Components of the subsystem of the political system of society. Components of a political system

03.08.2019

1. The concept of a political system: basic approaches. Components of a political system.

2. The mechanism of operation of the political system.

3. Functions of the political system.

4. Typology of modern political systems. Main trends in changes in modern political systems.

1. The concept of a political system: basic approaches. Components of a political system.

The totality of interactions regarding political power forms a political system. The term “political system” was introduced into political science discourse in the 50s of the 20th century. Until this time, the concepts of “type of government” and “system of government” were usually used to describe political relations, which reduced politics to the activities of the state and its institutions. However, the processes of development of civil society have led to the widespread proliferation of non-state political actors - local governments, parties, interest groups, which began to have a tangible influence on government structures. Public power has ceased to be a monopoly of the state, which forced us to reconsider the dominant institutional and behavioral approaches to explaining politics from the standpoint of the methodology of system analysis. Another, no less important reason for introducing a systems approach to political science was the need to clarify universal patterns and mechanisms that ensure the survival and sustainable development of society in conditions of an unfavorable external environment.

When discussing the political system, one should proceed from the fact that consistency is inherent in the entire human community. Any person during his life comes into contact with other people an infinite number of times and consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or accidentally builds a system of relationships. This phenomenon is based on natural human motivation: everyone performs those actions that bring him the greatest benefit and avoids those that could bring obvious harm. In other words, everyone pursues their own benefit, understood in the broadest sense of the word (from the desire to earn as much as possible more money to the desire to enjoy works of art). Trying to reduce losses and increase profits, people create many different systems and thereby streamline their lives.

Particular interest in the study of systems arose at the beginning of the 20th century. The concept of “system” was introduced into scientific circulation by the German biologist L. von Bertalanffy to denote the processes of cell exchange with external environment. It was then that it was determined that any system is characterized by at least three features: 1. a collection of several interdependent elements; 2. the presence of a certain principle of interaction between elements; 3. the presence of a more or less clear boundary separating it from the external environment.

One of the first to turn to the study of social systems was the American sociologist T. Parsons. He viewed the entire society as a system of interaction between a huge number of people. At the same time, society itself, in turn, contains a huge number of subsystems, each of which has a special purpose. In his opinion, the main subsystems can be considered: economic, legal, system of beliefs and morals, political. In some ways they resemble individual human organs: each is important in its own right, different from the others, but can only exist in interaction with the others.

Thus, the economic subsystem performs the function of adaptation to the environment, i.e. helps to “cloth and feed” people, allows them to simply survive physically. The legal subsystem unites society, develops the necessary rules and norms of behavior, creates laws with the help of which people’s relations with each other become normal and orderly. The subsystem of beliefs and morals ensures continuity in society, does not allow connections between generations to be interrupted, and preserves traditions, values, and historical memory. Finally, the political subsystem determines the tasks of society, “thinks” about how it should develop further, sets goals and looks for ways to achieve them. At the same time, Parsons believed that all subsystems depend on each other: the state of one of them affects the state of the entire society, and vice versa.

Political system: basic approaches.

It is very difficult to define the concept of “political system”: its meaning and content are very broad. Indeed, in one term it is necessary to “grab” and record an extremely broad, living, changeable phenomenon - the political life of society. The researcher in this case was likened to a pilot who, from the cockpit of his plane, looks down on a huge city and sees the clear lines of streets and “cubes” of houses. Of course, the charm of old courtyards, architectural beauties, and heaps of garbage also elude his gaze. However, he sees the main thing - the scheme, structure, system. So in our case: we had to “forget” about details and diversity political life, highlighting the main thing in it.

This formulation of the problem gave rise to many options for its solution. Today in political science there are many definitions of the concept “political system”. With a certain degree of convention, they can be divided into several groups.

The first group consists of definitions in which the political system is seen as mechanism decision making in society. In their interpretation, it appears as a kind of special device that “catches” what is happening in society, “thinks” about it and “develops” general political decisions. This approach makes it possible to search for the most effective procedures for forming a political course and to detect “malfunctions and breakdowns” in actually existing political systems.

The second group includes definition of a political system as set of political institutions. Proponents of this approach are guided by the fact that humanity, in its development, has created a number of stable entities that traditionally engage in politics. This is the state, local governments, parties, interest groups, social movements and so on. Taken together, they constitute the political system. In this interpretation, it appears as an organism with its own “arms,” “legs,” and “head.” It allows you to see the material, tangible basis of the political system.

The third group is represented by definitions in which political system is understood as system of political roles. Proponents of this approach believe that each participant political process plays any political role- the head of state or a minor employee, a party leader or an ordinary voter. They interact with each other and create a certain system. In many ways, this is reminiscent of what we see in the theater: everyone plays their own role - main or secondary, and everyone together creates a performance based on their interaction.

Within the fourth approach, the political system appears as system of interactions and communication between political subjects. In this case, our attention is drawn to how and for what reason and with what result people communicate in politics. The subject of scientific analysis is not faceless mechanisms, institutions or roles, but living people who enter into communication with other people. These could be ruling or power-seeking activists or apolitical citizens, etc. By communicating with each other, they create a political system.

So, a political system is a set of political institutions, roles and subjects that interact with each other in order to form and implement the political course of society or its constituent groups. Wherein the object of such interaction is political, primarily state power. It is the attractive force that unites people and forces them to bring their interactions into the system. We can say that power is the core that holds the entire political system together. At the same time, the political system is a way of exercising power, its real embodiment in society.

1. The tasks of political power include

1) development of new technologies

2) regulation public relations

3) work in a private law firm

4) development of new computer programs

2. A specific feature political power, unlike other types of power, is (are)

1) appeal to all citizens of the country

2) relations of dominance and submission

3) the presence of a subject-object connection

4) manifestation of coercion

3. The communicative component of the political system includes

1) social movements

2) political consultation centers

3) interactions between parties and government agencies

4) means mass media

4. What refers to the institutions of the political system?

1) political organizations, the main one of which is the state

2) a set of relationships and forms of interaction between social groups and individuals

4) a set of different contents political ideas

5. The communication subsystem of the political system includes

1) political organizations and institutions

2) relations between the state and citizens

3) norms and traditions regulating the political life of society

4) political ideas, views, perceptions

6. The normative subsystem of the political system includes

1) political institutions and organizations

2) relations between social groups

3) government agencies

4) laws regulating the life of society

7. The institutional subsystem of the political system includes(-are)

1) political ideology

2) parties and socio-political movements

3) legal norms

4) ethical and moral standards

8. The communicative component of the political system includes

1) connections between policy subjects

2) traditions and norms political behavior

3) value orientations and attitudes of people in the political field

4) programs of political parties

9. The cultural subsystem of the political system includes

1) views, slogans, ideas, concepts, theories

2) constitutions and laws

3) parties and socio-political movements

4) the state and its bodies

10. The normative component of the political system includes

1) state

2) political parties

3) political traditions

4) political culture

11. The institution of the political system, designed to represent the entire spectrum of political interests and ideas existing in society, is

1) political parties

2) municipal authorities

3) trade union organizations

4) associations of people by interests

12. What feature distinguishes the state from other institutions of the political system of society?

1) consolidation of the will of power in issued legal acts

2) representing the interests of certain groups of people

3) program development political action

4) propaganda of a certain political ideology

13. Establish compliance.

ELEMENTS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF SOCIETY

A) political tradition

B) state

IN) political doctrine

D) interaction of parliamentary committees

SUBSYSTEMS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF SOCIETY

1) organizational

2) normative

3) communicative

4) cultural-ideological

14. Find the institutions of the political system of society in the list below.

1) state

2) political parties

3) political traditions

4) socio-political movements

5) ways of political participation

15. Write down the word missing in the table.

16. Find a concept that is generalizing for all other concepts in the series presented below. Write down this word (phrase).

17. Characteristics of the political system of society require consideration of its individual components. Which of the following refers to the normative subsystem of the political system of society?

18. Find in the list below examples that illustrate the institutional subsystem of the political system of society. Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) political rights and freedoms

2) political parties

3) political ideology

4) media

5) state

6) political norms and traditions

19. Country Z has a stable political system, which ensures stable development of society. What components are included in a political system? Select the required items from the list provided and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) communicative

2) cultural-ideological

3) educational

4) normative

5) party-organizational

6) institutional

20. Select from the proposed list the words that need to be inserted in place of the gaps.

"In the dictionary of modern __________(1), politics is understood as a special type of activity associated with the participation of __________(2), political parties, movements, individuals in the affairs of society and the state. The core political activity is an activity related to the implementation, retention, counteraction of __________ (3). Political activity covers several areas: government __________(4), the influence of political parties and movements on the course of social processes, political decision-making, political participation. Political sphere closely connected with other public spheres. Any phenomenon: economic, social, and cultural, can be politically charged, associated with the impact on the authorities. Political activity is activity in the sphere of political, power __________(5). In theory and practice, political activity is often associated with coercion and violence. The legality of the use of violence is often determined by the extremeness and severity of the course of __________ (6)."

A) relationships

B) political science

B) management

D) political process

D) development

E) public spheres

G) social groups

H) power

I) social movements

21. Of the concepts below, all but one relate to policy functions. Find and indicate a concept that “falls out” from the general series.

Stabilization, consolidation of forces, search for truth, management, maintaining order.

22. Find in the list below the elements of the normative subsystem of the political system of society. Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) Constitution

2) state

3) political ideology

4) international legal documents

6) political parties

21. Indicate three features of the state as the main institution of the political system.

22. What meaning do social scientists give to the concept of “political process”? Using knowledge from your social studies course, write two sentences containing information about the political process.

23. What meaning do social scientists put into the concept of “political system of society”? Using knowledge from a social science course, make two sentences: one sentence containing information about the subsystems of the political system, and one sentence revealing the essence of any subsystem of the political system.

24. Give three examples illustrating the activities of the media (“fourth estate”) in the political life of a modern democratic society.

25. Name any three structural components political system of society and illustrate each component with an example.

26. You have been instructed to prepare a detailed answer on the topic “ Political organizations" Make a plan according to which you will cover this topic. The plan must contain at least three points, of which two or more are detailed in subparagraphs.

27. You have been instructed to prepare a detailed answer on the topic “The political system of society.” Make a plan according to which you will cover this topic. The plan must contain at least three points, of which two or more are detailed in sub-points.

Politic system has certain components without which its existence is impossible. First of all, this is a political community - a collection of people standing at different levels of the political hierarchy, but connected together by a certain political culture, knowledge about politics, the history of the country, traditions and value orientations, as well as feelings regarding the political system and the goals of government.

The second necessary component is officials whose decisions are recognized by the political community as binding. Officials personify official positions, they are the basis of political power, they rule and act on behalf of and in favor of the system. There are two layers of officials. The first is officials holding positions in the system-wide hierarchy, which has more general character. These are the president, head of government, ministers, head of the presidential administration, governors, etc. The second layer consists of persons performing executive work of a special profile, as well as performers - intermediaries, i.e. officials who must govern impartially, accurately and conscientiously carry out orders, regulations, strengthen state discipline and serve the state interest in accordance with the law.

The third component is legal norms and norms of political ethics that regulate the operation of the system, methods, and ways of exercising political power. This component finds expression in the political regime.

The fourth component is the territory, which plays a connecting role and has certain boundaries. Territory as a component of a political system is not necessarily equivalent to a state. City, urban or rural area with its political community, authorities local government, territory is also a political system.

The political system has a certain structure - stable elements and stable connections between these elements. Political systems can have a complex or simple structure. This depends on the institutions included in it, the degree of differentiation and specialization of the elements of the system, the depth political division labor. Political systems of a traditionally patriarchal type are characterized by weak differentiation. Modern political systems are characterized by complex differentiation. They have a wide base of structures that make decisions or influence decision-making: an extensive state apparatus, interest groups, political parties, associations, the media, etc.

Political structures include various organizations, both strictly political - the state, political parties, and non-political ones, which can pursue serious political interests, for example, trade unions, business associations, churches and others.

Political structures are not only organizations, but also stable relationships, interactions between various political participants - political actors who play certain roles. Members of parliament, judges, voters, party functionaries - these are all roles that are closely interconnected in politics and make up the structure of the political system. The political system is thus a stable interaction of role structures.

Political structures have a certain stability. Unlike rapid changes - processes or functions, structural changes occur slowly. Quick conversion political structures or their breakdown is characteristic of the period of revolutions and carries significant social costs. Political systems at this time are characterized by instability. Antagonistic aspects of political interests dominate over integration ones.

In a political system, social groups strive to realize their interests through the mechanism of power. Power enables competing groups to distribute values and benefits in accordance with the weight of their influence. The political sphere, as noted by the American political scientist G. Lasswell, answers the questions of who gets what, when and how? Specific policies, e.g. making decisions and implementing them state level, acts as a social result of the interaction between interests and power.

The functioning of the political system is greatly influenced by political culture. Being the bearer of fundamental political knowledge and values, political culture acts as the deep foundation of the entire socio-political structure. Political culture records people's subjective orientation toward politics and power. It is the political-cultural phenomenon that makes normative identical shapes government and devices with multiple options real life. Political culture can undermine all attempts at reform if they do not fit into its context.

By applying a systematic approach to politics, political scientists sought to give general theory political power, to reveal the mechanism of its stability. The model of a political system proposed by D. Easton gives an idea of how a political system develops policies through which values are distributed in society and collective goals are achieved.

A political system has certain components without which its existence is impossible. First of all, this is a political community - a collection of people standing at different levels of the political hierarchy, but connected together by a certain political culture, knowledge about politics, the history of the country, traditions and value orientations, as well as feelings regarding the political system and the goals of government.

The second necessary component is officials whose decisions are recognized by the political community as binding. Officials personify official positions, they are the basis of political power, they rule and act on behalf of and in favor of the system. There are two layers of officials. The first is officials holding positions in the system-wide hierarchy, which is more general in nature. These are the president, head of government, ministers, heads of the presidential administration, governor, etc. The second layer consists of persons performing executive work of a special profile, as well as performers - intermediaries, i.e. officials who must manage impartially, carry out orders and instructions accurately and conscientiously; strengthen state discipline and serve the state interest in accordance with the law.

The fourth component is the territory, which plays a connecting role and has certain boundaries. Territory as a component of a political system is not necessarily equivalent to a state. A city, urban or rural area with its political community, local government, territory is also a political system.

The political system has a certain structure - stable elements and stable connections between these elements. Political systems can have a complex or simple structure. This depends on the institutions included in it, the degree of differentiation and specialization of the elements of the system, and the depth of the political division of labor. Political systems of a traditionally patriarchal type are characterized by weak differentiation. Modern political systems are characterized by complex differentiation. They have a wide base of structures that make decisions or influence decision-making: an extensive state apparatus, interest groups, political parties, associations, the media, etc.

Political structures include various organizations, both strictly political - the state, political parties, and non-political ones that can pursue serious political interests, for example, trade unions, business associations, churches and others.

Political structures have a certain stability. Unlike rapid changes - processes or functions, structural changes occur slowly. Rapid transformation of political structures or their destruction are characteristic of the period of revolutions and carry significant social costs. Political systems at this time are characterized by instability. Antagonistic aspects of political interests dominate over integration ones.

In a political system, social groups strive to realize their interests through the mechanism of power. Power enables competing groups to distribute values and benefits in accordance with the weight of their influence. The political sphere, as the American political scientist G. Lasswell noted, answers questions; who gets what, when and how? Specific policies, e.g. decision-making and their implementation at the state level is a social result of the interaction between interests and power.

The functioning of the political system is greatly influenced by political culture. Being the bearer of fundamental political knowledge and values, political culture acts as the deep foundation of the entire socio-political structure. Political culture records people's subjective orientation toward politics and power. It is the political and cultural phenomenon that makes normatively identical forms of government and structure multivariate in real life. Political culture can nullify all attempts at reform if they do not fit into its context.

Applying a systematic approach to politics, political scientists sought to provide a general theory of political power and reveal the mechanism of its stability. The model of a political system proposed by D. Easton gives an idea of how a political system develops policies through which values are distributed in society and collective goals are achieved.

Political system model

Within the framework of the systems approach, any system, including the political one, is autonomous and has boundaries with the environment. The peculiar boundary pillars that indicate the limits of the system are called “entrance” and “exit”. Modern political analysis tries to study the exchanges of the political system with the environment and explain how it copes with social problems, conflicts and ensures the dynamism and constancy of the system itself and society as a whole.

“Input” is practically any event that is external to the political system, affects it and is capable of changing it.

“Output” is a response to interaction transformed by the political system and its specialized institutions into decisions. Decisions are transmitted as an information signal to the environment. Feedback between "input" and "output" is carried out through environment. This is the so-called "feedback loop".

Impulses of various kinds are given at the “entrance” to the political system. Firstly, these are the requirements. Demands are sent to the authorities and serve as a signal about the presence of certain needs in society. Demands are nothing more than an expression of opinion about the legality or illegality, fairness or injustice of government decisions related to the distribution of public goods and use public resources. In addition to requirements, a lot of different information is introduced into the political system: expectations, preferences, values, sentiments. All of these may coincide with requirements or act as motivating reasons for requirements.

Secondly, at the “entrance” there is a support impulse. Support is an expression of the loyalty of society members towards the system. This is the legitimation of the political system, a kind of constant plebiscite of members of society to trust political institutions. Support can be open or hidden. Open support materializes in action. This is observable behavior: participation in elections, support for certain parties and leaders, verbal approval of decisions made. Hidden support is expressed in the internal attitudes and orientations of the individual, in a predisposition to certain political ideals, norms, and behavior patterns.

D. Easton came to the conclusion that political support can be emotional (diffuse) and instrumental (specific). Emotional support is relatively strong and stable. It legitimizes this political system in conditions of even the most severe crises, and ultimately helps the state and society to survive and adapt to new environmental conditions. Instrumental support is influenced by government performance. It is formed by introducing “rewards” for loyal behavior and is built on the expectation of such reward. Instrumental support is conditional, less durable, and susceptible to erosion.

Without support, political systems do not last. A bayonet is good for everyone, but you can’t sit on it, said Talleyrand. Without support, you can rule, relying only on naked power, on force, but it is impossible to rule calmly. Support provides just that the necessary conditions for government, the normal functioning of the political community.

Political systems vary in their combinations of emotional and instrumental support. When they harmoniously complement each other, the political system functions stably and has a great deal of trust among citizens. Lack of support means that the system is in deep crisis and doomed to destruction.

At the “exit” of the political system into the environment, the results of its work are manifested - binding decisions and actions for their implementation. Binding decisions may be in the form of laws, regulations executive power, court decisions. The political system processes a huge amount social information and turns it into specific authoritative decisions. The process of converting demands into policy decisions is called intrasystem conversion. In turn, decisions and actions influence the environment, resulting in new requirements. The “input” and “output” of the system constantly influence each other. This continuous cycle is called a "feedback loop." In political life, feedback is fundamental to verifying correctness decisions made, correcting them, eliminating errors, organizing support. Feedback is also important for possible reorientation, departure from given direction and choosing new goals and ways to achieve them.

A political system that ignores feedback, is ineffective because it is unable to assess the level of support, make constructive adaptation to the environment, mobilize resources and organize collective action in accordance with social goals. Eventually it turns out political crisis and loss of political stability.

The process of receiving and registering requirements at the “input”, transforming (converting) them into solutions by the system and transferring them to the output with subsequent monitoring of implementation is a political process. The political process shows how social demands arise, how they turn into generally significant problems, and then into the subject of action of political institutions aimed at creating public policy, to the desired solution to problems. A systematic approach helps to understand the mechanism of formation of new political strategies, the role and interaction of various elements of the system in the political process.

Political science identifies four main elements of the political system, sometimes called subsystems: institutional, communicative, normative and cultural-ideological.

TO institutional subsystem include political institutions (organizations), among which the state occupies a special place. From non-governmental organizations big role Political parties and socio-political movements play a role in the political life of society.

All political institutions can be divided into three groups.

To the first group, actually political include organizations whose immediate purpose of existence is the exercise of power or influence on it (state, political parties and socio-political movements).

To the second group- not strictly political - include organizations operating in the economic, social, cultural spheres of society (trade unions, religious and cooperative organizations, etc.). They do not set themselves independent political goals and do not participate in the struggle for power. However, their goals cannot be achieved outside the political system, and therefore similar organizations must participate in the political life of society, defending their corporate interests, seeking their consideration and implementation in politics.

To the third group include organizations whose activities have only a minor political aspect. They arise and function to realize the personal interests and inclinations of any layer of people (interest clubs, sports societies), acquiring a political connotation as objects of influence from the state and other political institutions themselves. They themselves are not active subjects of political relations.

Communication subsystem The political system of society is a set of relationships and forms of interaction that develop between classes, social groups, nations, and individuals regarding their participation in the exercise of power, the development and implementation of policy.

Political relations are the result of numerous and varied connections between political subjects in the process of political activity. People and political institutions are encouraged to join them by their own political interests and needs. Highlight primary and secondary(derivatives) political relations. The first include various shapes interactions between social groups (classes, nations, estates, etc.), as well as within them, the second - relations between states, parties, others political institutions, reflecting in their activities the interests of certain social strata or the entire society.

Normative subsystem. Political relations are built on the basis certain rules(norm). Political norms and traditions that determine and regulate the political life of society constitute normative subsystem political system of society. The most important role is played in it by legal norms (constitutions, laws, other legal acts). Activities of parties and others public organizations regulated by their statutory and program norms. In many countries (especially in England and its former colonies), along with political norms recorded in the texts of legal acts, great importance have unwritten customs and traditions.

Another group social norms constitute ethical and moral norms that enshrine the ideas of the entire society or its individual layers about good and evil, truth, justice. Modern society has come closer to realizing the need to return such moral guidelines as honor, conscience, and nobility to politics.

Cultural-ideological subsystem political system is a set of political ideas, views, ideas, and feelings of participants in political life that are different in content. The political consciousness of the subjects of the political process functions at two levels - theoretical (political ideology) and empirical (political psychology). The forms of manifestation of political ideology include views, slogans, ideas, concepts, theories, and political psychology includes feelings, emotions, moods, prejudices, traditions, but in the political life of society they have equal rights. In the ideological sub-system, a special place is occupied by political culture, understood as a complex of typical of this company ingrained patterns (stereotypes) of behavior, value orientations, political ideas.

Political culture is the experience of political activity passed on from generation to generation, which combines knowledge, beliefs and behavioral patterns of individuals and social groups.

A political system is a holistic, ordered set of elements, the interaction of which gives rise to a new quality that is not inherent in its parts.

The main elements of the political system are political institutions:

1. state;
2. political parties;
3. public organizations and associations;
4. institutions direct democracy(elections, referendums, demonstrations, rallies, etc.).