National Power – National Defense

National Power – National Defense Artur Victoria Power presents itself as an interdependent conjugation of wills and means, directed towards the attainment of a purpose. The will, being an essential element in the manifestation of Power, makes it an essentially human phenomenon, characteristic of an individual or a grouping of individuals. The will to satisfy a need, interest or aspiration is not enough. It is necessary that the will be added to the ability to achieve such satisfaction, that is, and there must be the necessary and sufficient means that would integrate the Power. In order to satisfy those needs, interests and aspirations, which are translated as objectives, the Man, moved by his will and at the same time directing it, must use adequate and available means, among which he himself is included. The power dimension of a social group is based on the set of means at the disposal of the collective will, that is, the common will of the subgroups and individuals. The National Power always reflects the possibilities and limitations of the Men who constitute it and the means at its disposal, in its global characteristics and in the effects of its employment. The visualization of National Power as a complex and coherent system makes the recognition of integrality one of its defining characteristics. The inter-agent sense of the relations between the Men who constitute it and the means available to that Power, as well as the affirmation of being one and indivisible, aspects more evident when seen under the focus of power in action, reaffirm this integrality and reinforce its systemic character. However, being the manifestation of a social system and, in itself, a system, the Power admits its subdivision for the analysis of its characteristics and value. The Nation, by organizing itself politically, chooses a way of bringing together, expressing and applying its Power more effectively, by creating a special macro-institution - the State whom it delegates the power to institute and implement the political-juridical process, the coordination of the collective will and the judicious application of a substantial part of its power. Thus, State can be conceptualized as: A politically organized nation that exercises jurisdiction in it’s territory. Not only to avoid violence and anarchy among individuals, but mainly to provide the Government with the means to guarantee the order instituted, it becomes the monopolistic state holding the legitimate means of coercion. The Power of the State or State Power corresponds, therefore, to the politically institutionalized segment of the National Power. The current concept of National Power emphasizes the role of Man in its composition, so that it does not only figure as one of those means available to the Power, thus valorizing its threefold condition. National Power is the capacity of all the men and the means that make up the Nation, acting in accordance with the National Will, to achieve and maintain the National Goals. In this concept are contained the basic elements of the National Power: the Man, the Will and the Means, being the National Will understood as the interpretation by the Elites, of the yearnings of the national society. This concept can be used for the study and classification of Nations in the light of the following criteria: political philosophy, level of development, and scope and scope. As for the first criterion, two great groups of nations are distinguished: those of philosophy of democratic life and those of philosophy of autocratic life. For the democratic nations, the ultimate reason of the State and the valorisation of the Man, and with this they hope that the society benefits in the search of the Common Good. In autocracies, the state behaves as an end in itself, and therefore employs the Power for its benefit, subordinating its convenience, the dignity and conditions of life of Man, overlapping the Nation and serving it. As to the level of development, two basic groups of Nations stand out, with very blurred contours due to the numerous differences they present in the various evolutionary phases: central and peripheral. The National Power will always be employed aiming at Development Security. Features From the concept of National Power are inferred its characteristics, among which the following stand out: - Instrumental sense; - Character of completeness; - Relativity. Instrumental sense The instrumental sense of National Power highlights the error of understanding it as an end in itself. Power is a means to produce effects. So much more than the concern with power over, what is in view and where the power to. It is true that achieving goals always requires an ability to act on, since Power does not apply in the void, but in the social environment, whether within the Nation itself or outside it, where there are always obstacles, material or not material, endowed or devoid of will, with greater or lesser capacity to oppose the purposes for which the Power is applied. To overcome an obstacle, it must be eliminated, removed, neutralized or even transformed into a factor of cooperation; in other words, that the Power is able to act on an obstacle to reach any of these solutions. However, the ultimate purpose of the use of Power is not to overcome obstacles, but to achieve objectives. Therefore it is understood that the National Power and the instrument that the Nation has to conquer and maintain its objectives. Character of Integrality The integral nature of the National Power results from the systemic composition of its components. This result is more than the simple sum of the components: and the result of the synergistic effect, in which all of them interrelate, interconnect and complete, generating in the process a new dimension that is not in individuals or groups, but it rises in all. Relativity The National Power is also characterized by its close conditioning to time and space factors. At the same time, depending on the available means, which vary from time to time, and space, due to its dual sphere of action, internal and external, being, in the latter case, a comparison with another National Power. Moreover, it is necessary to take into account that there is an aspect of relativity between the National Power and the obstacles before its employment, some of which, if acting directed by an opposite interest, can assume characteristics of true against power, being understood by against those who oppose (intentionally or unintentionally) the quest for the Common Well. Thus, its value is always relative, and the assessment of its capacity requires rational, comprehensive, and careful analysis. It is worth observing, from another angle, that the National Power also has a subjective value, which plays a considerable role when applied. This value that the Nation itself or the others attribute to it, makes it even more difficult to evaluate the National Power in objective terms. Scope of National Power Considering that the specific purpose of the National Power is to promote the attendance and maintenance of the National Objectives, and considering that these are located both internally and externally, it is concluded that their action will take place in these areas. In the domestic sphere, it mainly acts to guarantee safety and promote development. Externally it acts above all as an instrument for the affirmation of sovereignty, although under normal conditions its natural employment must be directed at increasing the Nation's international projection in all its fields of in all their fields of interest, in a climate of cooperation or overcoming the natural conflicts of this coexistence. Structure of National Power The analysis of the structure of the National Power is carried out under two aspects that are synthetically articulated: - in the first, it is seen by the organizational angle, involving all its constituent elements, as well as the relations existing between them; - In the second, and studied according to the prevalent nature of their manifestations and the elements that produce them. According to the focus of the first aspect, this structure consists of: - Foundations - basic elements of the composition of power; - Factors - dynamic elements that influence the Fundamentals, allowing to evaluate the capacity of the National Power, valuing it or depreciating it; and - Bodies and Functions - concrete elements capable of making possible the functional manifestation of the system, in the material plane. According to the focus of the second aspect, the analysis is done through the National Power Expressions, didactic way of studying the same structural elements mentioned above, with emphasis on the nature of the means that integrate them and the effects of the manifestations of Power characterized by its intermediary. Thus, National Power must always be understood as a whole, one and indivisible, although for purposes of study and evaluation it is presented as Expressions: Political, Economic, Psychosocial, Military and Scientific-technological. Essentials The study of the basic elements of nationality - Man, Land and Institutions - allows them to infer the very foundations of National Power, whatever its structure. Man presents himself as the core of spiritual values and is therefore the highest value of the Nation area. Although the Basic Foundations opt for the view that the three basic elements of nationality ground National Power, it points to Man as the most significant of them. This understanding, which reveals total anthropocentrism, not only recognizes its role as the essence of National Power but also positions it as agent and beneficiary of that Power. Origin of the own society and element necessary for its development, and the Man who values the Earth. To live in better conditions, it institutionalizes the life of society. In the process of development, when the spirit of nationality begins to predominate, human society tends to seek a physical basis to be inhabited in a permanent character and to be conserved integrates under its dominion - the Earth. In this territorial extension, limited by the borders (terrestrial, maritime and aerospace), the community stabilizes and the forces that integrate it become more solid, for the common interest in maintaining it. In short, the existence of a certain territorial space is a normal requirement for the constitution of a Nation. Relations between man and the earth are of the greatest importance for the survival and development of a nation. In the process of formation and historical evolution, man is strongly influenced by the environment he inhabits, leading him to adjust it to his objectives. In order to coordinate the coexistence and discipline of all human activities, the national community is guided by certain social, political, economic, military and scientific technological standards. These organized patterns of national life, indispensable to the development of the Nation, as well as its Security, accordingly the Institutions. Thus, the institutions constitute a complex composed of ideas, norms, standards of behaviour and inter-human relations, organized around a socially recognized interest. Institutions can be classified as regulatory and operational. Regulatory are those of normative function, that is, that control the operation of a differentiated part of the social structure, which aims. Finally, these foundations - Man, Earth and institutions - although in permanent interaction, can be studied separately in their purely physical, demographic, social, political, economic and other aspects, and are differentiated according to each Expressions although they are in permanent interaction, can be studied separately in their purely physical, demographic, social, political, economic and other aspects, and they are differentiated as considered in relation to each of the Expressions of National Power. Factors If the Ground constitute the very basis of National Power, it is not possible to consider them statically in their structure. Factors of National Power are considered the dynamic elements that influence their Foundations, valuing them or depreciating them. The performance of the Factors on the Fundamentals is reflected more clearly in the functioning of the organs by means of which National Power is employed. Bodies and Functions The National Power can be analyzed as an integrated whole, from the structural and functional point of view of its organs. The activities developed when applying the National Power are always manifestations of the National Will. These activities are manifestations of the National Power, that uses of Organs instituted to exercise them. The organs perform differentiated functions that integrate systemically. Expressions Analyzing the National Power in the focus of its manifestations, that is, according to the political, economic, psychosocial, scientific-technological and military dimensions, there is a didactic and, above all, practical advantage, of admitting itself as analytical categories, different expressions of the National Power, each character being characterized as follows: Prevalence of the effects to be obtained, depending on the elements corresponding to the nature of each of them. The analytical study of the National Power is made through five Expressions: 1 - Policy; 2 - Economic; 3 - Psychosocial; 4 - Military; 5 - Scientific and Technological. Each Expression of National Power is characterized by being constituted, predominantly, by elements of the same nature. It should be noted, however, that: - An Expression of National Power, besides producing effects in its specific dimension, causes reflexes in the other Expressions. - An Expression of National Power may be constituted of elements of any nature, although in it dominates those that are peculiar to it. Reinforcing the systemic character of the analysis, it is necessary to emphasize that each Expression, at the same time as it is characterized by the production of prevalent effects of a certain nature, can never be considered in isolation, since the National Power, for its unity and integrality of the elements that constitute it, and capable, by definition, of generating effects of all kinds: political, economic, psychosocial, scientific-technological and military. What will vary, according to the conjuncture, will not be the nature of Power, but the effects resulting from its application. There is no prevalence of any Expression of National Power, and the circumstantial and episodic emphasis, attributed to any of them, dictated by the conjuncture, due to the necessity to reach a certain objective, in a useful term. The study of National Power in five Expressions aims to facilitate the work of its evaluation and, consequently, its rational application within a planning process. In view of the purposes of the analysis of National Power, the study of institutions, and of the "a quo" factors that make up their structure, will be done more appropriately in the context of each Expression. There are also studied the foundations of the National Power, considering now how they manifest in each one of them. Projection and Expansion The projection of the National Power may naturally occur or as a desired result of a peaceful affirmation of presence in the international context, resulting from manifestations of all National Expressions, such as cultural projections, economic, scientific-technological, military and other projections. Projection of National Power and the process by which the Nation peacefully increases its influence in the international scenario, through the manifestation produced with resources of all the Expressions of the National Power. In the concept of Territorial Expansion, the idea of form is embedded, as well as a clear purpose of asserting the national will on spaces, obstacles and decisions linked to other centers of Power, in such a dimension that privileges the Military Expression as a suitable means for the conquest of objectives. Expansion of National Power is the manifestation produced through the use of all its Expressions, through which a Nation imposes or tries to impose its will beyond its borders, in order to control specific strategic areas. Political-Strategic Stature The natural or intentional process of projecting its Power leads a Nation to have meaningful participation and influence in the international context, not only by the present and future capacity to define and pursue its objectives but also by the way in which that Power is perceived and evaluated by other Nations. The situation that comes to occupy between these Nations and what defines its politicalstrategic stature. This is characterized, therefore, by a set of attributes that include both the structural elements of the National Power that it has, and the ability to make them act in the name of their interests. This capacity is not limited to that which is recognized as the holder, but also to that attributed to it by other Nations. Political Stature - Strategic of a Nation and the set of its attributes that are perceived and recognized by the other Nations, and which define the relative level of their participation and influence in the international context. Evaluation The impossibility of a nation having sufficient power to achieve all its objectives, overcoming obstacles of any kind, explains the need for the evaluation of the National Power. Such evaluation includes examining its possibilities, its vulnerabilities to the obstacles and the formulation of value judgment on its capacity. Essential aspects to be considered in the evaluation are: - the fact that the National Power, as a whole, is intended to meet both Development and Security needs; - the large number of data, their complexity and the subjective nature of some of the factors to be examined and evaluated; - The impossibility of obtaining precise information on some obstacles; - the influence of factors on all elements of the structure of Power and on the systemic relations between them: - The variation of the National Power; - The relativity of National Power, in time and space; The National Power of a country is difficult to measure, being relevant not only what it thinks to have as what other countries attribute to it. Three are the most frequent errors in this evaluation; - To consider the National Power in an absolute way, not relating it to the needs and the obstacles; - Disregard the dynamics of factors; - Give exclusive importance to a single component sounds, not taking into account the systemic relationship between them. The evaluation is an indispensable process for the knowledge of the capacity of the National Power, allowing detecting vulnerabilities and obstacles. Although it has a subjective character, the predominance of objective data, which can be quantified. In the evaluation of the National Power, fundamental surveys and indicators are used. Strategic Surveys The process of evaluating the National Power begins with the collection and organization of data and information pertaining to all areas of interest, aimed at forming a sufficient knowledge framework for an appreciation of the characteristics of these areas. In strategic surveys, not only the possibilities will be considered, but also the limitations of the National Power. Such information will be kept in databases, constantly updated. Indicators Given the diversity of means that integrate the National Power, it is necessary to raise them through elements that allow to measure or estimate their capacity. For this, the technique of indicators is adopted. The indicators allow to evaluate the National Power in a global or partial way. In principle, the more diversified and comprehensive the surveyed areas are, and the more complex their relationships, the greater the margin of error of the evaluation performed. All evaluation of social phenomena and influenced by subjectivism. This means that the observation of these phenomena differs essentially from the observation of physical phenomena because in the first case the observer is also a participant and can be led to transfer his own convictions to the interpretation. In view of these aspects, the choice of indicators, as broad as possible, depends on the analyst's sensitivity and on the purpose of the evaluation. The indicators are usually peculiar to each of the Expressions of National Power, although several of them may correspond to more than one Expression. Its use is intended to: - provide concrete elements for the analysis of the situation; - Assess the capacity of the National Power; - Identify the obstacles; - Assess the vulnerabilities of the National Power; - To raise the needs deprived as basic necessities. Preparation and use The preparation of National Power consists of a set of activities carried out with the aim of strengthening it, either by maintaining and perfecting the existing Power, or by transforming potential into Power. The use of the National Power consists of its use, through policies and strategies that, provide the necessary conditions of Security for the process of Development of the Nation. The two forms of employment of the NP can be understood as their fields of action: fields of Security and Development. Preparation and employment are two phases of the same reality. There is an interrelationship between preparation and employment, although there is no rigidity between the two phases. The efficiency and effectiveness of the employment of the National Power depend on its correct evaluation. The evaluation of the National Power facilitates the knowledge of the means available to the Nation and the feasibility of its application. This assessment indicates the capacity of the National Power to meet the needs of society. If these needs cannot be met immediately, measures must be taken to strengthen it. In view of the dynamic nature of the National Power, are ready to be employed at any given time and may lose this condition. On the other hand, unavailable means may, as appropriate, become susceptible to future employment. Thus, it is fundamental to know the state in which the National Power is in the moment of its evaluation and to predict the one in which they will be, when of its application. From these considerations come several concepts. Current National Power and the capacity of all the men and the means effectively available to the Nation, acting in accordance with the National Will, at a considered time, to achieve and preserve the National Goals. The current National Power contains the notion of existing elements, ready and available for immediate application, aiming at reaching a certain goal. It also covers the ability of these elements to adjust or become, in quantity and quality, for application in relatively short time. National Potential - all the men and the means available to the Nation, latent, capable of being transformed into Power. National Usable Potential and the portion of the National Potential that can be transformed into power within a specified period. This transformation will be achieved through mobilization measures.