The Nature of Power, Politics, and Government

Authority Government Power Legitimacy Public good Nation-state Sovereignty Politics Institution

Democracy Monarchy Dictatorship Market economy Traditional

economy Republic Parliament Command

economy

“Society in every state [condition] is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.” (Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776)

Even in colonial days, there was a general mistrust of government

History of USA (unlike other countries) reveals fairly peaceful transfers of power

All rulers have one thing in common – the power to rule

Power – “the possibility of imposing one’s will upon the behavior of other persons.” (Max Weber) or “our capacity to get other people to do things that contribute to what we want.” (Kenneth E. Boulding)

SOURCES OF POWER

Persuasion

Rewards Coercion

Expertise

Formal Authority

Power

Governments use a combination of these sources to rule

Regardless of source, power to rule can be used for negative or positive purposes

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lord Acton, British historian)

People with the right to use power have authority

Formal authority – power that has been defined in some legal or other official way

People with formal authority have legal right to use power; source of authority might be constitution, contract, other legal document, etc.

Leaders whose power & authority are accepted by people they govern as valid have legitimacy

Legitimacy rises & falls depending on willingness of those being led to follow

Historical Ways to Gain Legitimacy: Mandate of Heaven

(China – ruler was “son of heaven” & therefore had authority over “all under heaven”)

Historical Ways to Gain Legitimacy: Divine Right of

Kings (Europe, 1500s – monarchs represented God on Earth)

Historical Ways to Gain Legitimacy:▪ Social-contract theory (Thomas Hobbes & John

Locke – legitimacy comes from unwritten contract between ruler & ruled: people agree to obey ruler in exchange for ruler’s promise to protect their rights)

1620 – English colonists arrives off shore of Plymouth, Mass. Before disembarking, all adult males signed Mayflower Compact (promised to obey all rules & laws)

Hobbes & Locke stressed need for government to preserve order & protect people’s lives & property – without protection, Hobbes said, people would be condemned to live in “continual fear and danger of violent death.”

Today’s governments also concerned with providing public goods, such as schools, roads, fire & police protection

Characteristics of public goods: More than 1 person can consume them

without reducing amount available to others

Once it is made available, all people have right to use it

Coercion – various ways in which government can use its power to force citizens to behave in certain ways Obvious forms = police, courts, prisons Involuntary services = conscription, jury

duty

Revenue collection – collecting money to provide security & pay for public goods Tribute (ancient empires collected

payments from smaller states)

Aristotle (Greek philosopher & father of political science) – believed ideal form of government was monarchy led by single, virtuous ruler

However, in real world, believed rule by well-intentioned many (polity) would be best

Who Holds PowerWho Holds Power Rule Motivated by Rule Motivated by Common GoodCommon Good

Rule Motivated by Rule Motivated by Self-InterestSelf-Interest

OneOne Kingship (gov’t Kingship (gov’t by 1 virtuous by 1 virtuous

ruler)ruler)

Tyranny (rule by Tyranny (rule by 1 lawless ruler)1 lawless ruler)

A FewA Few Aristocracy Aristocracy (gov’t by (gov’t by

virtuous few for virtuous few for good of all)good of all)

Oligarchy (rule Oligarchy (rule by wealthy few by wealthy few in own interest)in own interest)

The ManyThe Many Polity Polity (constitutional gov’t (constitutional gov’t in which everyone in which everyone

has share in has share in political power)political power)

Democracy (rule Democracy (rule by poor in own by poor in own

interest)interest)

Nation-states common characteristics: Territorial integrity – specific geographic

territory, with internationally recognized boundaries

Stable population – people living permanently within borders

Code of laws – common legal system National sovereignty – independent & self-

governing

Modern concept – merging of nation & state Nation – group of people who share

common ethnic origin, culture, & language

State – geographical area controlled by single gov’t

Politics is process of determining “who gets what, when, how.” (Harold Lasswell)

People who participate in political process engage in many forms of political activity.

Political activity is intentional, not random – people think through what they are trying to achieve & weigh costs & benefits of actions needed to achieve goals

Political activity can range from looking at a political cartoon to running for public office

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)

For collective action to work, people must be prepared to seek & accept compromise

Institutions – organizations or sets of rules that shape behavior of groups, have a social purpose & permanence in human affairs Examples – family, schools, governments Establish routines for dealing with

recurring problems, establish rules (written & unwritten) that shape political activity

Politics is a form of competition – politicians & citizens who engage in political activity are players in “game of politics”

Horse trading – hard bargaining that goes on in politics; objective is to achieve win-win situation – giving up something one’s opponent wants in exchange for something of equal or greater value Example – Missouri Compromise which helped

postpone Civil War

Similar to horse trading – players walk out of game & refuse to return until opposition agrees to give them something they want Commonly used by labor

unions to back up demands for better pay & working conditions

César Chávez successfully used this in struggle to improve lives of CA farmworkers

Strategies needed to win power struggle: Niccolo Machiavelli (16th century)

described these in The Prince: “In the actions of men, and especially of Princes, the end justifies the means.” Prince must not hesitate to “destroy those who can and will injure him” and instill fear in those who can and will injure him.” Cunning tricks & amoral tactics are often described as Machiavellian.

President JFK played the game with Soviet Union during Cuban Missile Crisis Soviet Union agreed

to remove missiles U.S. agreed to not

invade Cuba AND remove missiles from Turkey

Complete destruction of one’s opponents Key players are those

who command means of force

Often ends in bloodbath

Examples – Rome and Carthage – “Carthage must be destroyed!”

Those who forsake violence for moral high road

Civil – having to do with citizens

Peaceful confrontation

Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Comparing Forms of Government

Democracy Monarchy Dictatorship Market economy Traditional

economy Republic Parliament Command

economy

Representative democracy

Direct democracy Communism Fascism Nazism Coup d’etat

Farming villages evolved into city-states

Power became concentrated into hands of a single ruler for each

Some rulers claimed to be gods themselves!

Athens developed a direct democracy: public decisions are made directly by citizens meeting to vote

“Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. When it is a question of settling private disputes, everyone is equal before the law; when it is a question of putting one person before another in positions of public responsibility, what counts is not membership of a particular class, but the actual ability which the man possesses.” -- Pericles, Funeral Oration, 431 BCE

Rome – 509 BCE – developed a republic

Evolved into representative democracy (public decisions are made by leaders who are elected by citizens)

Eventually becomes an empire

Fall of Rome in 476 CE leads to development of feudalism (exchanging use of land for military and other services)

Vassals (tenants who pledged loyalty and helped lords make decisions)

Vassals advising lords eventually leads to parliaments in Europe

1300s saw rise of absolute monarchies – governments headed by hereditary rulers who claimed unlimited powers

Glorious Revolution – England in 1688 – led to establishment of constitutional monarchy

American Revolution – 1776 – led to first modern constitutional democracy

French Revolution – 1789 – led to Napoleon Bonaparte and authoritarian regime

Russian Revolution – 1917 – led to communism

Fascism – Italy – 1920s – similar to communism, but allows private ownership of business

Nazism – Germany – 1930s and 1940s – variety of fascism built on myth of racial superiority

1. Monarchy: Rule by one hereditary ruler2. Dictatorships: Rule by one powerful

leader3. Theocracy: Rule by few religious leaders4. Single-Party State: Rule by political elite5. Direct Democracy: Rule by all citizens6. Parliamentary Democracy: Rule by a

legislative majority7. Presidential Democracy: Rule by

representatives of the people

1. Unitary Systems Centralize PowerA. Japan

2. Federal Systems Divide PowerA. US todayB. India

3. Confederal Systems Decentralize Power

A. Articles of Confederation – USB. European Union

1. What to produce, How, and For Whom?2. Traditional Economies – making

decisions by custom3. Market Economies – decision making

by individuals4. Command Economies – decision

making by government planners5. Mixed Economies – shared decision

making