For our discussion this week, I want you to consider the question of "what do you think Max Weber meant when he said the state is defined by having a monopoly on the use of force?" As we have seen, the state is a geographical (territory) with jurisdiction over people and a government and it also has state sovereignty, but what does Weber mean here?

I know we have a midterm towards the end of the week, but this conversation will help you prepare for the midterm as you will be asked about the "state."

 

Political Science Discussion

Part I: Discussion

In his statement, “the state is defined by having a monopoly on the use of force,” Max Weber implied that it is the state alone that possesses the powers or the rights of exercising, using, or authorizing the use of physical force in a given territory (Anter, 2014). A long time ago, under feudalism, kings and lordships could have a monopoly over using violence. However, the state usurped this power by using political organizations and dominating its servants by legitimizing its rule and violence. Using the term legitimate does not imply that the modern states are the only actors using violence. However, it indicated that the state became the only actor who could authorize the use of violence legitimately. The state remains in a position to grant other actors the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it is the only source of this right and can enforce the monopoly.

Furthermore, the state’s monopoly on using violence legitimately cannot be refuted by using illegitimate violence. Through the state’s autonomy, the state’s monopolistic power of using physical force can be challenged by some non-state actors like the military. Therefore, it is true that terrorists and other criminal groups can undermine order without necessarily challenging the monopoly of the modern state and establishing themselves as the parallel sources of legitimate rule.

Part II: Research Proposal Focus

In my research paper, I will discuss the concept of social movements. Specifically, my proposal will address the evolution of the Ku Klux Klan as a counter-movement from 1866 -1974. The primary research question for this topic will be finding out the sociological factors that produced the Ku Klux Klan. Besides, I will examine the roles played by the Klan in its eras of existence. The activities of the Klan played a crucial role in changing the South American voter’s allegiance from Democratic to Republican in the 1960s.