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Understanding Power in Political Science

Power is the central concept of political science. What money is to economics, power is to politics. Though power is the core concept, it remains a contested concept like any other. Theories of power include liberal theories that see power with the state or bourgeoisie class, elite theories that argue power is concentrated among ruling elites, and pluralist theories that see power as exercised by groups through pressure and empowerment of the people.

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John Singh
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89 views2 pages

Understanding Power in Political Science

Power is the central concept of political science. What money is to economics, power is to politics. Though power is the core concept, it remains a contested concept like any other. Theories of power include liberal theories that see power with the state or bourgeoisie class, elite theories that argue power is concentrated among ruling elites, and pluralist theories that see power as exercised by groups through pressure and empowerment of the people.

Uploaded by

John Singh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Power is the 

central concept of political science


What money is to economics, power is to politics
Though power is the core concept, yet it remains a contested concept as any other.

Lasswell Conclusion for P/A/Legitimacy

 Pol theory is the study of Shaping  Thus the interrelationship


and sharing of power  among 3 facets of power continue to engage intellectuals even at present time

Liberals: Hobbes: Power with the state 


Marx: Power with the bourgeoise class 

Elitist Theory of Power


C Wright Mills
Pareto Robert Michels
Mosca
 Power Elite
 Mind and Society  Political Parties
 Nuclear bomb
 Circulation of  The Ruling  Studied the internal
o Federal pol
elites Class functioning of socialist parties
o Big Corporates
 No trickle Down  Oligarchy is the iron law
o High Military ofrs

Pluralist theory of Power 

Robert Dahl Macpherson

 Not only power elites  Both Elitist and Pluralist have missed substantive purpose of
 Also — Pressure Groups democracy
 Nuclear Bomb - exceptional situation  Empowerment of the people
 Polyarchy  Dahl-Schumpeter Axis
o Power exercised as a group
 Doformed Polyarchy

Foucault’s Theory of power 


Nietzsche Noam Chomsky
Micheal Foucault
 Genealogy of Mortals  Says that Foucault
 Used
 God is dead has wildly
o Archaeology : Historical study of knowledge system
 Knowledge power exaggerated the
o Genealogy : Knowledge power connection
connection influence of power in
 Foucault and Arendt’s conception: see Test-1 answer (8(a))
 Will to power scientific discourse.

Concept of Authority 
Max Weber

 Capitalist scholar and critic of Marx


 Authority = Legitimate power

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