POLI 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Proletariat, Amay, Icebreaker
4 Sep 2014
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Chapter 2 political power, authority, and the state. What is power: the ability to make others do something that they would not have chosen to do. Power and authority: central concepts in politics, those in power can often set an agenda, so it is important to understand how power works, power if often equated with coercion, authority is often linked with consent. Alternatives to the use of coercion: rule through ideological control. Manipulation of the preferences of the ruled to reflect the interests of the ruler. Associated with elitist thought and marxist critiques of capitalism: 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 of authority. Some exercise of power in necessary even in a democracy, since the decisions taken by a majority will always leave a minority who may be resentful that their views did not prevail.
