POWER

Meaning of Power

• Power is a fundamental entity in human society, present in various power relations (e.g., father over child, master over slave, teacher over student, etc.).
• Max Weber defines power as “the ability to control the behaviour of others, even in the absence of their consent.”
• Jan Robertson defines power as “the capacity to participate effectively in a decision-making process.”
• N.J. Demerath III and Gerald Marwell define power as “the capacity to get things done despite obstacles and resistance.”
• Power can be exercised through various means: threatening, cajoling, influencing, coercing, persuading, etc.
• Large-scale power is embedded in organizational structures (e.g., governments, political parties, business firms, schools, etc.).
• Power may be exercised blatantly or subtly, legally or illegally, justly or unjustly.
• Power may derive from wealth, status, prestige, numbers, or organizational efficiency.
• The ultimate basis of power is the ability to compel obedience, sometimes through force or the threat of force.
• Social power has been associated with prestige, influence, eminence, competence, dominance, rights, strength, force, and authority.
• Power and Prestige are closely linked. The class with the most prestige often has the most power.
• Power may not always be accompanied by knowledge, eminence, or competence, but they contribute to prestige.
• Power and Influence: Influence is persuasive, while power is coercive. Influence requires voluntary submission, but power demands submission.
• Power and Dominance are distinct: Power is sociological, while dominance is psychological, related to personality or temperament.
• Power and Rights: Rights are associated with privileges and authority, but they are not the same as power. A right requires social structure support, while power does not.
• Power, Force, and Authority: Power is latent force, force is manifest power, and authority is institutionalized power. Power makes the use of force possible.
• Only groups with power can threaten to use force, and the threat itself is power.
• Power is not force or authority but makes both possible.