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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
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