POL S101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Antonio Gramsci, False Consciousness, Charismatic Authority
7 Jun 2018
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2018-06-05
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CHAPTER 2
Political Power, Authority, and the State
Power and Authority
•Central concepts in politics
•Those in power can often set the agenda, so it is important to understand how power
works
•Power is often equated with coercion
•Authority is often equated with consent
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Alternatives to the Use of Coercion
•Rule through ideological control
o
•Conversion of power to authority
Rule through Ideological Control
•Manipulation of the preferences of the ruled to reflect the interests of the ruler
•Eliminates the need for constant surveillance
•Associated with elitist thought and Marxist critiques of capitalism
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Conversion of Power to Authority
•Attempt to make the ruler legitimate in the eyes of the ruled
•To do this requires an understanding of the basis for authority
•How is legitimacy decided?
•Although they can be treated as separate, all governments make use of both power and
authority
•In practice, it can be difficult to draw a distinction between the two
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Weber’s Three Types of Authority
1. Traditional authority: based on traditional customs and values such as the divine right of
kings
2. Charismatic authority: based on the personal characteristics of the ruler, often associated
with authoritarian and totalitarian societies
3. Legal-rational authority: based on the status of the office within a constitutional structure
Is Power the Same as Force?
•Power can be and often is expressed through force
•Some argue that the use of force is an indicator that power has failed
•Lukes: “having the means of power is not the same thing as being powerful”
Must Power Be Exercised Deliberately?
•Russell: power is “the production of intended results: the unforeseen effects of our
influence on other cannot be called power”
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Document Summary
Power and authority: central concepts in politics, those in power can often set the agenda, so it is important to understand how power works, power is often equated with coercion, authority is often equated with consent. Alternatives to the use of coercion: rule through ideological control o, conversion of power to authority. Rule through ideological control: manipulation of the preferences of the ruled to reflect the interests of the ruler, eliminates the need for constant surveillance, associated with elitist thought and marxist critiques of capitalism. Must power be exercised deliberately: russell: power is the production of intended results: the unforeseen effects of our influence on other cannot be called power . 2018-06-05: polsby: who benefits?is a different question from who governs? . Power and theories of the state: with so many theories about power, how do we determine which one applies in reality, lukes identifies three faces or dimensions of power.
