A concise summary of the concept of 'Power' constructed in accordance with the module's prompt seminar and revision questions/ debates.
For Warwick PAIS PO107
Max Weber defined power as: ‘[the] chance of a man or of a number of men
to realize their own will in a communal action even against the resistance of
others who are participating in the action’
The concept of power is key in the study of politics:
‘Politics is about more than what governments choose to do or not to do; it is
about the uneven distribution of power in a society, how the struggle for
power is conducted, and its impact on the creation and distribution of
resources, life chances and well-being’. Gerry Stoker and David Marsh.
It is merely the scarcity of resources with cause power struggle in society
(Hobbes) and to understand this, the six separate archetypes of power should
be understood: (from Goodwin, 2014)
1) Authority: a body or institution which has the right to issue orders to
be obeyed
2) Power: the ability to influence others which politicians and other
politically active individuals are able to do
3) Powers: particular rights of office-holders
4) Coercive power: power to make people do things and to punish them
if they refuse; operates in accordance to rules
5) Force: the use of coercive power in an unstructured situation by a
group with recognisable political identity
6) Violence: physically coercive and destructive
Different Forms of Power:
Outcome/ This is the ability to make people act in ways they do not wish to. At a
Social political level, this involves: sanctions, propaganda or the invocation
Power of particular powers. This exercise of power falls into two categories;
‘power over’ and ‘power to’. Downing referred to this as outcome
power ‘the ability of an actor to bring about or help to bring about
outcomes’ and social power ‘the ability of an actors to deliberately
change the incentive structure of another actors’ to bring about –
outcomes’.
Links a little to Gramsci’s cultural hegemonic theory.
Economic Formal decision-making power rests outside of government, and
Power grants influence to external groups such as big business (neo-
pluralism recognises that business has unequal power in society and
ability to influence politics). Marxists also view the capitalist economy
as oppressive and intrinsically linked to the state. Trade Unions can
also be said to have economic power:
, In 2020, when the second lockdown was introduced, the Trade Union
Congress put pressure on the government to extend its furlough
scheme to be extended through the #SOS4Jobs Campaign. All after
government sources claimed workers were ‘addicted to the scheme’
(Sharp, 2020).
In 2019 when attempting to secure the election, Johnson promised big
businesses tax cuts which would benefit them by £1 billion by
2022/23 (Schofield, 2019).
Structural This power safeguards against tyranny as structures are given the
Power power to have authority to issues orders to be obeyed, but are still
and held accountable if they go to far in their authority (Hobbes and
Authority Leviathan). Locke argued for the separation of the legislative and
executive to ensure no tyranny in the electoral system (embodied in
the American constitution) whilst Hobbes believed in fusion as any
division of the state would be a fatal ‘divide and fall’.
Coercion Lukes argued that the powerful use their power to manipulate the
Power thoughts and behaviours of the non-powerful in order to keep them in
a state of perpetual false consciousness. Also linked to Gramsci’s
cultural hegemonic theory. cultural hegemonic theory.
Patriarch Feminist thinkers have argued that the state rests on patriarchal
al Power power (see more in feminism revision).
Charismat This rests on the personality of leaders. Charismatic power is of
ic Power particular interests because it represents an uncontrollable factor
which may threaten the bureaucratic-democratic form of authority
typical of Western society. The disciples of the charismatic leader will
follow in their personality cult (post- Lenin’s Death) It represents a
more personal sense of authority. Weber believed that charismatic
authority could be incredibly influential:
‘[charismatic authority can be made] into a suitable source for the
acquisition of sovereign power by the successors of the charismatic
hero’.
Charismatic leaders, such as Bill Clinton, are more able to save
themselves from blame than uncharismatic leaders like Gordon
Brown.
Winch Both Winch and Marcuse have argued that the modern state’s laws
and and system hides the freedom of citizens: ‘a state which inscribes the
Marcuse minds of citizens with ideas of authority and obligation disguises their
lack of freedom, and that this threatens human liberty more than a
state which rules by the use of coercion or force’. Goodwin, 2014.
Additionally, Marcuse argues that the modern capitalist system’s
transformation into a benign welfare state is based on disguised
violence and makes the state appear more legitimate, when actually,
it is invoking false consciousness among society. The modern
capitalist state manipulates us into giving away freedoms!
Thinkers and Authority:
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