What is Theory and Why is It Important?
THREE KEY SOCIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVES
An Analogy
WHAT IS THEORY?
CONSIDER…POLITICAL PARTIES

Four active political parties:
 Libertarians
 Republicans
 Democrats
 Communists

What do you know about the basic philosophy
of each?
LIBERTARIAN PARTY


Libertarians believe in, and pursue, personal
freedom while maintaining personal
responsibility. The Libertarian Party itself serves a
much larger pro-liberty community with the specific
mission of electing Libertarians to public office.
Libertarians strongly oppose any government
interfering in their personal, family and business
decisions. Essentially, we believe all Americans
should be free to live their lives and pursue their
interests as they see fit as long as they do no harm
to another.
REPUBLICAN PARTY


“A basic tenet of Republican philosophy is that the strength of a nation depends
on the strength of each individual. Each individual is endowed by the Creator with
the freedom to seek and achieve goals and is also obliged to respect the rights of
others to seek and achieve goals. Each is endowed with free will which brings the
responsibility to respect as well as compete. The purpose of government is to
ensure that the rights of the individual are protected, and at the same time the
government must restrict its activities to providing only the services that
individuals cannot provide alone, such a highway contraction, postal service, or
nation defense.
Republican philosophy recognizes that the best place for government to operate is
locally at the community and state level where it can more effectively offer
services that help individuals who may be unable to provide for themselves. While
offering individual service, the ideal goal is to help those in need to become
independent. Total dependence on governmental services or the aid of others
weakens the individual’s abilities and self- esteem. Therefore, with equal rights
and equality of opportunity secured by the government, the individual should be
also to exercise his/her free will to achieve personal and economic goals.”
DEMOCRATIC PARTY


“We believe that every American, whatever their background or station in
life, should have the chance to get a good education, to work at a good job
with good wages, to raise and provide for a family, to live in safe
surroundings, and to retire with dignity and security. We believe that quality
and affordable health care is a basic right. We believe that each succeeding
generation should have the opportunity, through hard work, service and
sacrifice, to enjoy a brighter future than the last.”
“Democrats believe in people: poor and wealthy, old and young, woman and
man, immigrant and American-born. We believe that this is America's
strength: different people uniting, working together for the good of each and
for the good of all. We believe that government's role is to protect the people
and ensure justice, freedom and equal opportunity. We believe that by
standing firm on these values…America can reclaim our vision as a land of
optimism and unity.”
COMMUNIST PARTY


“We Communists believe that socialism is the very best replacement
for a capitalist system that has served its purpose, but no longer meets
the needs and requirements of the great majority of our people.
What will be the goals of our socialist society?
 A life free of exploitation, insecurity, poverty; an end to
unemployment, hunger and homelessness.
 An end to racism, national oppression, anti-Semitism, all forms of
discrimination, prejudice and bigotry. An end to the unequal status
of women.
 Renewal and extension of democracy; an end to the rule of
corporate America and private ownership of the wealth of our
nation. Creation of a truly humane and rationally planned society
that will stimulate the fullest flowering of the human personality,
creativity and talent. “
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=repu
blican+party+philosophy
 http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/psusp.html
 http://www.lp.org/article_85.shtml
 http://www.cadem.org/site/c.jrLZK2PyHmF/b.
1191021/k.228A/Preamble_Our_Blueprint_for
_the_Golden_State.htm
 http://www.cpusa.org/

APPLYING THESE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES

Given the philosophy of each party, what kind of
policies would each propose regarding TAXES?
 Libertarians
 Government
hands off = no taxes.
 Republicans
 Government
provides services individuals cannot = limited
taxes.
 Democrats
 Government
insures basic needs are met for all = higher
taxes
 Communists
 Government
responsible for the complete redistribution of
wealth = rich taxed heavily/poor pay no taxes
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
Nature of Society
Major Theorists
Level of Analysis
Assum ptions
Key Questions
Weaknesses
Sym bolic Interaction
Social Conflict
Structural Functional
Society is marked by ongoing
interaction w hich is based on
symbolic communication. Society
is constructed through
interaction betw een individuals.
Society is a system characterized
by social inequality w hich tends to
benefit some categories of people
more than others. Societal changes
comes as a result of conflict.
Society is like an organism
w ith interdependent parts
(i.e. an integrated system).
Society is a reality sui
generis .
George Herbert Mead
Erving Goffman
Charles Horton Cooley
Karl Marx
Max Weber
W.E.B. Du Bois
C. Wright Mills
Emile Durkheim
August Compte
Talcott Parsons
Robert Merton
Micro
Reality is a social construction.
Belief = reality
Attributed meaning is based on
prior experience.
Macro
Societies are competitive arenas.
Change is inevitable.
Group in pow er strives to maintain
the status quo.
Macro
All parts of society serve
either a manifest or latent
function.
Truly dysfunctionsl parts of
society w ill gradually
cease to exist.
How do individuals attribute
meaning to...?
How is society divided? Who
benefits? How is the status quo
challenged?
What are the functions
of...? How does it serve
the maintenance of
society?
Difficult to connect to larger
institutions
Lacks strong explanation of social
Tautological; does not
harmony and cohesion.
address pow er differential,
inequality, or social
change.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTION

Nature of Society


Major Theorists




Reality is a social construction.
Belief = Reality (Thomas Theorem)
The meaning that one attributes to a situation is based on past experience;
thus change occurs when one “improvises” on a script.
Key Questions


Micro
Assumptions


George Herbert Mead
Erving Goffman
Charles Horton Cooley
Level of Analysis


Society is marked by ongoing interaction which is based on symbolic
communication. Society is constructed through interaction between
individuals.
How do individuals attribute meaning to...?
Weaknesses

Difficult to connect to larger institutions and larger social forces.
SOCIAL CONFLICT

Nature of Society


Major Theorists




Societies are competitive arenas.
Change is inevitable./The point of study to create change.
Group in power strives to maintain the status quo.
Key Questions


Macro
Assumptions


Karl Marx
Max Weber
W.E.B. Du Bois
C. Wright Mills
Level of Analysis


Society is a system characterized by social inequality which tends to benefit
some categories of people more than.
How is society divided? Who benefits? How is the status quo challenged?
Weaknesses

Lacks strong explanation of social harmony and cohesion.
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALIST

Nature of Society


Major Theorists



All parts of society serve either a manifest or latent function.
Truly dysfunctional parts of society will gradually cease to exist.
Key Questions


Macro
Assumptions


Emile Durkheim
August Compte
Talcott Parsons
Robert Merton
Level of Analysis


Society is like an organism with interdependent parts (i.e. an integrated
system). Society is a reality sui generis (more than the sum of its parts).
What are the functions of...? How does it serve the maintenance of
society?
Weaknesses


Tautological
Does not address power differential, inequality, or social change.