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Power: Its Forms, Bases and Uses
In one grand effort, this is an anatomy of power, a history of the ways in which it has been defined, and a study of its forms (force, manipulation, authority, and persuasion), its bases (individual and collective resources, political mobilization), and its uses. The issues that Dennis Wrong addresses range from the philosophical and ethical to the psychological and political. Much of the work is punctuated with careful examples from history. While the author illuminates his discussion with references to Weber, Marx, Freud, Plato, Dostoevsky, Orwell, Hobbes, Arendt, and Machiavelli, he keeps his arguments grounded in contemporary practical issues, such as class conflicts, multi-party politics, and parent-child relationships. In his new introduction, prepared for the 1995 edition of Power , the author reconsiders the concept of power, now locating it in the broader traditions of the social sciences rather than as a series of actions and actors within the sociological tradition. As a result. Wrong emphasizes such major distinctions as "power over" and "power to," and various conflations of power as commonly used. The new opening provides the reader with a deeper appreciation of the non-reductionist character of the book as a whole.
- GenresNonfictionPhilosophy
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 23, 2024
Power is demarcated by scholars from different dimensions. Lasswell and Caplan define power as a form of influence. They also say that "power is the process of affecting policies of others with the help of (threatened) severe deprivations for nonconformity with the policies intended". Weber defines power as "Chance of a man or of a number of men to realize their own will in communal action even against the resistance of others who are participating in the action".
Despite all these definitions, social scientists have not yet been able to formulate a precise and widely accepted operational definition of power. It is customary to say that this or that person or group has "power". The implication is that power, like wealth, is a possession which enables its owners to secure more apparent future well being.
Wrong divides his book into 9 chapters:
1. Problems in Defining Power
2. The Forms of Power: Force, Manipulation, Persuasion
3. The Forms of Power: Authority
4. The Forms of Power: Combinations and Interrelations
5. The Forms of Power: The Interaction of Coercion and Legitimation
6. The Bases of Power: Individual and Collective Resources
7. The Bases of Power: Who gets Mobilized?
8. The Bases of Power: Numbers and Political Democracy
9. The Uses of Power
To begin with, Wrong presents a vibrant illustration of his general prototype of power. For him, power is "intentional influence." Within that comprehensive classification he extricates several subcategories: force (divided into physical/violent and nonviolent and psychic); management; inducement; and authority (divided into coercive, induced, legitimate, competent, and personal). His specific delineation of power is: "Power is the capacity of some persons to produce intended and foreseen effects on others"
According to Wrong, for a power relation to occur there must be encounter of interests of values between two or more persons or groups. Secondly, a power relationship exists if a certain individual bends to the wishes of the other. Thirdly, a power relationship can exist only if one of the parties can impend to beseech sanctions.
The book is primarily structured on the basis of three leitmotifs:
1) Wrong considers the elementary forms of power. He begins by defining power as "the capacity of some persons to produce intended and foreseen effects on others." Examining the subject's motives for compliance, he identifies four distinct forms of power—force, manipulation, persuasion, and authority. Both power and authority are delicately rooted in the attitudes of those who are asked to comply with political decision. While authority has the image of legality, power has the image of strength. A citizen may obey the authority because of the fear of the consequences of disobedience. The citizen is aware that the state has the strength to enforce commands. Power is a vital element of political strength. Aristotle is right when he says that "most men are naturally apt to be swayed away by fear rather than reverence, and to refrain from evil rather because of the punishment that it brings, than because of its own foulness".
2) He considers the bases of power, the resources used by the powerholder to induce compliance. In considering political resources, many sociologists attend only to the nature of the resources possessed. But Wrong rightly argues that the mobilization of resources is as critical as their possession.
3) Finally, he dwells upon the uses of power. He considers this on a level that transcends the specific circumstances of people. Is there a lust for power as an end in itself, or is power sought as a means to an end? After dispatching the idea that power-seeking is innate, he demonstrates that power typically is used as a means to individual and collective ends. If power is a means to various ends, is it a resource benefiting the subject and the powerholder, or is it a tool used to promote the powerholder's interests at the expense of the subject?
Unfortunately the author does not take his assortment of data to a logical conclusion. He dwells very little on the concept of ‘Force’.
Force is manifested power. It means reduction, limitation, closure or even total elimination of alternatives to the social action of one person or group by another person or group. Force, in short, is power exercised.
Nonetheless, in our closing analysis, we would be bound to situate this book as a modern classic. Let us sum-up the various conclusions of wrong:
1. The purpose of the government is to authoritatively allocate values in ways that satisfy those able to compete for what they believe is their fair share. Citizens are willing to support governments that are capable to meet their demands, and with resources being scarce, many people have to adjust with less than ,they might desire. Here governments employ various forms of power and influence intended to contain dissidence.
2. When there is no agreement on allocations, some members of the population attempt to use unacceptable means to achieve their demands. The government makes use of its monopoly over the legitimate use of forces to counter it. It has been experienced that use of power frequently leads to its abuse.
3. Perhaps, history is nothing but the struggle between different kinds and degrees of authority, It may be said that authority is useful to the society only when it possesses an ethical foundation, which alone distinguishes it from mere might .
4. Authority is both a source and a restraint upon the exercise of power. It both justifies and limits the use of power. In a democracy the actions of the men in power must be potentially justified by reasoned elaboration in terms of values of the society, It must be based on the consent of the people.
Most recommended.
Despite all these definitions, social scientists have not yet been able to formulate a precise and widely accepted operational definition of power. It is customary to say that this or that person or group has "power". The implication is that power, like wealth, is a possession which enables its owners to secure more apparent future well being.
Wrong divides his book into 9 chapters:
1. Problems in Defining Power
2. The Forms of Power: Force, Manipulation, Persuasion
3. The Forms of Power: Authority
4. The Forms of Power: Combinations and Interrelations
5. The Forms of Power: The Interaction of Coercion and Legitimation
6. The Bases of Power: Individual and Collective Resources
7. The Bases of Power: Who gets Mobilized?
8. The Bases of Power: Numbers and Political Democracy
9. The Uses of Power
To begin with, Wrong presents a vibrant illustration of his general prototype of power. For him, power is "intentional influence." Within that comprehensive classification he extricates several subcategories: force (divided into physical/violent and nonviolent and psychic); management; inducement; and authority (divided into coercive, induced, legitimate, competent, and personal). His specific delineation of power is: "Power is the capacity of some persons to produce intended and foreseen effects on others"
According to Wrong, for a power relation to occur there must be encounter of interests of values between two or more persons or groups. Secondly, a power relationship exists if a certain individual bends to the wishes of the other. Thirdly, a power relationship can exist only if one of the parties can impend to beseech sanctions.
The book is primarily structured on the basis of three leitmotifs:
1) Wrong considers the elementary forms of power. He begins by defining power as "the capacity of some persons to produce intended and foreseen effects on others." Examining the subject's motives for compliance, he identifies four distinct forms of power—force, manipulation, persuasion, and authority. Both power and authority are delicately rooted in the attitudes of those who are asked to comply with political decision. While authority has the image of legality, power has the image of strength. A citizen may obey the authority because of the fear of the consequences of disobedience. The citizen is aware that the state has the strength to enforce commands. Power is a vital element of political strength. Aristotle is right when he says that "most men are naturally apt to be swayed away by fear rather than reverence, and to refrain from evil rather because of the punishment that it brings, than because of its own foulness".
2) He considers the bases of power, the resources used by the powerholder to induce compliance. In considering political resources, many sociologists attend only to the nature of the resources possessed. But Wrong rightly argues that the mobilization of resources is as critical as their possession.
3) Finally, he dwells upon the uses of power. He considers this on a level that transcends the specific circumstances of people. Is there a lust for power as an end in itself, or is power sought as a means to an end? After dispatching the idea that power-seeking is innate, he demonstrates that power typically is used as a means to individual and collective ends. If power is a means to various ends, is it a resource benefiting the subject and the powerholder, or is it a tool used to promote the powerholder's interests at the expense of the subject?
Unfortunately the author does not take his assortment of data to a logical conclusion. He dwells very little on the concept of ‘Force’.
Force is manifested power. It means reduction, limitation, closure or even total elimination of alternatives to the social action of one person or group by another person or group. Force, in short, is power exercised.
Nonetheless, in our closing analysis, we would be bound to situate this book as a modern classic. Let us sum-up the various conclusions of wrong:
1. The purpose of the government is to authoritatively allocate values in ways that satisfy those able to compete for what they believe is their fair share. Citizens are willing to support governments that are capable to meet their demands, and with resources being scarce, many people have to adjust with less than ,they might desire. Here governments employ various forms of power and influence intended to contain dissidence.
2. When there is no agreement on allocations, some members of the population attempt to use unacceptable means to achieve their demands. The government makes use of its monopoly over the legitimate use of forces to counter it. It has been experienced that use of power frequently leads to its abuse.
3. Perhaps, history is nothing but the struggle between different kinds and degrees of authority, It may be said that authority is useful to the society only when it possesses an ethical foundation, which alone distinguishes it from mere might .
4. Authority is both a source and a restraint upon the exercise of power. It both justifies and limits the use of power. In a democracy the actions of the men in power must be potentially justified by reasoned elaboration in terms of values of the society, It must be based on the consent of the people.
Most recommended.
December 22, 2022
The best book on power I've read so far.
April 15, 2017
Yeah, it was interesting. The best bits are early on. Then it becomes more esoteric and less classic. Good ideas though. The author is a bit self indulgent in the writing.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews