Political Organization and Social Control

Every society has institutions that encourage or emphasize conforming to social and customary rules or norms, these institutions can be referred to as sanctions. Though there are many different kinds of sanctions, they all can be found in our everyday lives. Positive sanctions are rewards by other, such as getting candy, while negative sanctions are more threats such as fines or corporal punishment. But sanctions can also be formal, such as actual laws, or informal, such as cultural norms. Nonetheless sanctions can also be considered a social control or an organized sanction, for instance if you break a formal sanction, or law, that may lead to a negative sanction, like going to jail or paying a fine. Diffuse sanctions, on the other hand, is more like when you were mocked or ridiculed in elementary school, it is the expression of approval or disapproval by members of your community. Furthermore, we also have sanctions that try to regulate behaviour by explaining incomprehensible, or impossible, things. Religion is also a great example of a sanction; many people dedicate their lives to religion, or the supernatural, letting it control or dictate everything they say or do. The ten commandments and the bible act like their own personal laws they have to follow else you’ll be punished by being sent to hell. These people do not like not being in control and admitting to not fully understanding what happens after you pass away is, probably, too much for them to handle. They like the thought that they can control what happens.