SOC 1105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Business Insider, Egalitarianism, Progressive Tax

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1105
• Professor: Sam Alvaro

Document Summary

Agenda setting in politics: mass media influences politicians and policy makers, subordinate individuals may desire change but feel it is useless to try leading to inactivity. Invisible power reflects: ability of a powerholder to keep challenges from arising in the first place, capacity of a powerholder to convince subordinate groups that it is in their best interest to support the status quo. Laws & policies to prevent large corporations from driving smaller competitors out of business: false advertising, unsafe working environments, blocking of compensation from innocent third parties when corporate actions cause harm. Policy & politics in the first dimension: what are broad patterns buried in the day-to-day political conflicts & outcomes, tax policies, antipoverty programs. Investment income of super-rich and wealthy often sheltered through loopholes & tax breaks: actual average tax rates paid by corporations are far lower than the official tax rate.