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Power and Authority
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Power and authorityFriday, October 14, 2022 7:00 PM
POWER
The key to political science, Analysis of the ‘nature, exercise and distribution of power’ (Max Weber 1919)
Defining power
SUMMARY
Whose power? 1. Power is conditional, relative and contextual
1. Power of individuals 2. The ‘three faces’ of power highlight some of these dimensions
2. Power of institutions (Comparative Pol) 3. Elite theory, pluralism, and Marxism conceive of power in
3. Power of states (IR) different ways
4. Structural Power (Critical) 4. Society needs authority, but too much can be dangerous
Which aspect of power?
1. Exercising power
2. Distribution of power
3. Sources of power
4. Consequences of power
An ‘essentially contested concept
Classic Definitions
Power-over
“Actor ‘A’ has power over actor ‘B’ to the extent that she can get actor ‘B’ to do something that he would
otherwise not do” — Robert A. Dahl. 1957. ‘The Concept of Power’, Behavioural Science 2, 201
Power-to
Power is the ability to achieve a purpose, whether or not it is good or bad depends upon the purpose - Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
MAJOR PROBLEMS
1. Effects may be incidental
e.g., B may be following own interests
2. Power can have unintended effects
e.g., Theresa May’s decision to call a general election and blow up her majority
3. Context is important
Power is provisional, conditional and relative e.g., boss and you at work and in pub; US president
(absolute power) vs. UK Prime Minister (relative power)
4. Power can be latent
Easier to measure when it is being exercised
THE 3 FACES OF POWER
1. Decision-making
2. Agenda setting (non decision-making)
3. Preference shaping
1. The first face of power: decision-making
Overt/directly observable – the power to make or influence decisions (see Dahl
etc.)
Example: If a committee has voted on an issue (e.g., build nuclear power plant)
the side that won would be said to have exerted power
2. Second face of power: agenda setting
Non decision-making – keeping items OFF the political/voting agenda
Issues that are never actually available for discussion, do not feature in observable
process
Week 5 Page 1
, 3. The third face of power: preference shaping
Decisions can be affected by wider structural and ideational sources of power
Structured ideas influence how we think about political possibility ... and our
ability to question
Michel Foucault
Forms of power can be internalised and routinised
Example: Stopping at red light without thinking about it
Theoretical perspectives on power
1. Elite theory
• Power is concentrated (in an elite)
• Elites are drawn from a narrow stratum
• Elites circulate
Classical and Modern variants
Classical Elite theory
Different ‘kinds’ of people: ‘Leaders (technical or organisational skills) & Followers (apathic;
psychological need for leadership)’ Rule by the few due to some innate qualities Robert Michels
(1911)
Critiques
1. Methodological individualism
An overemphasis on the role of individuals (in this case the psychological sources of power) and
ignoring structural forms of power and/or contexts
2. A lack of empirical evidence
The existence of an elite was largely just assumed
Modern Elite Theory
Power derived from structural position in society (not from personal qualities)
Formal political authority vs. ‘real’ (economic) power
Economic power: behind the scenes (not visible to the public)
Critique
1. Accuracy/Where the boundaries? Is reputation an accurate indicator of who has power?
Why 40 people? Context?
2. : How to study an elite? Can a researcher gain access to behind the scenes power?
3. Non-falsifiable (‘infinite regress’) Just because analysis doesn’t identify elites, doesn’t mean
they are not there …
2. Pluralism
For the most part still dominant view today.
1. Power is dispersed throughout society
2. Politics is competitive – different interest groups
3. Policy is the outcome of competitive processes
Focus on directly observable power.
Robert Dahl (1961): ‘Who Governs?’
Method: focus on actual decisions taken in New Haven No single group or organisation was said to
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