
AUTHORITY
Authority is legitimated power.
Its strength lies in the institution.
Authority -complimentary properties of domination and
submission.
FORMS OF AUTHORITYIdeal types there have been three major forms authority:
1.
Charismatic,
2.
Traditional,
3.
Rational legal.
CHARISMATIC AUTHORITY
a.
Charismatic authority- is defined as power
legitimated by..
Extraordinary personal abilities that inspire devotion and
obedience.
Ie. Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Martin Luther
TRADITIONAL AUTHORITYTraditional Authority-power legitimated by respect for
long-established cultural patterns.
i.e Roman Catholic Church, middle ages
Full of customs, traditions, ritualistic practices .
TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY
-ritual, repetitive behaviour, it is
bond by numerous social norms
as opposed to formalized rules
and laws
TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY DECLINES
Traditional authority declines as
pre-industrial societies give way
to industrialized social forms.
Traditional authority can remain in rational legal
systems…
I.e parental domination over children,
male domination of women.
RATIONAL LEGAL AUTHORITY
1.
Modern authority is legitimated through rational
laws and regulations.
2.
Modern authority is carried out through
bureaucratic means.
3.
Modern power imprisons man like an iron cage…
IRON CAGE OF BUREAUCRACY
CAPITALISM- once a system of moralistic entreprenuers such as Ben Franklin,
SUBSTANTIVE RATIONALITY-requires though by HUMAN individuals
FORMAL RATIONALITY -impersonal, rigid, unfeeling
WE ARE NOW IMPRISONED BY BUREAUCRACY
ONE HOPE FOR WEBER is “The Charismatic re-birth of new GODS”
1980’S
THE CANADIAN STATE and Neoliberalism
1980S=THE EROSION OF THE
COMMONS…
Individualism over collectivism
Canada supported a bureaucratic State…Dismantled in
favour of business interests…
SEE Mel Hurtig, The Betrayal of Canada
THE STATE AND POLITICAL ECONOMY
The STATE IS: a class based institution giving its interest
to the class with economic power.
Political trends can only be understood in terms of
broader changes in the economic sphere.
CHANGES TO POLITICAL ECONOMY
In the 1980s as social supports gained following WW2
began to decline.
1. POST WAR BABY BOOM
2. 1960s Keynesian
3. 1980s Neo-liberal
4. 2000 GLOBALIZATION
THE CANADIAN STATE
STATISM- historically the driving force in Canada:
I.e Canadian Pacific Railway –built mainly by government
(1880’s)
THE STATE- has lost collective power since the 1980s…THE AGE OF NEO-LIBERALISM
AND THE NEW RIGHT
HISTORY :CANADIAN STATE
The Canadian State has always been interventionist,
elitist and collectivistic.
History:
1. Began with 19th Conservative Party
2. Liberals were historically the Free Traders
3. Conservatives only later in favour- Mulroney 1980s
NEW DEAL AND POST WAR
HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, WELFARE all part of New Deal, later entrenched during
THE GOLDEN AGE OF CAPITALISM-KEYNESIANISM
1980S=PRIVATIZATION
Commodification of the commons.
Many Crown Corporations were sold to the capitalistic
marketplace.
SEE: The Big Sellout
SOCIAL SAFETY NET….
The period between 1946 and 1971 is often called the
golden age of capitalism.
During Keynesian period what is commonly referred to as
the Welfare State expanded rapidly. 1946-1978..
THE CANADIAN STATE
The Canadian State took the role of provider and protector of Canadian collective
Individual well being and security within a Universal Frame…Universality..
The Welfare State & the Social Wage.
WAGES…THE SOCIAL WAGE
NOT HAND-OUTS
The social wage is part of the surplus value produced by the workers,
Provision of social necessities such as health care, education, unemployment
insurance, old age pensions.
REASONS FOR WELFARE STATE
1.
The expansion and consolidation of the EASTERN
BLOCK-COLD WAR..
2.
Soldiers survived Nazi on-slaught
3.
Soilders become workers in peacetime domestic
capitalist world
4.
Pressure on governments to help them following
their defense of their countries
REASONS FOR WELFARE STATE
5. Rapid Growth of post-war
economies -An accord with
workers+-concessions
6. A belief that the State could be a
mediator in class struggle-
5. A rise in unionism-from 24.2 to 33.7
in ten years
6. 1960’s gave workers greater power,
sustained low unemployment, shorter
work weeks, sick pay, disability
benefits.
NEO-LIBERALISM- BIG BUSINESS AGENDA,
1. A came into existence in the 1980s….New Right--2. Neo-liberalism =-the market is the central determinant
of social values.
3. The individual not the collective is the core unit of
society
MCQUIAG 1992
NEO-LIBERALISM MEANS:
1.
Strong opposition to government intervention
2.
The massive transfer of wealth and power to the corporate sector.
NEO-LIBERALISM AND THE SOCIAL WAGE
For the average Canadian the social wage is in decline:
a. Low income: in 2001 Canada spent 11% of GDP on
helping those in financial need-down from 14.3 in
1992
b. Health care spending-fell from 7.3% of GDP in 1992 to
7% in 2001
c. Education reduce from 7.7 in 1992 to 5.9% in 2001..
STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENTS
a. TNC-transnational corporate freedom-abolished FIRA
b. Employer demand increased productivity
c. Disciplinary action upon workers increased
d. Lower wages to deal with global capital
POLICIES
THE NEW CANADIAN STATE
a.Free Trade-global trading blocs,
international treaties
b.Privatization-selling of gov’t corps-ie.
Hydro
c. Deregulation-rules and reg’s to protect
citizens and laws restraining capital
removed
NEW CANADIAN STATE
d. Shift of Gov’t support to private
charities-food banks
e. Tax reforms-to benefit the rich and
corporationsf. Attacks on labour unions-rights
decline, minimum wage decline,
worker health and safety is weakened
NEO LIBERAL CANADIAN STATE
g. Decline in civil rights and democracyrepressive state increases-access to
information about gov’t declines
h. Decline in the size and scope of the
State-prison systems in its place
i.
Increasing integration with the United
States
j.Transformation of powers of federalism to
provinces which then advance their
own neo-liberal agendas..
TYPES OF CITIZENSHIP
1. Political citizenship: the right to run
for office
and vote.
 Civil citizenship: the right to
freedom of speech, religion, and
justice.
Social citizenship: the right to a
minimum level
of economic security.
Universal citizenship: the right of
marginal groups
to full citizenship and the rights of
humanity as a whole.
SUMMARY
The State is a key institution in modern societies
Functionalists, conflict theorists and symbolic
interactionist differ on their views of the
importance of the State
Current issue NEO-LIBERALISM means the loss
of Statism=globalization