“Politics is simply about power.” Discuss.
rewrite- include pros vs. cons of power: good/bad power - how does it affect society?
The effect that money has on politics – Today’s lecture
According to Harold D. Lasswell, “the study of politics is the study of influence and the influential”. In itself, a definitive understanding of politics is hard to come by; it means different things in different spaces and times and to different people. Politics is an aspect of our lives that we cannot escape. Within the pre-modern world, politics was simply the “running of the state”, and although to some extent this may still be true – politics has developed significantly since those times. Oligarchies have become scarce within the modern world – power operations are not what drive our political systems within today’s world. In the modern era, politics has become more about the individual than ever before, the personal truly has become political, particularly since the rise of Feminism. Politics now encompasses the values and ideas, of everyone: from the individual to that of an international scale. Both domestically, particularly within territorial operations – in this case New South Wales, and internationally, including the large World Players, it can be realised that power plays a major role in the running of politics. Thus it can be recognised, particularly on the current international scale, the essential nature of politics to adapt to the ever-changing situation and persisting to ensure that they both maintain power and legitimacy. However, it can also be seen that there is more than just power at stake within the political realm. When coming to a realisation of this fact, it is then easier to define what politics is actually about a...
... middle of paper ...
...t the only source of influence and power. Multi-national and global corporations hold significant power within this sphere –money having a significant impact on the power that any individual, corporation or government can hold. Thus, it is evident that whilst power plays a major role within the operation and success of politics - politics is not, simply, about power.
Reference List:
Politics: Who Gets What, When, How, H. D. Lasswell cited in G. Maddox, Australian Democracy in Theory and Practice, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1985, p. 6
2 C. Hanisch, The Personal is Political, 1969
3 G. Maddox, Australian Democracy in Theory and Practice, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1985, p. 9
4 Independent Commission Against Corruption Act, 1988, No 35, Section 2A (Accessed 4 May, 2014) http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/view/inforce/act+35+1988+cd+0+N
no author. (2011). New Australian of the Year Wants to Debate an Australian Republic. Available: http://www.republic.org.au/story/new-australian-year-wants-australians-debate-australian-republic-courier-mail-26111. Last accessed 20th June 2011.
"Trudeaumania" was arguably the most significant Canadian example of the important role culture plays in achieving political power. The course text Introduction to Politics, defines power as "the ability to make others do something that they would not have chosen to do" (Garner, Ferdinand, Lawson & MacDonald, 2009). The same text defines political culture as "the totality of ideas and attitudes towards authority, discipline, governmental responsibilities and entitlements, and associated patterns of cultural transmission such as the e...
Heath, Joseph. "The democracy deficit in Canada." University of Toronto. homes.chass.utoronto.ca/~jheath/democracy.pdf (accessed October 17, 2013).
Uhr, John. "Why We Chose Proportional Representation." Representation and Institutional Change: 50 Years of Proportional Representation in the Senate. By Marian Sawer and Sarah Miskin. Canberra: Dept. of the Senate, 1999. 13-40. Print.
Power simply can be defined as control over resources. This control allows for individuals to bring about change. The influence of power typically has a negative impact on individuals. It has even been said that “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Typically, as an individual gains power they tend to be less inhibited and act more based on their personal desires disregarding what is ethically right. Oftentimes, individuals lose sight of their morals in attempts to gain more power and exploit other people. Indeed, it is true that “with great power comes great responsibility” and whether an individual lets that responsibility corrupt them is a strong measure of their personal character (Ferguson and Peterson,
In conclusion, the concept of power is something that has been around for as long as there have been people. And it will continue to be a part of society for as long as people
2014. “Voting within Australia – Frequently Asked Questions.”Australian Electoral Commission, August 22. http://www.aec.gov.au/FAQs/Voting_Australia.htm (March 2015).
Larry Johnston (2008) Politics: An Introduction to the Modern Democratic State, Third Edition, Chapters 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9.
There are several sources of power, some of them are authority, reward, expertise, and coercion.
Lastly Mills highlights how a truly democratic state can be achieved. There is a need for a public that acts a medium for true political change, skilled men who form the higher powers of the state and have no vested corporate interests, dependable parties that debate openly and lucidly the problems faced by the world and finally liberated institutions between the public and the elite that act as proponent for the public opinion.
Some theorists believe that ‘power is everywhere: not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere… power is not an institution, nor a structure, nor possession. It is the name we give to a complex strategic situation in a particular society. (Foucault, 1990: 93) This is because power is present in each individual and in every relationship. It is defined as the ability of a group to get another group to take some form of desired action, usually by consensual power and sometimes by force. (Holmes, Hughes &Julian, 2007) There have been a number of differing views on ‘power over’ the many years in which it has been studied. Theorist such as Anthony Gidden in his works on structuration theory attempts to integrate basic structural analyses and agency-centred traditions. According to this, people are free to act, but they must also use and replicate fundamental structures of power by and through their own actions. Power is wielded and maintained by how one ‘makes a difference’ and based on their decisions and actions, if one fails to exercise power, that is to ‘make a difference’ then power is lost. (Giddens: 1984: 14) However, more recent theorists have revisited older conceptions including the power one has over another and within the decision-making processes, and power, as the ability to set specific, wanted agendas. To put it simply, power is the ability to get others to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. In the political arena, therefore, power is the ability to make or influence decisions that other people are bound by.
Power is essential to maintaining order and instilling rules within society, relationships and almost all aspects of life. With the appropriate control of power, individuals are able to attain anything that they desire. Once power is obtained, maintaining power and control is also important. Often once power is obtained, individuals believe that they don’t need to focus on the upkeep of maintaining power, this is what often leads to one’s downfall. Although power often comes with success, there are also downfalls to having power. Power can be dangerous and can lead to greed. Power can ruin relationships and often causes conflict as individuals tend to struggle with the shift in power or the new imbalance of power. Power has the ability to demonstrate one’s true morality and ethics. The pursuit of power has its costs.
Politics is the means for attaining valued things. Although, valued things are different in every society, the means of securing those things has never changed. The competition for power, authority and influence will always be the backbone of politics. Applying power, authority and influence to the valued things that support the public good, will produce the quality of life a society desires. In the present day, citizens in the United States demand certain valued things such as welfare, education, safe streets and healthcare. Through politics, citizens can apply their power in many different ways to get the things they want. Power is the ability to get someone to do something they may or may not want to do. Through the use of or the application of coercion, persuasion, manipulation and negotiation, power is used to influence the system.
Power is the ability to control or influence others, especially socially or politically. We often hear of the horror stories, in which corrupt dictators with too much power kill innocent citizens, eliminate all competition, and hurt others for personal gain. Power itself is not necessarily the bad thing here; it comes as an instinctive need to humans, rooted in the primal purpose of survival (Anchor text). The abuse of power leads to corruption. Power is an unstable force that can have positive or negative outcomes, depending on why it was sought and the attitude of those on the receiving end of the control.
Newton, K. & J. W. Van Deth (2005). Foundations of Comparative Politics: Democracies of the Modern World, Cambridge: CUP, Ch. 4, ‘Presidential and Parliamentary Government’, 60-71.