Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Social sciences

Key Political Concepts Defined

Positive Freedom

Positive freedom means being your own master. An individual with this kind of freedom controls their own life and decisions, not depending on outside forces.

Negative Liberty

Negative liberty involves the absence of interference or hindrance from others that would prevent an individual from carrying out their wishes, whatever they may be.

Possessive Individualism

This is a view of humanity where each person is the sole owner of their person, and their physical and intellectual capabilities, without owing anything to society.

Civil Society

Civil society comprises institutions independent of the state. It consists of individuals motivated by self-interest and a propensity to exchange, driven by mutual benefit.... Continue reading "Understanding Political Freedoms and State Structures" »

Definition of the State Budget

The State Budget is the quantified, complete, and systematic expression of the obligations (expenses) that can be recognized, and the duties (income) that are projected for settlement during the relevant period (fiscal year).

Preparation and Approval Process

The budgets are prepared annually by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (specifically, the General Secretariat of Budgets and Expenditures, operating through three directorates):

• Directorate General of Budget
• Directorate General for Personnel Costs and Public Pensions
• General Directorate of Community Funds

The draft budget is approved by the Council of Ministers before being submitted to the legislative branch. The approval process involves several stages:

1. The Government

Action Research and the Epistemology of Involvement

Action serves as an excellent platform for research, and vice versa. It is understood that distance from the situation offers no advantage to operational knowledge. Therefore, there is a claim to break with the subject-object split by proposing the participatory construction of knowledge (Action Research). While a full theorizing is not yet known, many authors point out, through community work, the value of the epistemology of involvement.

The core principles derived from this epistemology include:

1. Understanding that implication is a position with potential, not a barrier to knowledge, but an opportunity.
2. Appreciating that what we traditionally call the knowledge phase can be understood, in part,

Intergroup Organizations

Organizations or groups are engines in community work. It is not always simple groups or development mode associations. One mode of community work is the constitution of intergroup organizations, committees, platforms, and coordinators who are represented in the various groups and entities.

Sometimes these intergroup organizations try to connect or federate the efforts of relatively homogeneous organizations, as when trying to coordinate actions with specific sectors of the population. On other occasions, intergroup organizations are precisely the means to connect entities that are different around common issues and comprehensive projects.

This practice of organizing connects with concepts like partnership, integration

The Market Mechanism Model of Democracy

Democracy in this model is characterized by the following:

1. A system to elect prepared and authorized government elites.
2. The elite selection system is competition between two or more self-selected groups of politicians.
3. Voters do not deliberate and decide on policy issues; rather, their role is choosing the people who make such decisions.

In this model, democracy resembles a market mechanism in which entrepreneurs are politicians and voters are the consumers. This political model aims to produce a balance between the diversity of interests and the sovereignty of consumers.

Consequences and Implications of the Model

Important consequences of this model are:

• To highlight the importance of the quality of elites in

Understanding the General State Budgets (PGE)

What are the General State Budgets (PGE)?

The General State Budgets (PGE) are forecasts conducted by the Government and approved by the Parliament (Cortes Generales). They detail the expected income and expenditures for the State during a specific fiscal year.

Why are the PGE necessary?

The PGE are necessary for the State to participate effectively in economic life by incurring expenditures and forecasting revenues. This process is essential to improve the welfare of citizens, benefit the country, and meet public needs.

The Budget Cycle: Phases and Duration

Phases of the Budget Cycle

1. Preparation: Developed under the Executive Power (Government), specifically by the Ministry of Finance. The project is referred

Emergence of Spain's Consumer Society

Despite limitations, economic development led to the emergence of a consumer society in Spain. The widespread use of appliances (two-thirds of households had television in 1969) and cars (one-quarter of Spanish families owned a car that year) were key elements exemplifying this new society.

The consumer society, marked by access to more information and greater mobility, brought about a new mindset, especially among the younger generation, which clashed with the traditionalism of the system. Key changes included:

• Progressive relaxation of the importance of the Church and religious habits.
• New relationship habits and patterns of social relations between the sexes, including the incorporation of women into the

Catalonia's Modernization: The Mancomunitat Era

The Mancomunitat de Catalunya carried out important work coordinating external services and creating networks of intellectuals and professionals. It undertook significant activities aimed at modernizing the country and improving public services.

Key Achievements of the Mancomunitat

• Creation of normal schools for teacher training and popular libraries.
• Establishment of a vocational school and an Industrial Labor University.
• Unification of spelling, initiated by Pompeu Fabra.
• Creation of Pompeu Fabra's scientific laboratory and provincial health laboratories for hygiene.
• Promotion of agriculture and livestock through experimental crop fields, model farms, technical assistance, and agricultural technical

The Regency of Maria Christina (1833-1840)

Initial Challenges and Reforms

Upon the death of Ferdinand VII, his widow, Maria Christina, assumed the regency. She appointed a cabinet presided over by Francisco Cea Bermúdez. Necessary reforms were carried out by Javier de Burgos. The same year Ferdinand VII died, absolutist sectors conspired in favor of Carlos, the late king's brother, leading to the outbreak of the First Carlist War.

The Royal Statute of 1834

The onset of civil war forced the regent to heed calls for a convocation of the Cortes. Martínez de la Rosa was called upon to form a new government, composed of prominent politicians from the Liberal Triennium. This government conceived the Royal Statute of 1834, a constitution granted as... Continue reading "Spain's Liberal Transformation and Carlist Conflicts" »

Definition of Sociology

Sociology is the systematic study of human life, groups, and societies. Its scope is broad, encompassing microsocial interactions and macrosocial processes.

Sociological Questions

Sociological questions can be:

• Factual: Questions of fact.
• Comparative: Relating to other societies.
• Developmental: Comparing the present with the past.
• Theoretical: Focusing on knowledge to interpret facts and discover their causes.

Theories

Theories are abstract constructs used to explain a wide variety of empirical situations. They are only valid if they are contrasted with empirical research.

Concept and Content of Culture

Culture refers to the entire lifestyle of members of a society, including dress, work patterns, ceremonies, and assets. Despite... Continue reading "Sociology: Definitions, Concepts, Characteristics, and Cultural Diversity" »