It is undeniable that numerous people, mostly women and other people with scientific and technical backgrounds, want to shun away from politics which are existing in every organization. When it comes to politics, it is a controversial topic discussed to family and friends since you might not have the same views. Talking about the best automatic espresso machines for the family or business would be a better topic and creates a better atmosphere as compared to politics. However, politics is not a dirty word.
What is a political system?
A political system could be labeled as the interactions through which values, standards or morals are allocated for a society authoritatively.
Types of political systems that sociologists consider
When it comes to the views of sociologists, they figure out how the power of the government is used and who holds the power within the government and its people. These are the 3 types they consider:
Democracy
It is a form of government where the people vote and create laws directly or indirectly through representatives. However, it does not mean that the wishes of the citizens will be represented equally in the presence of democracy. For instance, in several democratic countries, ethnic and racial minorities and immigrants do not receive the same privileges and rights, same as the majority of citizens.
Monarchy
A king or queen who has a predisposed line of sovereignty controls this type of government. This can be seen as absolute sovereignty or undivided rule by a single individual. There are 2 kinds of monarchies namely constitutional monarchies and absolute monarchies in the modern world.
Authoritarianism
This is characterized by blind or total obedience to authority. The people have no representation or power in authoritarian governments. The elite leaders handle all foreign relations, military and economic. Dictatorship is a prime example of this type of government.
Anthropological political system classifications
For anthropologists, they have recognized four types of political systems generally. The two of which is centralized and the other two are uncentralized.
- a. Centralized governments
- Chiefdom
- Sovereign state
- b. Uncentralized systems
- Band society
- Tribe
Whatever political system you may have, it is always good to be aware of who holds the authority and the influence of the governments to the economy and its people.