Lesson 3 PPG

Power in Politics
What is Power in Politics and Governance?
The term ‘power’ can be highly

ambiguous, both in terms of definition and
the ability to accurately measure the power
of states or individuals.
Power – Is the ability to make a state or

person act or think in a way that is contrary to
how they would have acted or thought
otherwise and shape the course of events.
According to Thomas Hobbes “Power simply is
no more, but the excess of the power of one above
that of another” or “power over”.
According to Max Weber “Power is the

probability that one actor within a social relationship
will be in a position to carry out his will despite
resistance.” contribution to the discussion of power is
the recognition that it exists only within a relationship:
that relationship can be defined in different ways and,
therefore, the type of power exhibited depends upon
the type of relationship.
according to Robert Dahl “A has power over B to

the extent that he can get B to do something that B
would not otherwise do.” or “the intuitive idea”.
According to Hannah Arendt “Power is the ability not just to
act, but to act in concert.” Hannah was famous for contrasting
violence with power: violence was something you used by yourself
to get what you wanted for others. One problem with this
conceptualization, however is that it very specifically locates
power in the individual, and we lose the idea of social relationship.
Talcott Parsons “Power is a mechanism operating to bring

about changes in the process of social interaction”. His
conceptualization of power clearly emerges from his work, which
suggests that the idea of the family emerges as a result of changes
in society.
Foucault “Power as such does not exist, but power needs to

be considered as productive network which runs through the
whole social body”. He understands power to be implicated in
every thought and action that takes place, whether this be human
action or otherwise. Everything is powerful to the extent that
everything has a affect on everything else, no matter how
imperceptible this effect might be.
According to Pittacus (c. 640 – 568 B.C.E.)
opined, “The measure of a man is what he does
with power.”
According Lord Action (1887) “Power tends
to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Politics refers to the distribution and

exercise of power within a society, and Polity
refers to the political institution through which
power is distributed and exercised. Regardless of
who benefits, a Central point is this: some
individuals and groups have more power than
others. Because power is so essential to an
understanding of politics.
The 3 Concepts of Power
Power in terms of Power in terms

capabilities/attributes of relations
Power in terms
of structure
Power in terms of capabilities /attributes
What the state possess and how it can use them on the
international stage.
- The population and geographical size or state, its
military capabilities, its natural resources, its
economic wealth, the efficiency, its government,
leadership, infrastructure, etc. pretty much anything
a state can use to exert influence. Keep in mind that
capabilities only determine how much potential
power a state has rather than actual power. This is
because different capabilities matter to different
extents in different contexts.
Power in terms of relations
The capabilities of a state can only be measured in
relation to another state. Here power is measured in
terms of influence in a relationship, where power can be
observed as the effect the action of one state has on
another.
Deterrence Compliance
Power in terms of structure
Structural power is best
described as the ability to decide
how international relations are
conducted, and the frameworks in
which they are conducted, such as
finance, security and economics.
All three concepts of power
operate simultaneously, and all help
determine different outcomes of
power used in politics based on
contexts. In some contexts, military
strength might be more important in
determining; in others, it may be
knowledge of the state.
Dimension of Power according to Steve Luke
One-Dimensional View
Two-Dimensional View
Three-Dimensional View
One-Dimensional View
This dimension is referred to as the pluralist
view or decision making, and believes that state’s
political power can be determined in an
observable conflict in global politics. When these
conflicts occur, we can observe which state’s
suggestions most regularly triumph over others
and if they result in change of behavior of other
involved states. The state with the most ‘wins’ in
decision-making is considered the most influential
and powerful. It’s important to remember that
states often suggest solutions that further their
interests, so when their suggestions are adopted
during conflicts, they secure more power.
Two-Dimensional View
This view is a criticism of the one-dimensional
view. Its advocates argue that the pluralist view
doesn’t account for the ability to set the agenda. This
dimension is referred to as non-decision-making
power and accounts for the covert exercise of power.
If a conflict isn’t brought to light, no decisions can be
made about it, allowing states to do as they wish
covertly regarding matters they don’t want to
publicize. This dimension embraces covert coercion
and manipulation. Only the most powerful or ‘elite’
states can use the power of non-decision making,
creating a biased precedent in dealing with
international political matters.
Three-Dimensional View
This dimension is known as “ideological power”.
Lukes regards the first two dimensions of power as too
intensely focused on observable conflicts (overt and
covert) and points out that states still exercise power in
the absent of conflict. The third dimension of power
that must be considered the ability to construct
preferences and perception of individuals and states.
This dimension of power cannot be observed as it is an
invisible conflict – the conflict between the interests of
the more powerful and the less powerful, and the
ability of more powerful states to distort the ideologies
of other states to the point where they are unaware of
what is actually in their best interest. This is a form of
coercive power in politics.
Three Dimension of Power According to Heywood
Power as decision-making
Power as thought control
Power as agenda setting

Power as decision-making
This face of power consists of
conscious actions that in some way
influence the content of decisions. It is
perceived as the influence on the content
of decisions. Who decides, what to be
made, and how to execute such decision
all involve power.
Power as agenda setting
It is the ability to prevent decisions
being made: that is, in effect, ‘non-
decision-making’. This involves the ability
to set or control the political agenda,
thereby preventing issues or proposals
from being aired in the first place. Power
involves the ability to set or control
political agenda, highlighting one at the
exclusion of other issue.
Power as thought control
The third face of power is the
ability to influence another by shaping
what he or she thinks, wants, or need.
This is power expressed as ideological
indoctrination or psychological
control. Where one has the ability to
change or shape how another thinks
or behaves.
Importance of power in politics
Is essential for a well-rounded
understanding of world politics and
international relations. The use of power on the
international stage not only affects people
directly but can also alter the balance of power
and the structure of the international system.
Political power is essentially the way states
interact with one another. If the use of power in
its many forms is not calculated, the results
could be unpredictable, leading to an unstable
political environment.
Authority
The exercise of legitimate influence by one social
actor over another. There are many ways in which an
individual or entity can influence another to behave
differently, an not all of them have equal claim to
authority.
Governments are perhaps the most familiar
example of an authoritative social actor, as by most
accounts, they generally possess a monopoly on the
legitimate use of physical force to compel obedience to
their mandates in a given geographic area.
the soldier or police officer serves as an extension
of state authority and shares its legitimacy. However,
even these familiar gorms of political authority as
exercised by the state have limits.
The exercise of authority thus defined is
neither limited to the state nor confined to the
use of physical force. Instead, the concept of
authority extends to cover a variety of social
interactions and resides with a variety of social
actors. For sociologists and political scientist, the
more-pressing questions concern the
antecedents and effects of de facto state
authority – that is, existing state authority,
especially as it actually exercises its power
rather than how it is supposed to do so.
Authority is that form of power which is
legalized and legitimized. It is also statute giving
power to an minister. If a person has power due
to a special office he occupies, this is known as
authority. Furthermore it means legitimate
power which has been approved by the people
or power in accordance with the constitution or
the law of the state.
Nature of Authority
• Authority is institutionalized and legal power
inherent in a particular job, function, or position
that is meant to enable its holder to successfully
carry out his or her responsibilities.
• Authority is power that is delegated formally. It
includes a right to command a situation, commit
resources, give orders and except them to be
obeyed, it is always accompanied by an equal
responsibility for one’s actions or a failure to
act.
• In government, the term authority is often used
interchangeably with power in political philosophy,
the jurisdiction of political authority, the location of
sovereignty, the balancing of freedom and authority.
Since the emergency of social sciences authority has
become a subject of research in a variety of
empirical settings.
Typology of Authority according to Max Weber
Rational-Legal
Authority
Traditional
Authority
Charismatic
Authority
Traditional Authority
It is derived from long
established customs, habits and
social structures. When power
passes from one generation to
another generation, then it is called
traditional authority.
Charismatic Authority
The charisma of the individual or the
leader play the important part. It is the
authority which is derived from the gift of grace
or when the leader claims that his authority is
derived from a “higher power” or “inspiration”,
and followers accept this and are willing to
follow this hitherto or inspired authority, in the
place of authority that they have hitherto been
following.
Legal Rational Authority
It is the form of authority which depends
for its legitimacy or formal ruler and
established laws of the state, which are usually
written and often are complex. The power of
the rational legal authority is mentioned in the
constitution. Modern societies depend on
legal-rational authority and Government
officials are the best example of this form of
authority.
Difference between Power & Authority
Power Authority
It is not always legal It is always legal
It acquires not through peaceful It is phenomenon of peaceful times
means but these are elements of
force, control, coercion.
Power is essence of politics Legitimacy is the basis Authority
Force is the brutal manifestation of Authority is the legitimate use of
power power.
Authority is the institutional use of
power.
It is political polarization of the desire Authority is rooted in the rules and
interest of the people. regulation of the government.

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Power in Politics

What is Power in Politics and Governance?

The term ‘power’ can be highly

Power – Is the ability to make a state or

According to Max Weber “Power is the

according to Robert Dahl “A has power over B to

Talcott Parsons “Power is a mechanism operating to bring

Foucault “Power as such does not exist, but power needs to

Politics refers to the distribution and

Power in terms of Power in terms

Power as thought control

Power as agenda setting

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