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Chapter 11: Economics and Politics

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political sociologythe study of political groups, leadership, and social power

political participation, actions to support the government or politicians (HP), includes voting

 civic participationindividual and collective action to address issues of public concern

political consumerismchoosing producers and products with the goal of changing ethical or objectionable institutional or market practices

Capitalisman economic and political system based on private control of the production and distribution of goods and services within a free market system

laissez-faire capitalism, a system of free enterprise without government intervention

monopoliespossessing near or complete control of commodities or producing goods and services

socialisman economic and political system based on cooperative management or citizens’ production and distribution of goods and services normally within a democratic government

communisman economic and political system based on the government’s ownership and regulation of all of the production and distribution of goods and services

totalitariana state-controlled government holding all authority over public and private lives

democracya system of government in which the power is vested in the people, and free elections are held

absolute monarchya system of government ruled by a monarch who has control of the government and state

constitutional monarchies, a system of government in which a monarch is the Head of State and is governed by a parliament 

  • Hunting and Gathering: hunting, fishing, and gathering of plants (e.g., a small number of Aboriginal people in Australia primarily still hunt and gather).
  • Horticultural and Pastoral: basic farming and domestication of animals (e.g., farming by hand and nomadic sheepherders).
  • Agricultural: large-scale farming with animals and machinery (e.g., animals used to pull plows).
  • Industrial: manufacturing of goods using advanced sources of power (e.g., factories during the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century).
  • Post Industrial or Information Age: production of information via computers and emphasis on services rather than manufacturing (e.g., computer, news, and social media companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Facebook).