NCJ Number
49485
Date Published
1975
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER ARGUES THAT DECENTRALIZATION, THE ATTEMPT TO INCREASE SOCIAL CONTROL IN ORDER TO SOLVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS, RESULTS IN A STRENGTHENING OF POWER FOR THE ESTABLISHED POWER SOURCES RATHER THAN DEMOCRATIZATION.
Abstract
USING A FUNCTIONAL CAUSAL STRUCTURE, THIS PAPER OUTLINES A MODEL FOR STUDYING THESE ISSUES PERTAINING TO SOCIAL CONTROL: (1) TO WHAT DEGREE CAN DECENTRALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMAL FORMS OF CONTROL BE EXPECTED TO SHAPE A MORE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY? (2) HOW WILL DECENTRALIZATION INCREASE A SOCIETY'S PROBLEMSOLVING CAPACITY, AND (3) HOW CAN DECENTRALIZATION BE EXPECTED TO PREVENT A CONTRADICTORY SITUATION FROM ARISING BETWEEN DEMOCRATIZATION AND DEFECTIVE PROBLEMSOLVING. THE ARGUMENT IS CONSIDERED IN THREE PHASES, PROBLEM DEFINITION, SOCIAL CONTROL, AND THE PROBLEMSOLVING. PROBLEM DEFINITION IS A COMPLICATED MATTER. WHAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED DEVIANT BEHAVIOR BY ONE ACTOR IN A SOCIAL SYSTEM (DRUG USE, PROSTITUTION) MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED DEVIANT BY ANOTHER. ONCE A SOCIAL PHENOMENON HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED AS A PROBLEM (E.G. DRUG USE, PROSTITUTION), THEN THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY WITHIN A SOCIETY MUST SHAPE AND ENVIRONMENT TO SUPPRESS THIS PHENOMENON. IF THE OLD, FORMAL, AND BUREAUCRATIC SYSTEM FOR SOLVING SOCIAL PROBLEMS IS DISCARDED FOR A NEW, INFORMAL, OR WEAKER SYSTEM OF CONTROL, DEMOCRATIZATION OCCURS. IN THIS SYSTEM, NORMATIVE CONTROL FORMS ARE APPLIED SUCH AS SOCIALIZATION AND INFORMATION. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT DURING A DECENTRALIZATION OR DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS, THE POWER DOES NOT PASS FROM THE MOST POWERFUL IN A SOCIETY TO THE LEAST POWERFUL, BUT THAT THE POWER BASE SPREADS TO MORE PERSONS WITHIN THE UPPER LEVELS OF SOCIETY WHO TRY TO CONVINCE THE LOWER LEVELS THAT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING IN THEIR INTERESTS. --IN NORWEGIAN. (DAG)